Video, Film, Other Media

To refer others to this page, please use:
http://www.nad.org/videofilmmedia

Captioning is one way in which videos, films, and other media, including DVD, may be made accessible.

Companies that simply produce videos or films for sale are not required to caption their videos, and commercial video stores are not required to have captioned versions of every video they stock.

However, some video producers have legal responsibilities to caption their video products. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires schools, colleges, libraries, and other recipients of federal financial assistance and federal agencies to make their communications accessible to and useable by persons with disabilities. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act extends this requirement to federal contractors. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) extends these requirements to commercial and non-profit places of public accommodation, and to state and local government agencies.

To file a complaint about a video, film or other media that is not captioned, write to the federal agency that gives money to the place that is showing the uncaptioned video. For example, if the video is used by a school, college or library, complaints may be filed with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education. If the video is used by a hospital or clinic, complaints may be filed with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. If a video is used by a court, such as a jury instruction video, complaints may be filed with the U.S. Department of Justice. If you are not sure if an agency has provided financial assistance, or if the organization is a place of public accommodation or a state or local government subject to the ADA, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice at this address: 

This office coordinates with other federal agencies, enabling you to file a complaint with one and have it referred, as appropriate, to another enforcement agency.

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Law and Advocacy Center prepared this material as informal guidance. This is not legal advice. The NAD assumes no liability for this material.

For additional information or technical assistance about how laws against disability discrimination apply to you, contact the NAD Law and Advocacy Center, 301-587-7730 Voice/TTY, 301-587-0234 FAX, www.nad.org/contactus; a local attorney (for more information, see  Get a Lawyer); or an enforcement agency (see list at www.ada.gov or call 800-514-0301 Voice or 800-514-0383 TTY).