EchoVideo: Edit Transcripts and Captions (CC)

How to see if a video has a transcript

ADA Title II requires audio and video content to have transcripts, it also requires that the spoken content is correct. Always review auto-generated transcripts before sharing your content with students. To confirm if your video has transcript, locate your video in your Library, and open your recording. On the left menu, click the "Transcript Editor" button. If you see a drop down menu that displays "Original" and date created to the right, your video has a machine generated transcript. This also indicates your transcript needs to be reviewed for accuracy. 

Please click on the image below to view how to access the transcript editor.

A screen reader will read will your transcript word for word. All content (e.g., spoken content, language, punctuation, grammar, and speakers are identified) must match to what is being said. The transcript editor provides tools to help you streamline your editing.

Ensure your transcript is 99% accurate after your corrections, save it and apply closed captions.

Note: All recordings from Fall 2023 onward have transcripts. For older recordings, you will need to manually check if a transcript is available (see above) and request one by filling out our Transcript Request form.

Make your Media Accessible

EchoVideo enhances accessibility by automatically generating transcripts using Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR). These transcripts are machine generated, so they are not perfect and should be reviewed by a human to ensure accuracy.  The correctness of the transcript depends on a number of factors like audio clarity, background noise, the instructor's accent, discipline language, and the speed you talk. 

The transcript editor inside of your library provides built in options to edit and upload transcripts, and apply closed captions. A transcript must be 99% accurate before closed captions can be applied. A video that has a transcript is your first step towards ensuring ADA Title II compliance. Editing a transcript for accuracy is the second step, and applying closed captions is your third step.

Media with a transcript and closed captions make your content accessible for all learners. Students can open and read the transcript in the video player, search for keywords allowing them to jump to specific locations in the video.  Closed captions show on the video during playback with the correct wording. With both a accurate transcript and closed captions, you are supporting students in various ways with:

• a noisy environment
• slow or intermittent Internet connections
• hearing challenges (watch the video with close captions)
• visual impairments (listen and hear the text via a screenreader)

Important note on processing time of your transcript: It depends on the length of your recording and its position in the processing queue. Videos larger than 2 GB in file size (14 hours in length), must be split into shorter segments. This can be done using the built-in media editor. If you need to edit your media, be sure to do so before editing the transcript. This ensures that the media and transcript remain properly synced.

Using the Transcript Editor

The transcript editor in EchoVideo will keep the original data and any edited versions. The most recent transcript version will always appear by default on your video. If you had more than one speaker recorded, they will be identified and you will be able to add and edit speaker names. 

Media Editor (make edits first before editing a transcript)

Edit your video (trim or cut out segments) first before editing a transcript. Other features include combining, removing tracks, and adding thumbnails.  

Accessing the Transcript Editor

You can access the Transcript Editor a few ways, from your media in your Library or from the Classes list page from a EchoVideo course. 

Transcript Version History

1. Inside the Transcript Editor, (upper-left) there is a drop-down menu where you will see the version of your transcript. 

2. If you only see Original (sample image below) this means that you have not edited the transcript.
   
   Important Note: If you have edited the transcript and still ONLY see "Original" in the drop-down menu your transcript has not finished processing. Be advised the new version can take up to several hours to process. You can turn on notifications (these are not emailed, they are seen inside your account via the bell icon) so you know when your transcript has finished within your account settings. Explore instructions in this article: Turn on triggers for content and engagement notifications

3. If you see Version 1 in the drop-down menu your video and transcript has finished processing. Note: You will have a new version anytime that you make edits, however, you can always view previous versions (as applicable) with the date and who made the edits. 
    
   
4. The current version of your transcript also has the option to apply Closed Captions as instructed below.
5. Once your videos have transcripts, they remain on your video unless you delete them.  If Closed Captions are needed, the instructor must enable them.

Editing a Transcript

In the main window, on the left is where you can playback your video, on the right is your transcript and timed cues on the right. The current version of the transcript shows by default. To edit the transcript text, click Edit transcript.

While editing the transcript, a confidence slider (top menu), identifies text within the transcript to review for accuracy. Playback the video and edit the transcript directly at the text cues and fix mis-transcribed words or you can use the search and replace feature.

• Transcript editor - interactive tutorial
• Use the Confidence Slider to Streamline Transcript Editing
• View All Transcripts Articles

Can someone else help edit a transcript?

Yes, if you would like someone to assist with reviewing and editing a transcript. You can create a Collection give the individual(s) permissions. If another user has permission to edit your transcript and has saved the edits, you will be asked to compare the differences and merge the conflicts, you can approve or reject each text cue where edits were made.

Downloading a Transcript for Offline Use

If you need to download your transcript or script for offline use, click the Export button. From the menu, select WebVTT (.vtt) or Text (.txt). View instructions in this article: Exporting a Transcript for Offline Use.

Applying Closed Captions

Once a transcript has been edited and 99% accurate ensuring ADA and Section 508 compliance, closed captions can be applied. Locate your video, click Edit transcript. Click the Apply to CC button, the current version of the transcript will be applied as closed captions. View instructions in this article: Applying Updated Transcripts as Closed Captions.

Showing Closed Captions (CC) 

To turn on closed captions, click the CC icon on the video player. 

• The subtitle/cc options (e.g., location, font size, contrast) are found in the gear icon.
• The video and transcript text are automatically synced when playing, pausing, or skipping forward or back in the video.
• A transcript can be searched by keyword, if a match is found the count is identified with previous/next buttons, and are underlined in the transcript.

Upload Transcripts created in Teams Meetings/Classes

If you have recorded with Microsoft Teams and want to use that transcript with your video, you can upload the transcript to EchoVideo. Alternatively, all media uploaded to EchoVideo will process a transcript automatically and you can use the Transcript editor to review and edit it for accuracy.

1. In the Teams chat or Channel, click on transcript button.
2. Click the Download menu.
3. Select Download as .vtt
4. Upload the downloaded .vtt file to recording in your Library.

The uploaded file must be a webVTT file and meet the WebVTT specifications as defined by the W3C: https://www.w3.org/TR/webvtt1/. As long as your VTT file meets the specifications, EchoVideo will accept it. (Echo360 Support)

View instructions instructions in this article: Adding/Uploading Transcripts to EchoVideo