For a government to truly represent the people, it needs to be accessible and transparent to all citizens. The onus is on government agencies to ensure that all members of the public can participate in their business. This means providing equal access to individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires public entities to make accommodations for these citizens, which include the deaf and hard of hearing. It is estimated that 12 percent of Americans suffer from some form of hearing loss, so this represents a substantial segment of the population requiring assistance to interact with their government.
One of government’s most effective outreach tools is video, and 21st-century technology has revolutionized the creation, delivery, and cost effectiveness of this powerful tool. A government agency can record and stream high-definition video of public meetings, events, and informational presentations with a digital video recorder or mobile device, easily keeping the public informed of an agency’s activities and initiatives anywhere there is a broadband connection. And thanks to the robust yet easy-to-use closed-captioning capabilities of content hosting and delivery platforms such as TikiLIVE, it’s a snap for your agency to use video to provide equal access to the deaf and hard of hearing.
Producing a Closed-Captioned Video with TikiLIVE
No special skills are needed to use TikiLIVE to manage and caption your agency’s videos. Note, however, that captions are supported only in HTML5 video players and not Flash players. To broadcast closed-captioned video with TikiLIVE, all you need to do is:
• Record the live streaming event. No specialized recording equipment is required because TikiLIVE lets you auto-record the broadcast sessions. Auto-recorded files will be saved in your Video Library. You can also use the HD Wave feature to locally record the broadcast session.
• Encode the recorded video to make sure it is available on all HTML5 devices. (More on this later.)
• Insert captions in TikiLIVE’s video editor. TikiLIVE’s Entry, Midrange, and Pro plans include captioning capabilities. Simply open your video in TikiLIVE’s Video Library Editor and type your captions in the corresponding places in the video. You can also upload already created subtitle files from your computer.
• Add your video to your TikiLIVE channel for viewing.
Just by making the video of your agency’s activities available, people will feel better informed and more connected to their government. By adding closed captioning to the equation, you help ensure that your agency is just as communicative and transparent to the deaf and hard of hearing, and TikiLIVE makes it all as easy as possible.
It’s Easy to Make Changes to Your Captions
Once captions have been added to your TikiLIVE video, it’s easy to go back and make changes to them if needed. Simply go back into the video editor, change the text that you entered for the video, and save your changes. Additionally, the captions are stored in a separate text file from the video, and this file can also be used as a transcript for the video, if you want to file the contents of the meeting or event in a document or make them available to the public.
HTML5 Encoding Makes Your Content Accessible Across Devices
Once you’ve taken the step of captioning your agency’s video, you’re going to want to make it as accessible as possible. With traditional television broadcasting, having your video seen would depend on viewers being at a television set at the designated time to watch. With the rise of internet video technology, however, people can watch your video anytime, anywhere, on any device. TikiLIVE makes this possible with its HTML5 encoder, which makes your videos viewable on all computers, smartphones (both iPhone and Android), tablets, and TV set-top boxes such as Roku. Your captioning will be supported on all these devices as well, so you won’t sacrifice equal access by device. Remember that closed captioning only works with HTML5 video players and not Flash players.
Use TikiLIVE’s Social Media Integration to Reach the Community and Disability Advocacy Groups
Once you have your videos produced and ready to view, spread the word about them! TikiLIVE integrates with most social media networks to help you get the word out about your agency’s latest news and share your videos. Set up a Facebook account for your government agency and invite your constituency to “like” and participate in the page. Share your videos, noting that they are closed captioned for the deaf and hard of hearing. Reach out to disability advocacy groups to ensure that the deaf/hard of hearing are aware of your efforts to keep them connected to your agency’s activities and initiatives. Invite discussions on your videos’ subjects. Taking advantage of social media will enhance your agency’s profile as an in-touch, transparent organization that strives to be inclusive and values the input of all citizens.
Broadcasting Power that Fits into Public-Sector Budgets
In the days of traditional video production, making a video for your government agency was, well, a production, and a pricey one at that. You needed to purchase or rent expensive video recording equipment, and likely hire somebody who knew how to use it. You had to outsource the editing to firms with editing consoles, and have them make physical copies of the videos. And then to ensure equal access, you had to pay and allow time for the whole separate process of captioning the video. THEN you had to work out broadcast channels for your videos – local network or public-access TV stations, public libraries, and so on. TikiLIVE gives you all of that power under one virtual roof and, by streamlining the process of video production, captioning, and delivery and by harnessing IPTV technology, makes it all surprisingly affordable.
Partner with TikiLIVE to Bring Your Agency’s Message to All People
As you can see, providing equal access through closed captioning fits seamlessly into TikiLIVE’s video production workflow; it’s no longer a specialized task to be handled only by people with the right training. Working for the government can be complicated enough, so why not make your content delivery simpler for your staff and your constituents? Let TikiLIVE help you. Contact us at 305-289-4557, or use our online contact form.
