YouTube+Features+for+accessibility

So often we use YouTube and we don’t even consider using it for people with disabilities. Most people don’t even know that YouTube has a native feature that can be used to enhance learning for individuals with a hearing/learning disability. Its called the YouTube captions. All captions in Youtube videos that contain them can be searched for, that is, relevant keywords inside the caption text for videos will appear in search, and help teachers and students find and filter content more accurately if the caption text is made relevant enough. Teachers can upload captions to their own videos on Youtube, student can choose to activate the closed captioning for the video and also operate different closed captioning functionalituy such as: Along the same lines, Youtube also offer media-rich linking and annotation. For instance, it is possible to add speech bubbles and annotations as well as links to other content within existing Youtube videos. This can not only make a Youtube video more accessible when used along with closed captioning but also make it more immersive, content-rich as it links to more relevant resources. Some have even used Youtube videos to create non-linear stories which let viewers choose their own adventure as they click through “yes/not” types of questions at certain points in the action which will then lead them to other “hidden” videos in the Youtube channel, giving them the illusion that they are “controlling” the course of the story. All in all, Youtube offers great interactive and accessible content possibilities for both people with disabilities and those in regular education. By making the videos more interactive and media rich, we are accounting for different types of learns and different types disabilities.
 * YouTube Features for Accessibility **
 * § Increase text size: press "+" key
 * § Decrease text size: press "-" key
 * § Change background: press "B" or "b" key

About Youtube captioning: [] Zombie Interactive Adventure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p1yBlV7Ges

**YouTube** ** Accessibility for the Hearing Impaired in 2016 ** YouTube continues to impress and show regard for all viewers by continually adding to the accessibility of their videos. For a few years now, YouTube has moved from just allowing people to add captions to their videos to offering a Closed Captioning button that can give auto-generated captions to all videos, whether the original video had closed captions or not. This opens the door for individuals who are hearing impaired to watch any video they would like (music videos seem to be an exception). The user of the closed captions can also manipulate the captions so they can view them in a way that works the best for them! These option include font family, font color, font size, background color, background opacity, window color, window opacity, character edge style, and font opacity. Through these options, the user will be able to create the best Closed Captioning for them. To access Closed Captioning and the Subtitle Options on youtube.com the user should first click the small box with the "CC" on it in the lower right hand corner of the video screen to turn CC on. To the right of the Closed Captioning button is the Setting Sprocket. If you click the sprocket and then click subtitles/CC you have the option of either clicking "options" to manipulate how you view the caption or you can change the language of the caption to auto-translate to one of many languages. When trying the Closed Captioning myself, one downfall I have noticed is, if the person talking in the video has a thick non-English accent or is not speaking clearly, the Auto-Generated Subtitles will not be correct 100% of the time. Viewers must realize this before using the Closed Captioning option. I would not be surprised if, in years to come, the voice recognition software used to create the subtitles becomes even more advanced and becomes even more accurate. For the most part, if the person speaking in the video is a native English speaker, all if not most of the words are correct. Overall, YouTube is really showing viewers that they care and are inclusive to those of whom may otherwise not be able to experience the full effects of its content!

YouTube Makes Captioning More Accessible for Deaf Viewers: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/youtube-makes-captioning-more-accessible-for-deaf-viewers/2012/02/28/gIQAjxUzfR_blog.html