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Free Accessible Educational Videos that are Captioned and Described!
More than 90% of educators use videos in their classrooms - many as often as once a more a week.
More than 90% of educators use videos in their classrooms – many as often as once a more a week. Are YOU using videos that are accessible to all your students? Check out these resources!
Classroom
Described and Captioned Media Program website DCMP is the first and only free-loan educational media service to provide accessible (captioned and described) content directly to teachers, parents and others who educate K-12 students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind. Thousands of titles are available on a variety of curricular subjects. Any adult who works in some educational capacity with a qualifying student(s) may register for DCMP videos.
Teach Hint: Share this information with your classroom teachers! Encourage educators to check to see if their desired video is available as a captioned and described video! Can’t find what you want? Send DCMP your request/recommendation!
Network and Cable Television
Some educational television programs are described through various U.S. Department of Education grants, such as PBS, CNN, Disney, ABC, and Nick Jr.
Federal Regulation 47 CFR 79.3 Requires limited audio description:
- Top four commercial TV networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC)
- Top five cable networks (USA, Disney, History, TNT, TBS)
- Air 50 hours of description per calendar quarter
- Prime time or children’s programming
- Only applies to these listed networks in the top 60 markets
PBS is not covered by this program; however, PBS does do audio descriptions for 27% of the population that lives outside the top 60 markets.
Access audio described programs on the SAP channel (Secondary Audio Program) Channel. Every TV has a different set up and often requires sighted assistance to set up. Sometimes the local provider or station must be called in order to set up access.
Accessible TV portal is another option. It is educationally relevant for children. Register children for Accessible TV Portal.
Additional Resources
Additional options for general television programs, movies, and digital sources that are accessible (may or may not be “educational” materials).
- Audio Description Project (American Council of the Blind)
- List of audio described movies and programs on NetFlix
- The Media Access Group at WGBN
- See Pixar made an App that Helps the Blind Experience Movies post
- YouTube, iTunes, and other digital sources have titles with descriptions
By Diane Brauner
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