You will notice an exciting new option as the host of a Zoom meeting to enable a Live Transcript. This will allow your participants to view a live transcript and/or closed captions (subtitles) during the meeting. This offers a great opportunity to enhance the many live classes running online via Zoom.
The automated live transcript and subtitles can increase the accessibility of your Zoom classes for all students. In addition to assisting students with hearing loss, this will also benefit students who may be in a in a noisy public space, are studying in a second language or simply like to read along as they listen. Use it for your regular Zoom meetings too as it helps keeps participants focused.
How do I activate ‘Live Transcript’?
After you start your Zoom meeting, click on the Live Transcript menu option and select Enable Auto-Transcription.
Your students will then see an option to start the live transcript. They can choose to have:
- The live transcript displayed in a side panel
- The closed captions (subtitles) within the screen
- Or both at the same time (as in the view below)!
Students can also move the subtitles around the screen and change the font size.
What about the transcription accuracy?
Accuracy will not be perfect as these are machine-generated transcriptions. It will depend on a number of factors such as audio quality, background noise, accents and type of language used. For example, it will struggle with some technical or uncommon terminology. This automated live transcription tool does not replace the captioning service provided for students with a disability.
Tips to achieve the best accuracy include using a headset with microphone, finding a quiet space free from background noise and speaking as clearly as possible. This technology is evolving rapidly and we expect to see improvements into the future.
Try it out!
The best way to decide if live transcription is something that could enhance your online classes is to try it out for yourself. Make sure you let your students know that this option is available to them once you activate it for each Zoom class.
You can find a Quick Guide to using Zoom Live Transcription, along with other Zoom guides on the website.
There is also a Zoom Live Transcription guide for Students.
Please contact ilearn.help@mq.edu.au for any issues or questions.
[…] Unlike Echo360, transcripts are not automated in Zoom and need to be turned on [refer to this TECHE article]. (If students don’t want to see Zoom transcripts, they can opt […]