Captions

Zoom Automatically Captions Recorded Videos

If using Zoom, Zoom automatically generates captions for recorded videos, but it uses AI to auto-generate transcripts, and the accuracy is not good enough for students who need special accommodations. See link below for more info.

Captions for a Single Video in Kaltura Drexel Streams

Upload finished videos to Kaltura Drexel Streams first.

Once you have a video uploaded.

  1. Login to Kaltura Drexel Streams at https://drexel.edu/it/streams 
  2. Click "My Media," and click the link to your video.
  3. Scroll down to "ACTIONS" and click "+Captions & Enrich."
  4. Scroll down under "Order Captions," and click "Submit."
    1. There is rarely any need to change settings.

This method use AI to auto-generate transcripts, but the accuracy is not good enough for students who need special accommodations to use without it being reviewed by Drexel's Disabilities Resources office first.

Wait 24 hours for captions to appear.

Need to download a transcript? There will be timestamps in it, but you can do the following to get one, after doing the above and waiting for the captions to appear.

  • Login again to Kaltura Drexel Streams at https://drexel.edu/it/streams  . Click "My Media," and click the link to your video. Scroll down to "ACTIONS" and click "Edit." Click "Captions." Click down-arrow-on-box icon to download captions as a file that can also be used as a transcript. Contact ihelp@drexel.edu if you need help removing the timestamps.

Captions for Multiple Videos

Upload finished videos to Kaltura Drexel Streams first.

Once you have a video uploaded.

  1. Login to Kaltura Drexel Streams at https://drexel.edu/it/streams 
  2. Click "My Media."
  3. Check the box in front of multiple videos you want captions.
  4. Scroll down to "ACTIONS" and click "+Captions & Enrich."
  5. Click "Submit."
    1. There is rarely any need to change settings.

This method use AI to auto-generate transcripts, but the accuracy is not good enough for students who need special accommodations.

Wait 24 hours for captions to appear.

Need to download a transcript? There will be timestamps in it, but you can do the following to get one, after doing the above and waiting for the captions to appear.

  • Login again to Kaltura Drexel Streams at https://drexel.edu/it/streams  . Click "My Media," and click the link to your video. Scroll down to "ACTIONS" and click "Edit." Click "Captions." Click down-arrow-on-box icon to download captions as a file that can also be used as a transcript. Contact ihelp@drexel.edu if you need help removing the timestamps.

More Captioning or Transcription Options

LiveTranscribe App -- Android or ChromeOS

Microsoft Word Dictate Tool

If you do not have Microsoft Word on your Mac or Windows computer, everyone at Drexel can download Office 365, which contains Word, by logging in at https://portal.office.com , and clicking the "Install" link.

In Microsoft Word, even on Mac, the "Home" tab has a toolbar at the top that includes the "Dictation" icon. Click the "Dictation" icon." Agree to any terms of use. Then just start talking. Click the "Dictation" icon again to stop transcribing. Lean close to the microphone for better results. Accuracy is not good enough for students who need special accommodations.

Google Drive's Documents Voice Typing -- Chrome only on Mac or Windows

You can use this if you make a new Doc or document in Google Drive, and only if you are using the Chrome web browser on Mac or Windows (not sure about Linux or Chrome-variant web browsers like Brave or the new Microsoft Edge).

Go to Google Drive at https://drive.google.com/ , and login. Create a Google account if you do not have a Google account somehow, and then login, if necessary. Once logged in, click "+ New" and create a new "Google Docs" document. Use a "blank document." In the new tab with the new document, click the title of the "Untitled document," and rename it. Click "Tools" < "Voice Typing." Click the microphone icon. If prompted, click "Allow" to let your web browser use the microphone. Start talking. Click the microphone again to stop.

Accuracy is not good enough for students who need special accommodations.

Siri Dictation -- Apple iPad, iPhone, macOS -- Not Recommended

Use Siri for voice dictation on your Mac laptop or your iPhone or iPad.

It is not great.

If you talk at a normal speed without much pause for 20 seconds to a couple minutes, Siri stops writing down what you speak.

Still, if for some reason, you have some issues getting the above working, or you want to just try this, here are directions. Maybe it will work better for you.

If you go this route, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND talking without much pause for a couple minutes, and trying to have someone else do the same.

You’ll need to open up a note on your Mac or iPhone or iOS device or even Word, and then get Siri going.

Directions below.

Editing Caption Files on your Computer