VoiceThread Universal

VoiceThread Universal is an HTML version of VoiceThread where captions are automatically displayed.  The application is designed for people who use a screen reader to access content on the web.

Closed Captioning

Closed Captions are off by default but can be added to any media that contains an audio component, whether its a comment or a slide.  VoiceThread will automatically add captions to your audio or video slides and comments using automatic speech recognition (ASR).  You don't need to do anything at all to initiate the process. As soon as you save your recording, the captioning process will begin and should appear within 5-10 minutes depending on the length of your recording. Plan on 1-2 minutes for every one minute of video.  In general, automatic captions average around 80% accuracy and this varies depending on audio quality, clarity of speech, background noise etc.  We recommend using the generated captions as a starting point and you will want to use the VoiceThread caption editor to make any necessary updates. 

Rich Set of Participatory Methods

VoiceThread's 5 methods of commenting and diverse set of media options make it a broadly usable communication platform.  Users who are deaf or hard of hearing, vision impaired, have ADD, ADHD, or dyslexia, or have any other physical and cognitive difference can participate using a recipe that works for them.

Other Accessibility Features

VoiceThread does design a number of standard accessibility features like closed captioning and access for screen readers.  They also design all of their features with Universal accessibility in mind.  Review a handful of standard features and an overview of how to use them.

Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)

Download VoiceThreads VPAT

VoiceThread and Universal Design for Learning

Watch a recorded webinar on VoiceThread and Universal Design for Learning.