July 13, 2012 Captions are text that is time-sychronized with the media. They convey all spoken content as well as relevant sound effects. Captions originated in the early 1980s from an FCC mandate for broadcast TV. The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act requires all Internet programming that previously aired on television with captions to have captions online, as well. The values of captioning include: - Accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing - Accessibility for ESL viewers - Flexibility to view anywhere, such as noisy environments or offices - Search - Reusability - Navigation, better UX - SEO/discoverability - Used as source for translation Penn State has 55 online courses. They have an increasing need for accommodation in online education. Here is Penn's accommodation process: 1. Student discloses request of accommodation to ODS office 2. If qualified, student receives accommodation letter from ODS 3. Student submits letter to instructor including types of accommodation needed 4. Instructor informs the learning designer of accommodation needed 5. Learning designer coordinates effort to implement accommodation Penn State had many challenges to overcome when developing a captioning solution for video content. For a full demonstration of how they overcome these difficulties and found their solution with 3Play Media, watch the slideshow! Presenters: Dr. Keith D. Bailey Assistant Dean, Online Learning and Education Technology & Director College of Arts and Architecture Tole Khesin VP of Marketing 3Play Media Josh Miller VP of Business Development 3Play Media

1. Video Accessibility:
Penn State Demonstrates Its
Automated Captioning Solution
July 13, 2012

2. Agenda
Captioning Background
Captioning Process
Beyond captions
Demos
Q&A

3. What Are Captions?
• Captions are text that is time-synchronized
with the media
• Captions convey all spoken content as well
as relevant sound effects
• Originated in the early 1980s from an FCC
mandate for broadcast TV

4. What Are Captions?
Terminology
• Captioning vs. Transcription

5. What Are Captions?
Terminology
• Captioning vs. Transcription
• Captioning vs. Subtitling

6. What Are Captions?
Terminology
• Captioning vs. Transcription
• Captioning vs. Subtitling
• Closed Captioning vs. Open Captioning

7. What Are Captions?
Terminology
• Captioning vs. Transcription
• Captioning vs. Subtitling
• Closed Captioning vs. Open Captioning
• Post Production vs. Real-Time

8. Accessibility Laws
Section 508
“All training and informational video and
multimedia productions must contain captions …”

9. Accessibility Laws
Section 508
“All training and informational video and
multimedia productions must contain captions …”
Section 504
“No individual, solely by reason of her or his
disability…be denied the benefits of any program,
service, or activity…”

10. Accessibility Laws
Section 508
“All training and informational video and
multimedia productions must contain captions …”
Section 504
“No individual, solely by reason of her or his
disability…be denied the benefits of any program,
service, or activity…”
21st Century Communications & Video
Accessibility Act (CVAA)
“Closed captioning on video programming
delivered using internet protocol….”

11. Accessibility Laws
CVAA Update
Expected timeline for publishers to implement the
new captioning requirements
6 months: All prerecorded programming that is
not edited for Internet distribution
(Sept 30, 2012)
12 months: Live & near-live programming
originally broadcast on television.
18 months: Prerecorded programming that is
edited for Internet distribution.
24 months: Archival programming

12. Benefits
• Accessible for deaf and hard of hearing
• For ESL viewers
• Flexibility to view anywhere, such as noisy
environments or offices
• Content becomes searchable, reusable
• SEO/discoverability
• Used as source for translation

13. Captions Formats
Common Caption Formats
SRT
YouTube and other web players
DFXP
Flash players
SCC
iPods, iTunes, DVD encoding
SAMI
Windows Media
QT
QuickTime
STL
DVD Studio Pro
CPT.XML
Captionate
SBV
YouTube
RT
Real Media
WebVTT
Emerging HTML5
Custom XML
Custom formats
Custom Text
Custom formats
SRT Example

