Instructors should prepare alt text for any images provided in Mediathread
If Mediathread is used to edit an image to call out a particular element, the alt text should be updated to match that change
Example: A professor uses Mediathread to edit a picture of a cell by adding a circle around the mitochondria, the alt text should be update to match that change
If alt text cannot be added to images in Mediathread, instructors should have alt text prepared for any images being provided or edited using Mediathread. This way instructors can provide a student using screen reading software with an equivalent alternative.
Example: Access to an accessible Word Document
Contact OAE for questions or support
An assignment requiring students to use Mediathread’s image editor will be inaccessible for students using assistive technology
Instructors should avoid assignments that solely rely on Mediathread’s image editor
If an assignment relies on Mediathread’s image editor, it is recommended that the instructor have an alternative assignment prepared
General Accessibility Recommendations
Provide a hyperlink for each video or audio clip and include the desired watch times
Providing this information makes it easier to adapt the assignment if a student is unable to use Mediathread
When using images with Mediathread, avoid relying solely on color to indicate or prompt a response
Include a shape or text in the image to indicate where students should be looking
Students with color blindness benefit by conveying information using different techniques
Check the accuracy of a video’s captioning
On YouTube, you can check if a video’s captioning is created algorithmically or has been checked/created by a human. Select the “CC” button to investigate
When you select the “CC” button and see on the top left of the video “English,” this means the captioning has been edited and most likely was created/checked by a human
When you select the “CC” button and see on the top left of the video “English (Autogenerated),” this means the captioning was created by an algorithm, lacks punctuation, and was not checked by a human
Even if you see “English” displayed when selecting the “CC” button, continue to skim throughout the video and check to ensure the captioning is matching the dialogue
Check to ensure the captioning is displaying in Mediathread if you are using video platforms other than YouTube
Skim through the video and check that the captioning is accurate and stays in sync with the video player
If you want to add professional captioning to a video, SODA has a list of Captioning Vendors with negotiated discounted rates for Stanford.
Check to see if audio-only materials (e.g. Podcast) have transcripts available
If a transcript is available, provide a hyperlink to it in the assignment’s instructions. This can be very beneficial for students with hearing loss.
Captioning Accommodation
If a student with a captioning accommodation is enrolled in the course, all video/audio materials will need to be made accessible including the media selected by other students
Coordinate with OAE to put in place a process to provide access for the student
Screen Reading Software and Image-Based Assignments in Mediathread
Any image-based assignments created with Mediathread are not compatible with screen reading software
Mediathread does not have alt text or image description functionality, which makes it inaccessible to screen reading software used by students with vision loss
You will have to reconstruct the assignments outside of Mediathread, and based on your learning objectives, provide equivalent alternatives for students who use screen readers and/or are unable to use pointing devices
Contact OAE for questions or support
Check in with the student to make sure they can access the assignment
Screen Reading Software and Video-Based Assignments in Mediathread
Mediathread is not fully compatible with screen reading software
Mediathread does not read out the tags or notes sections of posted assignments. This can make it confusing for students using screen reading software because they might not know what section they are in.
Notify the student and see if they feel comfortable using Mediathread to complete assignments
If the student requests the assignment be added to a different platform, transfer the assignment to Canvas
Create a Canvas assignment or discussion page and include the same directions that were posted in Mediathread
Specify the specific watch times for the provided video (Example: Start: 5:15, End: 10:20)
Provide the video as a hyperlink on the Canvas assignment page
If using a platform other than YouTube, confirm with the student that they can use the video player
Check in with the student to make sure they can access the assignment
