Zoom Closed Captions

From 24 September 2020 Zoom Closed Captions will be available in UniSA Zoom sessions. Zoom closed captions allows the HOST or another meeting participant, to provide closed captioning during a Zoom session.

Closed captions are provided "live" while your session is in progress. The captioner is required to type your speech, as you speak.  If you are going to assign the closed captioning to another participant, please consider the following:

  • Provide the closed captioner with an overview of what you are going to cover in the session.
  • Provide a list of domain specific terms that you will be using in your session.
  • Speak clearly, and at an even pace.
  • Run a practice session with your closed captioner, to ensure that you both understand the processes, and the captioner can provide timely and accurate captions.

Also see Zoom Transcript and Panopto captions for recordings.

There are two parts for using Closed captions, changing your settings to allow closed captions and using closed captions in sessions, described below.

Changing your Settings to allow Closed Captioning

  1. Go to https://unisa.zoom.us/ and Sign in using your UniSA username and password.
    Image of Zoom login screen with Sign in highlighted.
  2. In Zoom, select Settings.
  3. Select In Meeting (Advanced).
  4. Enable Closed Captions.
    Image of Zoom Meeting settings with Closed captions highlighted.
  5. All Zoom sessions will now have the option of Closed captioning.

Using Closed Captions in Session

The session HOST will need to have enabled Close Captioning, as described above.

  1. Create and start your Zoom session as normal.
  2. If Closed captioning is enabled, as the HOST you will see Closed Caption in your Zoom menu bar.
    Image of Zoom toolbar with Closed Captions highlighted.
  3. Click on Closed Caption, the closed caption menu will be displayed as shown below.
    Image of Zoom toolbar with Closed Captions menu displayed.
    Options:
    Assign a participant to type: allows you to select a participant to provide the closed captions.
    I will type: assigns you as the closed caption provider.
    Copy the API token: allows you to use a 3rd party tool as the closed caption provider.
    Note: UniSA does not currently have an enterprise wide agreement with a third party Closed Captioning provider.
  4. Choose Assign a participant to type.
  5. In the Zoom Particpants panel, click on More to the right of the participant you want to provide the Closed Captions.
  6. Choose Assign to type Closed Caption.
    Image of Zoom Particpants with More menu open and assign Close caption highlighted.
  7. In the Particpants panel there will be a "CC" icon next to the Closed captioner, and the participant will see a pop up letting them know they can now provide the closed captions.
    Note: this is the same behaviour if you select "I will type".
    Image of Zoom Participants with CC icon highlighted.
  8. To start adding closed caption content, click Closed Caption.
  9. Type in the Closed Caption panel, and press enter to broadcast to the group.
    Image of Zoom Closed Caption panel.
  10. The captions will be displayed on the screen above the toolbar.
    Image of Zoom Closed captions, displayed above the Zoom toolbar.

Once transferred to Panopto, the Closed captions will be transferred to Panopto Closed captions and can be viewed by clicking Closed captions , below the recording.

Last modified: Wednesday, 16 September 2020, 7:07 AM