For those times when you come across videos or audio resources that do not have captions, there are a few workarounds to consider. Please remember that these tools are supplements and not replacements for closed captioning. Closed Captioning is always the standard, but if closed captioning just isn’t an option, you may explore these tools.

Transcription and Captioning

• Word for the Web: This has a transcription tool, but there is a limit to the length of the audio file.
• Kaltura has a tool for Youtube videos so captions can be enabled.  This tool can enable captioning for YouTube videos that don’t have it.
• Audacity has a plugin you can enable to create transcriptions. This is especially helpful for long audio files.

Live Captioning

Browser based extensions should not be used in lieu of closed captioning but may be included as a supplement.

• Chrome Live Captions
• Live Captions using IPhone
• Live Captions using Android

Converting Captioning to Transcript

Closed captioning files in Kaltura may be exported as SRT files. These SRT files can be readable, but the format is not conducive to for long reading. Example of an SRT file:

AI tools can assist in reformatting the file to become more like a transcript. Multiple AI tools can do the work but each come with advantages and disadvantages:

• Claude: Can process lengthy SRT files, but the output can abruptly terminate if you are using other applications while waiting for it.
• Microsoft Copilot: Can process SRT files effectively, but limited to 4000 characters at time (about a 1.5 pages of an SRT file opened in Microsoft Word).
• ChatGPT: Effective and efficient at processing. Unsure about character limits.

Sample prompt:

Please process the following [file for Claude, text for other tools]. Eliminate any timecodes, like 00:00:13,059, and any “–>”. Please remove any numbers above the timecodes. Organize the text into paragraphs so there are no unnecessary line breaks like this:

Now in physics, the term critical mass refers to the minimum amount of material needed to spark a chemical reaction. But in social impact language, we use the term critical mass to talk about the minimum number of people we need in order to create social change. Or even the initial protest or event that sparks a social movement.

Now this year, the Pods worked on spotlighting student activists, organizers and advocates. But we haven’t talked about the place that made this whole project possible.