Related Experiment Videos
Dental Students' Use of Captions and Transcripts: Implications for ADA WCAG 2.1 Compliance
Saulo L Sousa Melo1, Gary L Stafford2, Dongseok Choi3
1College of Dentistry, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Objectives:
This study examined how Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) students use captions and transcripts, their motivations for use, and their perceived learning benefits, with attention to accessibility and upcoming ADA compliance requirements.
Methods:
A cross-sectional, anonymous survey was distributed to all 287 predoctoral DMD students at the Oregon Health & Science University during the 2025-2026 academic year. The instrument included closed- and open-ended items assessing awareness, frequency of use, perceived usefulness, and reasons for using captions and transcripts. Descriptive statistics summarized responses, and inferential analyses examined differences across demographic characteristics. Qualitative responses were analyzed descriptively to contextualize quantitative findings.
Results:
A total of 226 students responded (78.8% response rate). Overall, 65.9% reported that videos are very or extremely helpful to learning. Closed captions were rated very or extremely helpful by 62.4%, and 42.5% reported always using captions when available. Transcripts were rated very or extremely helpful by 29.6%, with 14.6% reporting always using them. Captions were most commonly used to improve focus, overcome poor audio quality, and enhance comprehension of accents or vocabulary. Transcripts were primarily used to locate specific information and as study guides. A statistically significant difference in reported caption availability was observed across academic classes (p = 0.005), with third-year students more frequently reporting broad availability of captions. Significant associations were also observed between race and using captions or transcripts because English was a second language (p = 0.010 and p = 0.015, respectively), and between gender identity and using captions or transcripts to improve engagement, focus, or retention (p ≤ 0.045). Usage patterns were largely consistent across demographic groups.
Conclusions:
Closed captions and transcripts function as broadly beneficial learning supports in dental education, extending beyond formal accommodations. Systematic implementation of accurate captions and transcripts may enhance comprehension, efficiency, and equity in video-based instruction while supporting institutional compliance with ADA and WCAG 2.1 requirements.
