Transcripts - Easy Checks

What are Transcripts?

Basic transcripts are a text version of the speech and non-speech audio information needed to understand the multimedia content. They are similar to captions, but in a format that can be easily opened and read.

Descriptive transcripts for videos also include visual information needed to understand the content.

For videos with visual and audio information, ideally a descriptive transcript is provided, and a separate basic transcript is not needed.

Examples

Example part of transcript of a podcast interview with two speakers

Example part of descriptive transcript

Audio	Visual
Video isn't just about pictures, it's also about sound. Without the audio, you would have to guess what this film is about.	A man sitting at a desk starts watching a video on his computer.
[no sound]	The video on his computer shows a person speaking to the camera. It is playing with no audio.
Frustrating isn't it? Not knowing what's going on. That's the situation for everyone who can't hear.	The man watching the video has a hearing aid.

Why are Transcripts important?

Transcripts are important for people who are deafblind to understand a video. Screen reader users may also prefer the transcript over listening to the audio of the video.

Checking Transcripts

Check for a transcript with the media or a link to a transcript.
Transcripts should be easy to find near the audio or video.
If the video has important visual content, check that it is described in the transcript.

Check transcript quality

Is all the speech accurately reflected in the transcript?
Are all the speakers identified?
Are all other sounds described in the transcript, such as ‘soft clapping’ or ‘tires screeching’?
Is all visual content important to understanding the video described in the transcript?