Why Auto Captions Don’t Meet ADA Requirements and Why Human Captions Do

With the rapid adoption of AI-powered tools, automatic captions have become widespread across video platforms, webinars, meetings, and social media. They’re easy to turn on, built directly into many services, and often seen as a low-cost solution for adding captions quickly. While convenient, many organizations don’t realize an important fact until it’s too late: auto captions are often not ADA-compliant.

If your organization publishes videos publicly, including training content, interviews, webinars, podcasts, or educational materials, accessibility is not optional. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), captions must meet specific standards for accuracy and completeness. This is where automated captions frequently fall short.

Why Auto Captions Fail ADA Compliance

Auto captions rely on speech recognition software, which still struggles with real-world audio conditions. Common issues include:

• Inaccurate transcription of names, technical terms, and industry language
• Errors caused by accents, dialects, or fast speech
• Missing or incorrect speaker identification
• Problems with overlapping dialogue
• Improper line breaks and dense caption blocks
• Lack of punctuation
• Incomplete captions that omit meaningful content

While auto captions may appear readable, caption accuracy is critical for ADA compliance. Even small errors can alter meaning or make content difficult to understand for Deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.

From an accessibility standpoint, “good enough” is not enough.

What It Means for Captions to Be ADA-Compliant

According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s ADA Web Accessibility Guidance, captions for digital and video content must provide effective communication for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. To meet ADA accessibility standards, captions must be:

• Accurate, correctly reflecting spoken dialogue, names, and terminology
• Complete, including all meaningful speech and relevant non-speech audio
• Synchronized with the audio so captions appear at the correct time
• Readable and properly formatted, using clear punctuation, capitalization, and line breaks
• Equivalent in access, ensuring viewers who rely on captions receive the same information as hearing audiences

ADA guidance emphasizes that organizations are responsible for the accessibility of their video content, even when captions are generated using automated or third-party tools.

Why Human-Based Captions Are the Safer Choice

Human captioning is the most reliable way to meet these standards. Unlike automated systems, human captioners understand context, intent, and nuance, especially in interviews, panel discussions, and long-form recordings.

With professional human captioning, you benefit from:

• Higher caption accuracy for accessibility compliance
• Clear handling of speaker changes and complex dialogue
• Correct spelling of names, terminology, and specialized language
• Fewer corrections, re-uploads, and compliance concerns

For organizations managing training libraries, public communications, or interview-based content, human captions reduce risk and improve accessibility for all viewers.

How Speechpad Supports ADA Compliance

Speechpad provides human-reviewed captions created by trained professionals, not raw AI output. Every file is handled with attention to accuracy and readability, helping organizations meet accessibility standards with confidence.

Compared to other captioning services, Speechpad emphasizes:

• Vetted human captioners and transcriptionists with proven accuracy and experience
• Consistent formatting and quality control
• Transparent pricing
• Support from transcription experts who understand accessibility needs

Get ADA-Compliant with Speechpad: Volume Discounts Available

New customers receive 10% off their first order, and for organizations with ongoing or large-scale captioning needs, Speechpad offers volume pricing that makes ADA-compliant captions easier to sustain. This approach helps teams meet accessibility requirements with accurate, high-quality captions while maintaining long-term cost efficiency.

For captioning projects over 10 hours of audio, Speechpad offers:

• $1.30 per audio minute (standard rate: $1.50 per minute)

If you’re working to make your video or audio content accessible with ADA-compliant captions, email us at support@speechpad.com with any questions.

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