14. Captioning Process
Upload files
•
•
•
•
•
Secure over HTTP
FTP
Paste links
API
Import
Video Platform Integrations

15. Captioning Process

16. Captions Plugin

17. Interactive Plugins

18. Demo
• Examples of automated captioning workflows
• Searchable, interactive video libraries

19. Video Accessibility
Penn State University Demonstrates its
Captioning Solution
Dr. Keith D. Bailey
Assistant Dean, Online Learning
and Education Technology
& Director
College of Arts and Architecture
Tole Khesin
VP of Marketing
3PlayMedia
Josh Miller
VP of Business Development
3PlayMedia

20. About Penn State

21. Penn State Univ.
Land Grant & State-related
24 Campus System + 1 Virtual Campus

22. System Breakdown
• University Park - Main Campus (13 Colleges)
• Commonwealth Campuses - (19 state-wide)
• Special Mission Campuses:
•
•
•
•
•
Dickinson - Law
Great Valley - Graduate
Penn College of Tech - Technical
Hershey - Medical
World Campus - Virtual (Online only)

23. The e-Learning Institute
Architecture
Visual Arts
Art History
E-Learning
Institute
Theater
Integrative Arts
Music
Landscape
Architecture
Mission
To work with the disciplines
represented in the College of
Arts and Architecture to
become a leader in e-learning
and instructional technology in
the Arts and Design

24. Penn State Delivery
Options for Online Courses
World Campus
(Virtual Campus)
e-Learning
Cooperative
(24 Campuses)
UP

25. The A&A Portfolio
Number of Courses by Portfolio
General
Education
31
UP & WD
Online
MPS in Art
Education
Digital Arts
Certificate
8*
Music
Education
2
MPS in
GeoDesign
8**
WD Online
WD Online
UP Online
WD Online
6
55 online courses
All academic units
12,000+ enrollments
* 3 Courses Count Toward GA
** Courses in Development

26. e-Learning Organization
Design
Director
Delivery
Sr. ID
Instructional
Multimedia
Specialist
Instructional
Designers
Program
Manager
Faculty Fellows
Instructional
Technology
Specialist
e-Learning
Support
Specialist
e-Learning Admin.
Coordinator
Video Production
Coordinator
Office of online nonCredit Continuing
Education

27. The Increasing Need
for Accommodation in
Online Education

28. US Trend in Online Learning
7,000,000
6,142,280
5,579,022
5,250,000
4,606,353
3,938,111
3,500,000
1,750,000
0
3,180,050
1,602,970
2002
1,971,397
2003
3,488,381
2,329,783
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Source: Going the Distance: Online Education in the
United States, 2011 by Babson Survey Research Group

29. Online Enrollments at PSU
2011/12 Data
• 524,892 total enrollments
(WD & UP)
• 9% (47,777) of course
enrollments were fully online
(WD & UP)

30. University Accommodation
Requests
• 2011/12 Academic Year - 1,140 students
registered with ODS
• 6 students needed either an interpreter
or captioning in 2011/12 compared to 4
in 2010/11
• 5 blind student’s across the university
including World Campus

31. WD Accommodation Requests
•
•
•
All Requests
•
•
Fa10: 18 students enrolled in 52 unique courses
Sp12: 37 students enrolled in 82 unique courses
Blind
•
•
Fa10: 0 students enrolled in 0 unique courses
Sp12: 3 students enrolled in 6 unique courses
Deaf or Hearing-impaired
•
•
Fa10: 3 students enrolled in 11 unique courses
Sp12: 9 students enrolled in 27 unique courses

32. Accommodation Process
1. Student discloses request of accommodation to ODS
office
2. If qualified, student receives accommodation letter from
ODS
3. Student submits letter to instructor including types of
accommodation needed
4. Instructor informs the learning designer of
accommodation needed
5. Learning designer coordinates effort to implement
accommodation

33. Penn State Learning
Design Accessibility
Initiative

34. Learning Design Standards
Penn State’s 12 Quality
Assurance e-Learning
Design Standards
Developed through PSU
Online Coordinating
Council

