Audio Descriptions for Recorded Video Content

Audio Descriptions for Recorded Video Content

When you include video content in your courses, it is important to ensure that all users, including those who are visually impaired, have access to all content that is provided visually. Providing audio descriptions is essential to ensuring that videos are accessible.

This resource provides guidance to help you make your recorded video content more accessible in accordance with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.1.

The Importance of Audio Descriptions

Aside from meeting compliance requirements, audio descriptions provide many benefits for users, including the following:

  • Empower blind, low vision, or temporary vision loss users
  • Improve user experience for cognitive disabilities
  • Enhance equal access to educational and cultural resources
  • Support individuals who task switch to follow along with the content

When to Include Audio Descriptions

Audio descriptions are required when information is conveyed through visual means but is not audibly described. For example, if you have visuals in a lecture that are not described in words, you need to provide audio descriptions so that visually impaired students still have access to the information that is conveyed in the visual.

One of the most common situations in which you will need to include audio descriptions is if you are having students work with a documentary or feature film. In these situations, audio description helps people who are blind, have low vision, or cannot see the screen adequately. Audio descriptions will help these students understand visuals like scenery or physical action so they can fully grasp the content of the video.

Audio descriptions are not required if all content that is conveyed visually is already conveyed by audio as well. For example, if you are demonstrating how to solve a problem by writing out the steps and you say everything that you are writing aloud, you likely do not need to provide audio description. 

Creating Audio Descriptions

You can record audio descriptions using a platform of your choice, e.g., Panopto (see below) or a built-in sound recorder on your Windows or Mac computer. Regardless of the platform you use to record, you will want to follow these steps.

  1. Plan. Identify key visuals that are essential to understanding the content but do not already have an audio counterpart. This might include facial expressions, scene changes, or text that is presented on screen but not read aloud.
  2. Script. Write a concise script keeping descriptions short, clear, and timed to fit naturally into the content. Focus on what is being communicated visually, keeping in mind that all students need access to the information the video is designed to convey. This includes people in the video and background visuals that impact the video’s message.
  3. Record. Use natural language without interpretation and provide clear descriptions of the information the visuals are designed to provide. For example, you might describe a graph by saying “The line graph on this page shows enrollment increasing steadily from 2022 to 2025, with the sharpest rise between 2023 and 2024.”
  4. Provide to students. You can integrate audio descriptions into an existing video file or provide a separate file with audio descriptions. 

Integrating Audio Descriptions into an Existing File

Depending on where you are hosting video content, there are different technologies to help you add audio descriptions to your files. Below are two commonly-used options.

Add Audio Descriptions in Panopto

If you are hosting video content in Panopto, you can add a separate audio track to your video so that students can turn audio descriptions on or off, and you don't have to create a separate video. You can do this by uploading a file containing your audio descriptions or manually adding audio description within the existing video file.

Use the following steps to add audio descriptions to a video file in Panopto.

  1. Open the Panopto tool (available from Existing Activities > External Learning Tools).
  2. Locate the video that requires editing and and hover over the options at the top of the thumbnail video to locate the Edit tool. 
  3. Click Edit.
  4. Follow Panopto’s step-by-step instructions to add audio descriptions by adding them directly or uploading a file.

Add Audio Descriptions on YouTube

If you are hosting video content by using YouTube Studio, you can upload a file with audio descriptions (including time stamps) that students will be able to hear. Use the instructions from YouTube to learn how to add audio descriptions.

Providing Audio Descriptions in a Secondary Audio File

If you are unable to integrate audio descriptions into a video file, you can provide a supplemental audio file to students that provides narrative explanation of visual content. Note that you will need to provide this file to all students, not just those with accommodations.

Best Practice

If you are recording lectures for your courses, provide full descriptions of all visuals during the lecture itself so that you do not have to create separate audio descriptions. Developing the habit of providing full narration of all visual information will ensure full accessibility of video content without requiring additional time and effort on your part.

Additional Resources 

U. S. General Services Administration. (2025). Audio descriptions.

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). (2024). Description of visual information.

World Wide Web Consortium. (2025). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.