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Accessibility Best Practices

Transcripts

Transcripts

Transcripts differ from captions in a few ways. First, transcripts don't have to be synced with the audio/video portion of the presentation. Instead, they are downloaded as separate text files. Second, transcripts often aren't just word-for-word accounts of the spoken text from a video. They also include "descriptions, explanations, or comments that may be beneficial." [1]

Transcripts are useful to those that may have difficulty processing audio or visual materials (including pictorial-based materials). They can be interpreted by screen readers and Braille displays. As discussed in the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) guidelines, transcripts also allow your multimedia to be searchable by computers and users - meaning the media benefits everyone!

Best Practice:

"In order to be fully accessible to the maximum number of users, web media should include both synchronized captions AND a descriptive transcript." [1]

Descriptive and Interactive Transcripts

Descriptive Transcripts

Standard transcripts are "a text version of the speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the content." [2] Descriptive transcripts "also include visual information needed to understand the content." [2]

Example:

In 2019, the Office of the University Registrar of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville sent out FERPA training in the form of an interactive tutorial. Embedded within the tutorial was a descriptive transcript that provided slide-by-slide content that could be read by a screen reader. You can view a PDF copy of the UTK 2019 FERPA transcript to see how they broke down each slide.

Interactive Transcripts

Interactive transcripts highlight the text within the transcript as the audio/video materials progress. Generally, a user could click on the transcript's text to move to that point in the media.

Interactive transcripts are similar to captions but offer a more robust user experience. For example, a user could search the interactive transcript and move directly to that point in the video.

Examples:
Many LinkedIn Learning tutorial videos offer interactive transcripts that can be accessed by clicking the transcript tab.
Example of an interactive transcript from LinkedIn Learning with the transcript tab highlighted.
You will also find interactive transcripts while viewing TED Talks.
Example of an interactive transcript from TED Talks.

Audio-Only Media

If you incorporate audio-only media in your LibGuide, remember to provide a transcript.

Example:
You provide an audio file of a famous speech that can be played directly on your LibGuide by pressing a play button. A PDF or HTML transcript of the speech should be available via a link directly below the button.

Implementing Transcripts

If you've already created captions for your media, you can use them to create a transcript. (See the caption tab for more information about creating captions.) Once you have your captions transferred to a text editor, you will add additional visual details such as image descriptions, navigational breakdowns, and speaker identification.

Tips:
"Keep in mind that the main purpose of a transcript is to provide the information to people who cannot get it from the audio and/or video. That will help you know what to include and how to design it. Add information to make the transcript more useful. For example, add headings, links, a summary, and maybe time stamps..." [2]
"It is generally acceptable to add clarifying information, as long as it is clear that it is not part of the actual audio — for example, words added to a paragraph put in [brackets], or separate sections with headings 'Introduction', 'Transcript', 'Resources'. [2]
Best Practice:

Brandeis University has a great resource page about creating Descriptive Transcripts. Use their information as a guide when creating your transcripts.

From Brandeis University's Descriptive Transcripts page: [3]

Transcripts should include more than just what is being said. Some videos don't have speech in them, yet they still have transcripts.

Be sure to include:

  • important audio cues/sound effects
  • words on screen
  • descriptions of actions
  • visual characteristics that give context
Sounds

When authoring transcripts for accessibility purposes, be sure to include text for all audio that is spoken including meaningful sounds. Ask yourself, does leaving out this sound change the story, lesson or experience? The writer must use his or her own judgment.

For example, should you indicate in captions/transcript that someone has coughed?

  • Someone is giving the commencement address and pauses to cough — not necessary to include.
  • Character in a play is coughing, because it foreshadows her later death — important to the story, include.
Visuals

Note: Audio-only files like podcasts will not include visual descriptions, but will include sounds relevant to the story.

  • Include visual descriptions for people who are unable to see the screen, but may have assistive technology read the transcript to them.
  • Include images and text appearing on screen, as appropriate.
  • Details: You do not need to go overboard with details such as what a person is wearing (unless it is part of a plot point) or that a person is pointing with his left hand as opposed to his right. You want to get any meaningful visual changes across. If it impacts the story or improves the clarity of a lecture, include it. If the dialogue covers the text on screen, you do not need to repeat it.
  • In the file, descriptions of the visuals for a particular scene should be included after the text of what is spoken. [3]