35. OCAQI
Online Course Accessibility
Quality Initiative
Initiated July 2011
Charge
Identify accessibility best practices and
strategies for online courses

36. University Policy
•
New University policy implemented August, 2011 Policy AD-69
•
Policy requires compliance with Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0)
conformance level AA
•
Pages less than 2 years old must comply
•
Older pages must be made accessible by unitdetermined date, or by request for accommodation
Source - http://guru.psu.edu/policies/AD69.html

37. Key Blockers to Fix
•
Image ALT Tags
•
Page or Document Titles
•
Headings and Sub
Headings
•
•
•
•
Contrast or Luminosity/
Brightness
•
Color Issues
•
Fonts and Text Layout
Link Text
•
Text Reading Order
Table Headers and
Captions
•
Charts & Accessibility
•
Video Captions and Audio
Transcripts
Form Labels
Source - http://accessibility.psu.edu/

38. e-Learning Institute’s
Learning Design
Approach
Focus on Quality of
Design and Delivery

39. The Challenge
?
X X
Late 1990’s
2000’s
Future

40. Content Separate from Communication
Course Content
Course Communication

41. Content Separate from Design
Course Interface
Faculty Content
Published Content

42. Media Separate from Content
Public
Purchased
Private

43. Our Solutions
A Suite of Tools
ELMS: Content
ELMS: ELIMedia
ELMS: Studio
Instructional Content
Management
(ICMS)
Asset Media
Management
(AMS)
Collaborative
Learning
Environment
(CLE)

44. Our Solutions
A Suite of Tools
ELMS: Content
ELMS: ELIMedia
ELMS: Studio
Instructional Content
Management
(ICMS)
Asset Media
Management
(AMS)
Collaborative
Learning
Environment
(CLE)

45. ELMS: Content
An open source content management system
customized by learning designers for course
developers
+
+
Outline Designer
+
Course Manager
PHP &
MySQL
Community
Modules
Learning Design
Modules
Custom
Themes

46. Accessible Design
• Customize look and feel per
course
• Implement global learning
design standards
• Built to incorporate
accessibility standards

47. Accessible Content
• Implement stylesheets to
control content presentations
• Install module to assist in
compliance review
• Validate or review content
based on accessibility
standards
• Our big debate! How much
freedom do we give?

48. Open Distribution
https://drupal.org/project/elms

49. Our Solutions
A Suite of Tools
ELMS: Content
ELMS: ELIMedia
ELMS: Studio
Instructional Content
Management
(ICMS)
Asset Media
Management
(AMS)
Collaborative
Learning
Environment
(CLE)

50. Asset Management
Needs
• Eliminate duplication of media assets
• Allow for reuse of digital assets
• Provide mechanism to embed media in courses
with minimal effort
• Simplify workflow with copyright and transcription
• Ensure online courses meet copyright and
compliance with regard to the use of media

51. ELMS: ELIMedia
• Asset management system to store
media used in online courses which
manages:
• images, video, audio, Flash, etc...
• copyright for media assets
• transcription and caption files with
appropriate media assets
• Front-end interface for Flash Media
Server
• Embed code for easy integration into
courses
Asset Media
Management
(AMS)

52. Embedding Media into
Courses

53. Copy Embed Code

54. Paste Embed Code

55. Course Display

56. Benefits of ELIMedia
• Assists with maintaining compliancy
• Copyright (TEACH Act, Creative Commons)
• Accessibility (closed captioning and transcript)
• Removed the need for learning designers and faculty
to manage copyright and transcription within courses
• Tagging allows for ease of search and retrieval
• Ability to track use of materials in courses

