Transcription and Captioning - Automated, CART, or TypeWell?

What is the difference between captioning and transcription?

In the context of accessibility, transcription is the process of taking spoken English and creating a written transcript of what has been said. This can be done in real time so that attendees can have access to a meeting or event. Captioning is more commonly understood as we've all seen videos that have captions, and it's the process of adding and syncing the timing of captions to a video.

What are the different types of real-time transcription?

Generally, there are three types of transcription that are commonly used: Automatic/Software-based, Computer Aided Real-time Translation (CART), and TypeWell.

What type of transcription is right for me?

It depends! There are pros and cons to each type of transcription, and the best fit depends on the intended use and personal preference. Consider the following when deciding what option would be the best fit:

TypeWell: A meaning-for-meaning transcription provided by a transcriber.

TypeWell transcription is a meaning-for-meaning service intended for real-time access to communication. TypeWell transcribers do not produce verbatim transcripts. The transcripts are more concise than word-for-word, so they’re clearer and easier to read in real-time. TypeWell can provide communication access for in-person or virtual events and meetings. A live transcript can be viewed in a web browser or can be linked with in-meeting captioning on some platforms. TypeWell can provide an easy-to-read transcript for real-time communication access for users and attendees. However, given the transcript is meaning-for-meaning, a user who is predominantly listening to the spoken English and wants to quickly glance at a transcript to read something they've missed may find it challenging to quickly glance at the transcript and locate the correct sentence as the words in the transcript won't exactly match the words they had previously heard.

CART: A verbatim translation by a CART provider.

CART (Computer Aided Real-time Translation) is used if the purpose is to provide a word-for-word transcript and caption exactly what is being said. If having an exact verbatim transcript/captions is needed, this would be the best option. However, since it is word-for-word, following along can be difficult for a user because the transcript can be filled with false starts, filler words, unclear grammar, etc. This is best for when having a verbatim transcript is required, often in legal and medical settings.

Automatic: In-app or third-party speech-to-text apps.

Many remote platforms have built-in captioning and live transcript functionality. They are useful for getting an idea of what is being said, but can have inaccuracies due to lack of context or sound quality. Additionally, some programs do not offer the ability to distinguish between speakers, and the transcript can appear as a single stream of text without punctuation, which makes it hard to follow. Automatic transcription can work for a general audience to have access to, but if more accurate communication access is needed, it may be best to investigate other options. Though the technology is improving, automatic transcription can often get just enough right to look passable while having enough errors to leave many users confused. Try watching a video with automated captions with the sound off to get a glimpse of the experience of relying on automated transcription.

In the end, the service that is right for you comes down to personal preference. It can be worth trying out multiple services to see which one fits best, taking into account your personal preferences and the nature of the meeting or event.