Skip to main content

SAML SSO Integration for Video Accessibility Platforms in Higher Education

· 7 min read
Recap Innovations
AI-Powered Video Accessibility Solutions

When procurement officers and IT administrators evaluate video accessibility platforms for colleges, universities, and government agencies, single sign-on (SSO) via SAML 2.0 often appears on the requirements checklist. Institutional identity management is a security imperative: users should authenticate through the organization's identity provider (IdP) rather than managing separate credentials for each application. This guide explains why SAML SSO matters for video accessibility, what to look for in a vendor, and how Recap Innovations supports SAML SSO for higher education and government clients.

Why SAML SSO Matters for Video Accessibility​

Security and Compliance​

Higher education and government organizations handle sensitive content: student records, internal communications, and sometimes protected health or law enforcement materials. Federated authentication via SAML SSO ensures that:

  • Credentials stay within the institution: Users log in through the institutional IdP (e.g., Microsoft Entra, Okta, Google Workspace). The video accessibility platform never stores or processes institutional passwords.
  • Access is centrally governed: IT can enforce password policies, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and account lifecycle management through the IdP.
  • Audit trails align with institutional systems: Login events and access patterns can integrate with existing security monitoring and compliance reporting.

User Experience​

Instructors, accessibility coordinators, and staff already use SSO for email, LMS, and other enterprise applications. Adding video accessibility to the same login flow reduces friction:

  • One set of credentials: No separate username and password for the captioning platform.
  • Consistent experience: Users see familiar login screens and MFA prompts.
  • Faster onboarding: New users can access the platform as soon as they have institutional accounts; no separate provisioning step for the accessibility vendor.

Procurement and RFP Requirements​

RFPs for video accessibility services increasingly specify SSO as a requirement. Common language includes:

  • "SAML 2.0 or OIDC support"
  • "Integration with Microsoft Entra (Azure AD), Okta, or Google Workspace"
  • "Single sign-on with institutional identity provider"

Vendors that support SAML SSO demonstrate alignment with institutional security standards and reduce integration effort for IT teams.

How SAML SSO Works​

SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) is an XML-based standard for exchanging authentication and authorization data between an identity provider (IdP) and a service provider (SP). In the context of video accessibility:

  • Identity Provider (IdP): Your institution's system (e.g., Microsoft Entra, Okta, Google Workspace, or another SAML 2.0 IdP) that authenticates users and issues assertions.
  • Service Provider (SP): The video accessibility platform (e.g., Recap Innovations) that receives the assertion and grants access to the application.

The flow typically works as follows:

  1. A user navigates to the video accessibility platform.
  2. The platform redirects the user to the institutional IdP.
  3. The user authenticates (and completes MFA if required) at the IdP.
  4. The IdP sends a SAML assertion to the platform.
  5. The platform validates the assertion and creates a session for the user.

No passwords are shared with the platform; the IdP attests to the user's identity.

What to Look for in a Video Accessibility Vendor​

SAML 2.0 Support​

Ensure the vendor supports SAML 2.0, the widely adopted version of the protocol. Legacy SAML 1.x support is uncommon in modern IdPs and applications.

Supported Identity Providers​

Verify that the vendor has documented support for your institution's IdP. Common IdPs in higher education and government include:

  • Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD): Common in institutions using Microsoft 365.
  • Okta: Used by many universities and government agencies for identity and access management.
  • Google Workspace: Common in institutions using Google for Education.
  • Other SAML 2.0 IdPs: Many vendors support generic SAML 2.0, allowing integration with Shibboleth, ADFS, or other IdPs.

Attribute Mapping​

The vendor should support mapping IdP attributes (e.g., email, name, groups) to user accounts. This enables:

  • Automatic user provisioning: New users can be created or updated based on IdP attributes.
  • Role-based access: Group membership from the IdP can drive roles (e.g., admin, editor, viewer) in the platform.
  • Consistent identity: Email or employee ID can be used to correlate users across systems.

