Enhancing eLearning for all

The IT Services Instructional Design Team has experienced a significant increase in requests to transform training session recordings and videos into trackable courses. These requests aim to create a knowledge resource that is not only easily accessible but also measurable in terms of user engagement and completion metrics. We caught up with the team to find out more. 

What were you aiming to achieve? 

Our goal extended beyond simply tracking course completion; we wanted to ensure that this content was accessible to the University’s diverse population. With a community of multinational staff and students, it was essential to accommodate the varied ways in which individuals access and process information.  

How did you make the courses accessible? 

To meet this challenge, we decided to include both transcripts (converting the audio into a plain text file) and closed captions (adding text to each section of the video) in our video content, making it more accessible to a broader audience.  

We incorporated the closed captions by taking the autogenerated caption file from Stream and importing it into the eLearning authoring tool, Articulate Storyline. This allowed us to edit the captions and check them for accuracy. It’s important to check for spelling mistakes, particularly with names and places, as well as make the distinction between speakers if there is more than one.   

The transcript files can be autogenerated by Articulate Storyline from the captions, or manually created and added as a downloadable file before being wrapped in an eLearning package. It has now become a mandatory part of our production process for all new courses featuring videos to include supplementary materials, knowledge checks (questions which confirm understanding without being graded) and formal quizzes when necessary.   

What are the benefits of making courses accessible? 

The benefits of accessible courses include: 

• Wider accessibility: Ensuring that all learners, regardless of their abilities, can engage with the content. 
• Enhanced comprehension and retention: This is particularly beneficial for complex subjects or when audio quality is less than optimal. 
• Language support: Assisting non-native speakers in following along more easily and enabling straightforward translation of content into other languages. 

Additionally, we can monitor completions for any eLearning package uploaded to the CoSy training management system and distribute course surveys to gather user feedback. These help us to make improvements to our courses and processes.  

What does this mean for future course development? 

These initiatives have set a new standard within our team, reiterating the vital importance of accessibility in delivering effective eLearning. Accurate transcription and closed captioning for any video, whether it’s a part of an eLearning course or not, improves the learning experience for all participants, producing a more inclusive educational environment.