Audio & Video: Accessible Transcripts

What are transcripts?

Basic transcripts are a text version of the speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the content. Descriptive transcripts also include text description of the visual information needed to understand the content. Descriptive transcripts are required to provide video content to people who are both d/Deaf or hearing impaired and blind or visually impaired.

Audio only

WCAG Level A requires transcripts for pre-recorded content.
WCAG Level AAA requires transcripts for live streamed events and audio.

Video only (without audio content)

WCAG Level A requires descriptive transcripts or audio description for pre-recorded content.
There is no WCAG requirement for live streamed events with video only (without audio) since it is usually a live text stream. A description of the visual information is needed.

Video with audio content

WCAG Level AAA requires transcripts for pre-recorded content. (Note: Captions are WCAG Level A)
There is no WCAG requirement for live streamed events. A live stream separate from the media player is needed for people who cannot access the captions. (Note: Captions are WCAG Level AA)

Source: Transcripts | Web AccessibilityLinks to an external site.

When are transcripts required?

All media with audio content should include a transcript. Audio only content (e.g., podcast) requires transcript. You should post text transcript along with the audio recording. Posting a transcript also makes your video keyword searchable. Search engines will index it, which improves functionality for all users.

What kinds of transcripts are there?

Basic transcripts provide the text version of audio content in a video. NPR’s interview, For Author Kevin Wilson, Writing Offers A Brief Reprieve From Tourette’s, is a good example of a basic transcript.

Descriptive transcripts also include text description of the visual information presented in the video. Descriptive transcripts are required to provide video content to people who are both Deaf and blind.

Interactive transcripts are time-synchronized allowing users to search the spoken audio of a video. They can play the video from any point by clicking within the interactive transcript. This type of transcript is a feature of some media players. Aimee Mullins’s My 12 Pair of Legs TEDTalk. is a good example of an interactive transcript because the words highlight in time with the progression of the video.

Downloading a Transcript from Canvas Studio

Canvas Studio now has the option to download a transcript. The TCC Connect Campus expectation is that this will be offered as a Page in Canvas hyperlinked below the multimedia for which it is offered. Follow these steps to download a transcript from a Canvas Studio video.

Create a script

Plan out what you want to say in your video and write a script. If you read the script exactly, you can use that as your transcript. If you find that while you are recording you change some words, you can update the script and then use that as your transcript. It will save you time.
Want a scripting tool? Check out Voice Over Script Calculator to help you determine the length of your video.

Put information in logical order, lists, or sections

Use standard document writing sentence and paragraph structure. The transcript should look like text on a page or in a document.
Use bulleted or numbered lists when appropriate.
Break up the information into sections if necessary.

Identify speakers

The transcript should include speaker identification like [Instructor] or [Dr. Gus] especially if there is more than one speaker. Use the speaker's name, if known.

Identify sounds

Nonverbal sounds should also be identified, like [Phone rings], [sneeze], or [classical music].
Some sounds can have significant impact in the video. Add them to the transcript using the following formatting:
- Use [ ] to surround the sound description
  - [Upbeat music playing]
- Italics

Title the transcript

Add the video title as the document properties title and the heading 1 of your document. For TCC Connect Campus, we use the standardized naming convention of "Transcript - [Name of multimedia]" when naming the Canvas Page used to house the transcript.

Remove time stamps

Generally speaking, time stamps should be removed from transcripts. While helpful when locating information in the corresponding video, timestamps can become distracting. Consider adding a time stamp when there’s a:
- Significant change in speaker
- Topic change
- Slide change