Lights, Camera, Captions: Create More Accessible Videos!

Update 04.01.24: What’s New in Screencastify: Captions in World Languages and More!

Ever tried playing a video in class and the volume just isn’t loud enough for every student to hear? That’s just one instance in which closed captions save the day, but there are plenty more. 

And now, Screencastify Starter, Pro, and Teams users can add closed captions to your videos to make them more versatile, accessible, and engaging! 

Here’s how to get started⬇️

Make a video with Screencastify

Captions are generated from the audio track in your recording, so you’ll want to make sure that your recording has sound. You have several options when it comes to customizing the sound that you include in your video.

Capture your microphone sound 🎙

Regardless of whether you choose to record a browser tab, desktop, or just your webcam, toggle the microphone on to capture the sound of your voice. Remember to speak audibly and clearly during your recording so that your captions come out spot on!

Capture tab audio 

When you’re recording your screen either in a desktop or browser tab recording, you can also include the sound from your computer. To do this, select show more options in the Screencastify extension.

From there, toggle on the system or tab audio option. Now, you can play videos, songs, and other sounds on your computer and they’ll be included in your recording!

"I can't believe how SPOT ON the captioning is! Seriously, it is effortless to utilize ..." - Jason Hubbard, Perrysburg Schools

Add Closed Captions to any video

From the Video Management Page, you can add captions to any video. Simply select the “Add Captions” option on the panel on the right of your screen. If you have your own captions in a WebVTT format, you can upload them here.

If you don’t have that file or don’t know what that means, don’t worry, Screencastify can generate the captions for you. Simply select the “Generate for Me” option and leave the tab open while we get your file ready. You can review the captions and make any changes by typing directly into the boxes on the right of the screen. When you’re satisfied with the accuracy of the text, click “done”.

Now, when your viewers visit the Video Watch Page through the link or any of our sharing apps, they’ll see closed captions while they watch!

Import an existing video 🎬

To add captions to an existing video, you will need to open Screencastify Edit. Select the “Add media” button in the bottom right corner of your screen. Here, you can choose to import videos you have saved on your computer or in your Google Drive, including videos you made with Screencastify or nearly anywhere else!

Once you’ve imported your video, you’ll want to export it to Screencastify by selecting the “export” option in the top right corner. This will allow you to view the video on the Video Management Page, where all the caption magic happens!

Give your video a name you’ll remember and then click “View in Screencastify” to get started. 
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There are tons of ways to increase the effectiveness and impact of your videos with captions👇

Make content more accessible 

Whether you are using video to give directions, differentiate instruction or provide feedback, adding captions to videos allows more students to access them.

This includes students that are deaf and hard of hearing, but may also include students who process information better when written as well as students accessing videos in a variety of contexts and environments.

Promote reading fluency & improve literacy 📚

Watching videos that include captions help students improve their reading fluency and improve their literacy skills. This impact has been proven in both television viewing and video viewing.

Include captions in all of the videos you share with your students to promote literacy across academic subjects and improve reading proficiency. 

Make translation easier

With Screencastify captions, you can have a downloadable transcript that you can take to any platform. Select the three dots to the right of your caption file and download it to your computer.

You can use that transcript to translate into any language for your parents, colleagues, or your students. You can even upload your translations to Screencastify and use those instead!

Give viewers more freedom 🙋

When you include captions, video viewers have more ways to see your content. They can view it on a crowded bus, in your classroom with no headphones, or anywhere else they may need to access your ideas. 

Upgrade to start using captions in your Screencastify videos today to improve engagement and increase accessibility with your videos. The possibilities are endless! Already using captions? Let us know how you’re using it on Twitter!