Topics Map > •Digital Accessibility
Topics Map > •Teaching & Learning
Topics Map > •Applications & Software > •Zoom
Digital Accessibility: Editing Automatic Closed Captions in Zoom Cloud Recordings
All Zoom meetings recorded to the cloud will receive automatic closed captions and transcripts. This article describes how to use the integrated editing tool to improve the accuracy of automatic captions.
Accessibility
People with hearing loss depend on media with highly accurate closed captions (approximately 99%). Zoom provides automatic machine-generated closed captions for all meetings recorded to the cloud. However, automatic captions and transcripts are only roughly 80% accurate, well below the threshold of accessibility. Use Zoom's integrated caption editing tool to improve the accuracy of automatic closed captions.
Universal Design
There are numerous ways closed captions benefit everyone, including:
- Improved note taking
- Improved attention
- ESL support
Find Closed Captions in Zoom Cloud Recordings
- Start by going to riceuniversity.zoom.us/recording.
- Select the Cloud Recordings tab.
- Select the title of the recording you’d like to edit.
- On the following page, select the video Play link.
Edit Closed Captions in Zoom
- On the following page, you will find the video player (center) and the interactive transcript panel (right).
- In the video player controls, select the CC button to show/hide subtitles.
- As you play the video, the transcript panel will automatically scroll in sync with the captions displayed in the video player.
- When you notice a mistake, select the Edit button (shaped like a pencil) in the transcript panel.
- Simply edit the text to make corrections, including:
- Spelling
- Capitalization
- Punctuation and grammar
- Non-verbal sounds
- Then select Save.
- A notification will appear indicating that the “transcript text has been updated.”
Note: The next time anyone views the cloud recording, the updated captions will be available.
Additional Resources
- DCMP Captioning Key (full guide)
- DCMP Captioning Tip Sheet (quick guide)
- Zoom, Automatically Transcribe Cloud Recordings
- WebAIM Captions (guide)
Zoom Cloud Recording Retention Policy
- Academic class recordings stored in the Zoom cloud will be deleted 60 days from the official last day of each semester.
- Non-academic recordings stored in the Zoom cloud will be deleted 9 months after the recording date.
- Deleted recordings will be stored in the Zoom trash for 30 days and can only be retrieved and downloaded by the meeting host.
- After 30 days, the recordings are permanently removed and will no longer be accessible. The meeting host will receive a notification 7 days prior to the recording being permanently deleted. This is the meeting host’s final opportunity to download and store the recording in an alternative location.
Please note it is the responsibility of the meeting host to ensure all recordings are retained in accordance with university guidelines and compliance requirements, including FERPA: https://registrar.rice.edu/facstaff/ferpa_FAQs/