Captioning Grants
Captioning grants are available for NC State faculty to assist in creating accessible multimedia. The purpose of this grant is to caption videos used for instruction, with a focus on pre-recorded videos that were not created by the instructor and for which a captioned alternative is not available, as well as classroom capture multimedia added to course resources. This fund enables faculty to utilize modern course delivery mechanisms while ensuring that all students can fully engage with the course content.
How to Apply
To apply, complete the Captioning Grant Application Form. Any NC State faculty member may apply at any time.
Steps to Success
After your application is approved:
- Place an order with a captioning company. You are free to choose which company captions your videos.
- You will receive instructions for how to email your IDT to OIT’s business office.
- After receiving your captioned video(s), update your instructional resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What types of content does this grant cover?
- What accessibility features does this fund cover?
- Does this mean the university will fund all of my captioning needs?
- What criteria are used to determine who will receive funds for captioning?
- Can I go ahead and order captioning then apply for grant funds later?
- How is the captioning actually done?
- Will NC State place the captioning order for me?
- Who do I contact with additional questions?
What types of content does this grant cover?
The grant provides funds to caption videos used in official NC State courses.
What accessibility features does this fund cover?
The purpose of this grant is to caption videos used for instruction, primarily pre-recorded videos that the instructor did not create and for which a captioned alternative is not available, as well as classroom capture multimedia added to course resources. If you would like to add audio descriptions to a video, this will also be considered. Please reach out to accessibility@ncsu.edu to discuss.
Does this mean the university will fund all of my captioning needs?
Not necessarily. This fund is not sufficient to caption all videos on campus. This grant is meant to:
- Assist faculty in creating accessible content when specific needs arise.
- Strategically target courses where proactive captioning will be most beneficial.
Creating accessible course content is still the responsibility of the faculty member and their department. Faculty are encouraged to find or create videos that are captioned. However, the grant acknowledges that finding accessible video content may be difficult for some subjects and that faculty may not have the resources to create an accessible video about a particular subject.
What criteria are used to determine who will receive funds for captioning?
Requests to meet the needs of a student with a disability are usually approved. For proactive captioning requests, a number of factors will be considered:
- Classroom-captured content that is placed into the LMS will receive the highest priority, as the auto-generated captions are generally not accurate enough.
- How many students will have access to the content?
- How integral is the video to completing a particular course of study?
- For how many semesters will this content be used?
- What volume of captioning is being requested?
The application process is simple, so faculty are encouraged to apply even if they feel their content may not be a strong candidate for receiving funding.
Can I go ahead and order captioning then apply for grant funds later?
You could do this, but you are not guaranteed to be reimbursed for the cost of the captioning. If you are dependent upon these funds for completing the captioning, you should apply for the grant before placing the order. This includes captioning to meet the needs of a student identified by the Disability Resource Office.
How is the captioning actually done?
Creating captions is a two-step process: first, creating a transcript and then synchronizing it with the video. Both processes can be outsourced to a third party. See Choosing a Captioning Company for recommendations. Our Captioning Convenience Contract provides pricing information.
Will NC State place the captioning order for me?
Generally no, but the Digital Accessibility office will assist you in ordering captions. The exception to this is if you are using Panopto.
Who do I contact with additional questions?
All other questions should be directed to accessibility@ncsu.edu.