Optional MFA Enforcement​

If your institution requires MFA for all applications, the MFA step occurs at the IdP. The video accessibility platform simply receives the assertion after successful authentication. Confirm that the vendor does not bypass or weaken MFA when SSO is enabled.

Recap Innovations SAML SSO Support​

Recap Innovations supports SAML 2.0 single sign-on for higher education and government clients. Our implementation includes:

Supported Identity Providers​

  • SAML 2.0: Generic support for any SAML 2.0-compliant IdP
  • Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD): Pre-configured support for Microsoft 365 and hybrid environments
  • Google Workspace: Integration with Google's SAML-based SSO
  • Okta: Integration with Okta as identity provider

Features​

  • Single sign-on (SSO): Users authenticate through your institutional IdP; no separate Recap passwords required
  • Attribute mapping: Email, name, and group membership can be used for provisioning and access control
  • MFA compatibility: Works with MFA enforced at your IdP; Recap does not bypass or weaken MFA
  • Role-based access: Support for administrator, editor, and viewer roles aligned with your organizational structure

Implementation​

Recap works with your IT team to configure SSO. We provide metadata and documentation for IdP configuration and support standard SAML flows. Implementation typically involves:

  • Exchanging metadata (SP and IdP)
  • Configuring attribute mapping
  • Testing authentication and role assignment
  • Enabling SSO for your organization

Security and Compliance​

Recap maintains SOC 2 Type II certification and follows security best practices for authentication and data protection. SSO is part of our commitment to meeting enterprise and institutional security expectations.

Use Cases: Higher Education and Government​

Higher Education​

  • Multi-campus systems: Central IT can manage access across campuses through a single IdP.
  • Semester-based access: Instructors and students can be added or removed via IdP group membership; no manual account management in the captioning platform.
  • Disability services offices: Staff use institutional credentials to manage caption requests and track compliance.
  • IT governance: Reduces shadow IT and ensures the captioning platform follows institutional security policies.

Government​

  • Agency-wide deployment: Employees authenticate with their government credentials (e.g., via agency IdP or Login.gov-style federated identity).
  • Contractor access: Contractors with institutional accounts can access the platform without separate credentials.
  • Audit and compliance: Authentication events align with agency security and compliance requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Is SAML SSO required for Recap?​

SAML SSO is optional. Organizations can use Recap with email-based authentication. SSO is recommended for institutions that require it for security or procurement compliance.

How long does SSO setup take?​

Setup typically takes a few business days once metadata and configuration details are exchanged. Recap provides documentation and support to guide your IT team through the process.

Can we use both SSO and regular email?​

Recap can be configured to require SSO for your organization, or to allow both SSO and email-based magic link authentication for flexibility. Configuration depends on your security requirements.

Does Recap support OIDC (OpenID Connect)?​

Recap supports SAML 2.0. OIDC is a related protocol used by some IdPs (e.g., Google, Microsoft) for modern web and mobile applications. If your IdP supports SAML 2.0, integration with Recap is straightforward. Contact us to discuss OIDC if your institution uses it exclusively.

What about Shibboleth and InCommon?​

Shibboleth and InCommon are common in higher education. Recap's generic SAML 2.0 support is compatible with Shibboleth IdPs. Institutions can configure their Shibboleth service provider to work with Recap as the application.

Next Steps​

  1. Include SSO in your RFP: Specify SAML 2.0 support and list your IdP (e.g., Microsoft Entra, Okta, Google Workspace).
  2. Ask vendors for documentation: Request IdP configuration guides, metadata, and attribute mapping details.
  3. Plan for implementation: Allocate time for IT to configure the IdP and test authentication.
  4. Verify MFA behavior: Confirm that MFA enforced at your IdP is respected when users access the platform.

Get Started with Recap and SAML SSO​

Recap Innovations supports SAML 2.0 SSO with Microsoft Entra (Azure AD), Google Workspace, Okta, and other SAML 2.0 identity providers. We work with higher education and government clients to configure SSO and meet procurement requirements.

Schedule a demo to discuss your SSO and identity management needs, or review our RFP evaluation guide and compliance guide for more on security and procurement.