The team at CeLTA is happy to share some recent developments in closed captioning on Google Chrome and Microsoft Teams. These updates are a huge step forward in accessibility for users of these platforms, and a major benefit for language education programs.
Google is now offering a Chrome extension called Live Caption that will make captioning available on ALL streaming videos. Although it is only available in English, this will be incredibly useful for English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms, and will also create a more inclusive environment for any class taught or meeting hosted in English. The extension does not require any additional downloads. For more information on usage, check out their Support page.
In addition, Microsoft Teams is now offering live captioning in 28 different languages! You can also switch manually between languages during the meeting. It does not include a translation feature, but will help students or meeting participants follow along in the target language. Additional information can be found on the Support page.
Although there is still quite a way to go in the realm of accessibility, we are happy to see that technology is creating improvements that will make language education a more approachable experience for all.
By El Taverna