57. Open Distribution
https://drupal.org/project/elmsmedia

58. Transcription Process
Evolution
Manual
Method
Partially
Automated
Fully
Automated
2006
2011
2012

59. Transcription Process
Evolution
Manual
Method
Partially
Automated
Fully
Automated
2006
2011
2012

60. Manual Method
Download files from course
Burn files to disk
Mail to company for transcription
Company adds open captions
Company mails files back on disk
39 Flash files
26 hours of lecture
2+ week turn around
Upload files to course

61. Identifying a Better
Solution
• Accurate and reliable
• Option for multiple
formats
• Rapid turnaround
• Affordable
• Volume
• Possible integration
with ELIMedia

62. Solution!

63. Transcription Process
Evolution
Manual
Method
Partially
Automated
Fully
Automated
2006
2011
2012

64. Utilize ELIMedia to manage media
assets and associated CC files
Partially Automated
Goal

65. Upload file to ELIMedia
Partially Automated
Step 1

66. Upload file to 3PlayMedia
Partially Automated
Step 2

67. Monitor status of file on 3PlayMedia
Partially Automated
Step 3

68. Download CC file from 3PlayMedia
Partially Automated
Step 4

69. Upload CC file to ELIMedia
Partially Automated
Step 5

70. Transcription Process
Manual
Method
Partially
Automated
Fully
Automated
2006
2011
2012

71. Utilize 3PlayMedia’s APIs to automate the
transcription process from within ELIMedia
Fully Automated
Goal

72. Upload file to ELIMedia
Fully Automated
Step 1

73. Classify “Need” for transcription
Fully Automated
Step 2

74. Media specialist and learning designer
approve media
Fully Automated
Step 3

75. Learning designer submits files
for transcription
Fully Automated
Step 4

76. ELIMedia auto submits files to
3PlayMedia
Fully Automated
Step 5

77. 3PlayMedia processes files
Fully Automated
Step 6

78. Processed files auto download
CC and transcript files
=
ELMS:Media
3PlayMedia
Fully Automated
Step 7

79. Proven Results
• 100% reliable (audit on 10 selected files)
• Number of files transcribed
571 (80hrs)
• 2-3 day turn around
• Cost $14,800
• Automated process with API
• Associate both CC and transcripts
• Projected time savings of 15 minutes per file or
12 hours per course

80. Media Asset Audit
Phase 1
(Submitting existing files which have
not been set for transcription)

81. Goal
Approve and transcribe media files that
have NOT been transcribed

82. Step 1
Classify Status to “Needs Transcription
(Need)”

83. Step 2
Approve media assets for transcription

84. Step 3
Classify Status to “Submit to 3PlayMedia for
Transcription (Submitted)”

85. Media Asset Audit
Phase 2
(Auto Download of CC and
Transcription Files)

86. Goal
Associate already transcribed files
between 3PlayMedia and ELIMedia

87. Step 1
Update approval status in ELIMedia

88. Step 2
Associate ELIMedia NodeID with
3PlayMedia’s VideoID
ELIMedia
3PlayMedia

89. Step 3
Change Status in ELIMedia to “Transcription
Being Processed (Processing)”

90. Anticipated Benefits
1. Institute Design Process Improvement
a. Develop new process which requires ALL video’s to be
transcribed (post pilot of course)
b. Streamline approval process
c. Influence practice at Penn State and beyond
2. Student Empowerment
a. Provide additional options for English as Second Language
students
b. Personalize delivery by selecting from a range of formats
(Interactive transcripts, transcript, CC)

91. Questions?

92. Questions
Penn State University
3Play Media
Keith D. Bailey, Ph.D
Assistant Dean of Online Learning
and Education Technology
Penn State University – College of Arts
and Architecture
kdb163@psu.edu
Josh Miller
3Play Media
josh@3playmedia.com
Ph: (617) 764-5189 x102
Resources
Resources
https://elimedia.psu.edu/
http://www.3playmedia.com
https://elms.psu.edu/
Tole Khesin
3Play Media
tole@3playmedia.com
Ph: (415) 298-1206