The National Centers are required to provide transcription for all forms of multimedia. From live webinars to audio podcasts, an accurate transcript is required to ensure video content on the Head Start website, can be presented on assistive devices. These accessible documents, provide the structure necessary, to develop time-synchronized formats like captions and subtitles for each video. These guidelines will cover which steps to take when producing English or Spanish transcripts.
Accessibility Checklist
- A transcript that presents a verbatim representation of all spoken dialogue, including non-spoken content.
- A transcript in (PDF) form that is Section 508 conformant, and screen reader accessible.
Review examples of, and suggestions for, addressing issues frequently flagged during content and technical reviews by the Head Start Information and Communications Center (HSICC) team.
- Identify Speakers
- Ensure Accuracy
- Embedded Audio/Video in Another Language
Identify Speakers
Identify all speakers using their full name in the first instance and just the first name after that, followed by a colon (:). If the speaker's name is not provided, use clear descriptions. Such descriptions may include: Teacher, Girl, Father, Narrator, and Moderator. Remember to label speakers each and every time they speak.
If there are multiple speakers with the same descriptions, use numerals to differentiate speakers. Do not include pound/number sign (#) or the abbreviation for number (No.) in speaker labels. When referring to the Director of the Office of Head Start, use the current incumbent’s last name and the appropriate prefix (e.g. Dr., Mr., Mrs.).
| DO NOT | DO |
|---|---|
| BRANDY BLACK THACKER: Thank you, Kiersten. | Brandi Black Thacker: Thank you, Kiersten. |
| [Marco Beltran] And welcome, everyone. | Marco Beltran: And welcome, everyone. |
| Bernadine: Bernadine: Hi, everyone. | Dr. Futrell: Hi, everyone. |
| Teacher #2: This is a great resource. Teacher No. 3: Yes, I agree. | Teacher 2: This is a great resource. Teacher 3: Yes, I agree. |
| Adriana Bernal: We are so happy to have you here. Roselia Ramirez: Yes, this is very exciting. — Next text line — Adriana Bernal: To begin, we want to hear from you. | Adriana Bernal: We are so happy to have you here. Roselia Ramirez: Yes, this is very exciting. — Next text line — Adriana: To begin, we want to hear from you. |
Ensure Accuracy and Avoid Interruptions
The transcript must match the audio/video as closely as possible to align with Section 508 (federal accessibility) standards.
- Use [Inaudible] if the speaker cannot be heard clearly.
- Do not include stuttered words and verbal pauses at the beginning of sentences (e.g. “So, …”, “And …”).
- Do not include brief interruptions to another speaker’s dialogue. This may include someone saying, “um,” “right,” “OK,” or “mm hmm,” in response to or over what someone else is saying.
- Use ellipses (…) for breaks or pauses at the end of a sentence.
- Use an “en” dash (–) between repetitious words and phrases that cannot be eliminated. Do not use double dashes (--).
| DO NOT | DO |
|---|---|
| We'd like to, um - we need to orient families. | We'd like to … We need to orient families. |
| It was as if. [end of speaking] | It was as if … |
| I'd like to – to welcome you. | I'd like to welcome you. |
Staff took pictures with different emotions -- smiling, frowning, or frustrated. | Staff took pictures with different emotions – smiling, frowning, or frustrated. |
| Adia: If you go onto the ECLKC, there is a place where you can go. Ann: Right. Adia: It’s the What’s New page. | Adia: If you go onto the ECLKC, there is a place where you can go. It’s the What’s New page. |
| Blair: And so, where can we find them? Melanie: So, it really depends. | Blair: Where can we find them? Melanie: It really depends. |
| Wendy: We were gonna to there. | Wendy: We were going to go there. |
Non-spoken Content and Actions
To capture unspoken content and sound effects such as music, applause, or laughter, use square brackets. Brackets are also used to show any inaudible or indecipherable spoken content. This can include actions and gestures that give context to the dialogue (e.g., Let's see how far the airplane will go. [Launches paper plane]). Do not include in brackets or transcribe any slides or other visuals that are displayed on screen.
Capitalize the first character in a bracket. All other characters and words should be lowercase.
| DO NOT | DO |
|---|---|
| [Clears Throat] | [Clears throat] |
| [humming] | [Humming] |
| [LAUGHTER] | [Laughter] |
Example: A speaker named Paul throws his chalk, then says, “Let’s take a look at this function.”
Incorrect: Paul: (throws chalk) Let’s take a look at this function.
Correct: Paul: [Throws chalk] Let’s take a look at this function.
If there is a video within the video, use [Video begins] to mark the beginning of the video and [Video ends] to mark the end of it. These bracketed phrases must appear on their own line.
Punctuation and Formatting
Follow these punctuation and formatting tips:
- Use quotation marks for titles, not italics.
- Transcripts should be split into short to medium paragraphs (4 to 8 lines).
- Delete double spaces between words and sentences.
Embedded Audio/Video in Another Language
Sometimes, recorded presentations include an embedded video or audio element in another language. In these cases, please follow the guidelines below.
Presented in English with Embedded Spanish
When a presentation is facilitated in English (e.g., BabyTalks), the embedded Spanish-language audio or video needs to be translated into English and included in the transcript for captioning with the clarification in square brackets “[Speaking Spanish]”. For example:
“[Video begins]
Teacher: [Speaking Spanish] When the ball comes to you, it's your turn to show us the funniest face you can make.
[Video ends]”
Presented in Spanish with Embedded English
When a presentation is facilitated in Spanish (e.g., Conexiones), the embedded English-language audio or video needs to be translated into Spanish and included in the transcript for captioning with the clarification in square brackets “[En inglés]”. For example:
“[Inicio del video]
Docente: [En inglés] Podemos hacerle un lugar a él también para que juegue con nosotros.
[Fin del video]”
Embedded Languages Other Than English and Spanish
For any unidentified language, the clarification in square brackets should be:
- English – “Teacher: [Speaking a foreign language]”
- Spanish – “Docente: [En idioma extranjero]”
If the language is clearly identified in the video or audio, identify it in the closed brackets. In that case, the name of the language should be used in the square brackets; for example:
“Teacher: [Speaking French]”
Last Updated: March 11, 2025