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FutureLearn: Transforming Access to Education with Media

FutureLearn is an online education platform whose purpose is to transform access to education. As of 2022, the platform has hosted around 1,600 courses spanning topics such as healthcare, education, environment, and beyond.

Accessibility is instrumental to FutureLearn, and the company utilizes accessible video content to provide its audience with a visually engaging learning experience. As their video accessibility needs evolve, they work with 3Play Media to continually provide accessible media content to a broad community of global learners.

“At FutureLearn, we’re always working hard to meet a high standard of accessibility to ensure that FutureLearn is as open as possible to a wide audience of learners, and 3Play Media is a massive driver in enabling us to do this.”

Jess Leathem

Media Specialist at FutureLearn

Accessibility Takes a Front Seat at FutureLearn

FutureLearn takes immense care to meet a high standard of accessibility to ensure a quality user experience for a broad audience. A reliable transcription and captioning service, such as 3Play Media, is critical to enabling a robust library of accessible media.

The company strives to provide a platform that complies with WCAG 2.1 with accessible media players and video content that includes transcripts, captions, and subtitles. This not only ensures accessibility but also maximizes learning outcomes and participation.

Customer Milestone

How FutureLearn Captioned a 1,000-Video Project with 3Play Media

For FutureLearn, prioritizing and budgeting for accessibility is a standard even as video demand scales up.

One of FutureLearn’s production companies needed a reliable way to batch upload an extensive video library for subtitling services. The project included over 2,000 videos (1,000 of which were already subtitled) for a series of licensed video courses – one of the larger video projects on record, according to FutureLearn.

Through 3Play Media, FutureLearn was able to bulk upload 300 videos for transcription for the project. They also utilized 3Play Media services to convert 700 videos from .srt to .vtt file format. The entirety of the project was efficiently and successfully captioned and ready to present to their community of learners.

The Value of Accessible Educational Video Content

FutureLearn is a global platform with a broad reach of learners who have a diverse range of abilities.

While transcription and captioning offer accessibility, they also improve the viewing experience and provide an optimal learning experience for everyone. Transcripts help empower learners to use video in a way that works for them.

For instance, learners can search for keywords within the video transcripts, allowing them to find the material they’re searching for quickly. Some learners may review transcripts to refresh their memory rather than rewatching the entire video. For those who absorb materials more efficiently by reading, they’ll opt to read the transcript rather than watch the video.

FutureLearn stresses the importance of rich and accessible media to their partners, emphasizing the significance of including transcripts and captions for every video.

Why FutureLearn Chooses 3Play Media

FutureLearn describes their experience with 3Play Media in two words: quick and reliable.

3Play Media’s fast turnaround times, like the two-hour turnaround option, help FutureLearn tackle fast-paced projects easily. The user-friendly platform and ordering workflow has solidified customer satisfaction among FutureLearn and their partners. Flexible user management allows FutureLearn to provide its partners with access to 3Play Media’s platform – empowering them to order services and select desired turnaround times according to their budget and schedules.

Whether an in-house project directly from FutureLearn or a project from one of their partners, 3Play Media provides consistent, reliable, and accurate accessibility services.

FutureLearn’s Commitment to Accessible Learning

The online education sector is ever-changing, presenting new challenges and opportunities along the way. Even with the evolving landscape, FutureLearn is committed to fulfilling its accessibility objectives and delivering the best learning experience for their audience.

FutureLearn attests to 3Play Media’s role in achieving its accessibility goals. They look to 3Play Media as a trusted partner as they continue to prioritize accessible learning for all.

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