Laptop on a table displaying VoiceThread playing an audio comment with captions.

Photo Credit: Alex Knight


Auto-Captioning Now Available in VoiceThread

Added on November 23, 2021 by Allyson Steward
Updated on November 25, 2021

A new feature has been enabled in VoiceThread that automatically generates captions for all video and audio comments created on any VoiceThread.

Previously, captions had to be separately created and manually uploaded or requested with a 48-hour turnaround time. Now, there is no manual action needed to create captions on your VoiceThreads. Captions appear 5-10 minutes after comments are created, depending on the length of the audio or video recording. After they are generated, you can easily edit any errors by clicking the CC (closed caption) button on the comment.

Captions on audio and video recordings not only support students with disabilities by making your VoiceThreads accessible, but they also support all students to learn more effectively. To learn more about accessibility in eLearning, see our previous posts "Make It Accessible" and "Video Captioning" or review resources available from Student Experience's Accessible Education or Accessibility at Western.

This new feature is immediately available to all Western users for any VoiceThread comment created since November 2, 2021.

Upcoming VoiceThread Training Sessions

The eLearning Technology Team and the Centre for Teaching and Learning are facilitating two VoiceThread sessions at the end of the Fall 2021 term in November and December. Be sure to subscribe to the CTL's mailing lists to be notified when registration opens.

Support

For step-by-step instructions of how to use this new feature, watch the following video provided by VoiceThread.

The video is also directly available on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/291947734

For support with VoiceThread, see VoiceThread’s documentation or contact the WTS Helpdesk.