As a student with low vision, I didn’t realize how many visual details I would miss out on when watching videos for school until I watched a video with audio description for the first time in college. After learning how helpful audio description can be, I started researching accessible educational video services and learned about the Described and Captioned Media Program, a free resource for visually impaired students and their support teams. Here is an overview of the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) and how it can benefit students with visual impairments, inclusive of blind, low vision, and neurological visual impairment (CVI).
Overview of the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP)
The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) is a collaboration between the National Association of the Deaf and the United States Department of Education that offers free-loan media and streaming video for K-12 students and their support teams (teachers, interpreters, family members, etc). DCMP offers accessible education videos with captions, ASL interpretation, transcripts, and audio description for students with hearing loss and/or vision loss, partnering with content creators to make their videos accessible for viewers with disabilities. Some DCMP videos are also available with Spanish captions and/or audio description as well.
An unlimited number of accessible education videos can be accessed via the DCMP website, which can be used with computer or mobile web browsers. DCMP is free for qualifying individuals, though students cannot have their own accounts for browsing content.
Related links
What is audio description?
Audio description is an additional narration track that plays alongside video content and provides descriptions of key visual information for audiences that might not otherwise see it, and it’s especially helpful for blind and low vision viewers who have trouble seeing screens. Audio description is different from captioning, which is used to transcribe audio content for reading.
Videos posted on the Described and Captioned Media Program are designed to be used with open audio description, meaning that no additional equipment is needed to listen to audio description— once audio description is enabled, anyone can hear it.
Related links
- Fast Facts About Audio Description
- 8 Myths About Audio Description
- Streaming Audio Description For Performing Arts Videos
How to qualify for a DCMP account
Qualifying individuals can register for access to the Described and Captioned Media Program at no cost if they meet the following qualification, as listed on the DCMP website:
“The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) library provides on-demand captioned and described educational video and interactive content to benefit K-12 students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind. Teachers/interpreters (including those still in training), other professionals, and family members whose use benefits these students can apply to have access to all DCMP media and training.”
Some examples of individuals that qualify for a free DCMP membership include:
- Teachers that have at least one student with a visual impairment and/or hearing impairment
- Teachers of students with visual impairments (TVI/TSVI)
- Parents of children with a visual impairment and/or hearing impairment
- College students/graduate students in training or pursuing a degree where they will work with students that have visual impairments and/or hearing impairments
- Allied support professionals that work with at least one K-12 student with a visual impairment and/or hearing impairment
When registering for an account, individuals will need to provide a physical address and indicate how they plan to use DCMP content. They will also need to indicate which of the following categories describe their position, providing additional information if needed:
- K-12 School Personnel
- Postsecondary Personnel
- Family member of a Qualifying Individual
- Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, Blind, Visually Impaired Adult
- Student
- Other
Email and physical addresses affiliated with a school get approved more quickly for access to the DCMP video library. Users who do not qualify for DCMP access can access professional development content and a small library of videos.
Related links
How to watch videos on the DCMP website
Once users are approved for a DCMP account, they have immediate access to the entire streaming library of accessible education videos, including options for captions, audio description, transcripts, and ASL interpretation. When searching the DCMP library, the following browsing preferences can be configured to locate videos:
- Grade level/Interest level
- Accessibility: English captioned, English described, Spanish captioned, Spanish described, ASL
- Content format, including physical media available via mail
- Runtime
Other search filters for DCMP content include:
- Topic
- Sub-topic
- Series (visible on video listing)
- Producer/Distributor (visible on video listing)
Every video I have encountered also has a searchable transcript, which can also be used to display a transcript of audio description tracks. The transcript can be downloaded as a Word/DocX file or printed from the DCMP website.
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
Watching accessible education videos with DCMP
Accessibility modes for DCMP videos
Each video offers at least one accessibility mode, such as captions, description, or ASL. To turn accessibility modes on or off, select the Language/Accessibility menu at the bottom of the video listing and select the audio language and/or captioning language to play with the video.
DCMP videos play alongside a transcript, which uses sentence-level or word-level highlighting in real time to help viewers follow along with content. If desired, videos can also be played in Cinema Mode, which is designed for full-screen/wide-screen viewing.
Watching DCMP content with AI Scene Description
A new feature for DCMP is AI Scene Description, which can be activated by selecting the AI Scene Description button at the bottom of the page. A synthesized voice will provide a visual description of items on the screen, including character descriptions, any text on the screen, information about the video setting, and on-screen movement. AI Scene Description can also be used to describe paused videos and will share what is visible on the screen. Unlike audio description, AI Scene Description will “speak” over video audio and does not account for natural pauses in dialogue.
Customizing DCMP videos for lessons
DCMP offers several tools for educators that want to use DCMP videos in the classroom directly from video listings. One option is to create clips that show an excerpt from a video, which can be edited with specific start times and end times and used with transcripts. Another option is to create a lesson, which incorporates multimedia content such as video clips, text, videos, questions, and uploaded files/materials that can be assigned to student accounts or played on a projector. The DCMP Learning Center and Help Center provide additional information on how to use these tools.
Related links
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- How To Make Things On The Board Easier To See
How visually impaired students can access DCMP content
I have recommended the Described and Captioned Media Program to several educators, families, and support teams over the years that work with visually impaired students, inclusive of blind, low vision, and neurological visual impairment (cortical visual impairment/CVI). Here are some examples of how students I have worked with interact with DCMP content:
- A young student watched their favorite PBS Kids show Alma’s Way with audio description, and noticed that they had to ask their siblings fewer questions about what was going on.
- A visually impaired student was assigned to watch several videos for a module in their online classes, and turned on audio description so that they didn’t have to strain their eyes to “catch” all of the visual elements. They also used Scene Description to provide clarification when they weren’t sure what was in the background of a video.
- A middle school student with low vision read a large print transcript with audio description as a science video played in class. They used the transcript to help take notes.
- An upper-elementary student read a transcript of a class video in braille, and played the video on their personal tablet so they would have control of the volume.
- For a physical education class, a high school student with CVI watched a video on rock climbing, using the audio description track to provide additional context and give them an idea of what to expect when trying the activity themselves.
- My friend with low vision is practicing sign language as they work with a new student with hearing loss. Both of them watched an ASL video with their class— the student watched on an external monitor, and my friend watched on their own device with their face close to the screen.
After watching video content, users may be prompted to fill out a media response form that provides feedback on the video content and quality control, as well as the demographics of the audience watching the video.
Related links
- How To Describe Science Experiments For Visually Impaired Students
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Gym Classes and Low Vision: My Personal Experiences
- How To Make Things On The Board Easier To See
- Free Braille Art and Tactile Image Libraries: World Braille Day 2024
- Meet The Cast: Supporting Literacy For Students With CVI
More resources for accessible educational videos for visually impaired students
- Looking for described picture books for visually impaired students? I share a list of resources in How To Find Accessible Picture Books For Low Vision
- Wondering how I watch videos with low vision for school? Read How To Make Classroom Videos Easier To See
- For students that have photophobia, photosensitivity, or light sensitivity, I strongly recommend screening videos in advance to check for flashing content. Learn more in How To Check Videos For Flashing Lights and How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
- Looking for audio description for YouTube? Check out YouDescribe: Audio Description For YouTube
Published February 14, 2019. Updated January 2025