← Years 9–10 Data & Information

Captions and transcripts for audio and video

Captions show spoken words as on-screen text. A transcript is the full text of audio or video. Both help deaf, hard-of-hearing and no-sound viewers. Always check auto-captions.

Part of: 9-10 Digital Technologies: Interactive content with emerging tools — Module 8, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 1 — User Experiences and Interfaces — Module 54, QCE Digital Solutions Unit 3 — Interactions Between Users, Data and Digital Systems — Module 71

Understanding Captions and transcripts for audio and video in Years 9–10 Data & Information

What it does: The track element inside the video element supplies captions, which show the speech as text. The audio player alone gives no text, so a linked transcript makes the content available to users who cannot hear it. Captions help deaf and hard-of-hearing users. They also help people on a noisy train or in a quiet library with the sound muted. Auto-captions often get names, slang and technical words wrong. Always check and correct them. Automatic captions can make errors that change the meaning, so they should be proofread before publishing.

Common mistakes: The track element needs a caption file, not the video file. The src should be "talk.vtt" so the browser can show the spoken words as text. The link is closed with <a> instead of </a>. The closing tag needs a slash so the transcript link works properly.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

🖨 Print worksheet + answer key Add Captions and transcripts for audio and video to a class →

This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 83–132) and word search (Modules 6–132).

Take this worksheet further — free with Cloodit

Each concept is reinforced from every angle — learned, then applied, then tested.

Learning
Duo
Who benefits from captions on a video?
Deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers, and people watching with the sound offOnly people who can already hear the video clearly
Matches
Auto-captions were switched on, so the video is accessible and needs no checking.
↓
Auto-generated captions often get names, slang and technical words wrong, so they must be checked and corrected by a person.
Applying
Meanings
Term
captions and transcript
Meaning
Captions show spoken words as on-screen text. A transcript is the full text of audio or video. Both help deaf, hard-of-hearing and no-sound viewers. Always check auto-captions.
Practice
<video controls src="talk.mp4">
Testing
Gaps
< kind="captions" src="en.vtt">
Check Answer
Spots
3 <track kind="captions"
4 src="talk.mp4" srclang="en">

Cloodit turns curriculum-aligned coding content into journeys students work through one biome at a time.

The 'Scorpion' badge — Venom Debugger, one of Cloodit's 106 collectible badges
Students earn collectable badges

Over 100 of them, across seven natural biomes.

Study Buddy
Students build a real study resource

Turns their work into revision material ready for Flash Cards and Exam study.

Diamond Dash — one of Cloodit's live, competitive Sprint games
Students lock in with Sprints

Live, competitive practice for the start of the lesson or a teacher-led lesson finisher.

A Cloodit certificate of achievement, ready to personalise and print
Custom printable certificates

Honour your top performers, or encourage a student who's trying hard — ready to print in seconds.

Add to class →

Quick Questions

1. Who benefits from captions on a video?
A. Only people who can already hear the video clearly
B. Deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers, and people watching with the sound off ✓
Captions help deaf and hard-of-hearing users. They also help people on a noisy train or in a quiet library with the sound muted.
2. Which one gives the full text of a podcast so it can be read without listening?
A. A transcript ✓
B. A thumbnail image
A transcript is the full written text of audio or video. For a podcast with no pictures, it is the main way a deaf user can access the content.
3. Your video has auto-generated captions. What should you do before publishing?
A. Publish them as they are, because AI is always right
B. Read through them and fix any mistakes ✓
Auto-captions often get names, slang and technical words wrong. Always check and correct them.
4. Which statement about captions is correct?
A. Captions show spoken words as on-screen text ✓
B. Captions are a different name for the video title
Captions display what is said (and often key sounds) as text on the screen, in time with the video.
5. You post an audio-only interview on your class website. Which is the best way to make it accessible?
A. Add a transcript of the interview ✓
B. Make the volume louder
A louder volume does not help a deaf user. A transcript gives them the full content as text.

Match the Pairs

<track kind="captions" src="talk.vtt" srclang="en"> → Adds a captions file to a video so spoken words appear as on-screen text
<a href="podcast-transcript.html">Read the transcript</a> → Links to the full text of an audio recording so deaf or hard-of-hearing users can access it
Captions can be added to a video so people watching with the sound off can still follow what is said → <video controls src="clip.mp4"><track kind="captions" src="clip.vtt"></video>
An audio file needs a transcript, a full text version, so deaf or hard-of-hearing users can access it → <audio controls src="interview.mp3"></audio> <p><a href="interview.txt">Transcript</a></p>
Auto-captions were switched on, so the video is accessible and needs no checking. → Auto-generated captions often get names, slang and technical words wrong, so they must be checked and corrected by a person.
<audio controls src="podcast.mp3"></audio> <!-- no text version provided --> → There is no transcript, so deaf and hard-of-hearing users cannot access the audio content.

Key Term

captions and transcript
Captions show spoken words as on-screen text. A transcript is the full text of audio or video. Both help deaf, hard-of-hearing and no-sound viewers. Always check auto-captions.

Fill in the Blanks

1. <video src="talk.mp4" controls> <track kind="captions" src="en.vtt"> </video>
Hint: Type the element that attaches a text file of captions to a video.
2. <video src="talk.mp4" controls> <track kind="captions" src="en.vtt"> </video>
Hint: Type the kind value that shows spoken words as on-screen text.
3. <audio controls src="podcast.mp3"></audio> <a href="transcript.html">Read transcript</a>
Hint: Type the element name used to make a link to the transcript page.
4. <audio controls src="podcast.mp3"></audio> <a href="transcript.html">Read transcript</a>
Hint: Type the attribute that holds the destination of the link to the full text.
5. <video src="talk.mp4" controls> <track kind="captions" src="a.vtt" default> </video>
Hint: Type the attribute that switches the captions on automatically, so viewers with no sound can follow.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A <video controls>
B <source src="talk.mp4">
C <track kind="captions"
D src="talk.mp4" srclang="en">
E </video>
Line D — The track element needs a caption file, not the video file. The src should be "talk.vtt" so the browser can show the spoken words as text.
Question 2
A <audio controls src="ep1.mp3">
B </audio>
C <a href="t.txt">Transcript<a>
Line C — The link is closed with <a> instead of </a>. The closing tag needs a slash so the transcript link works properly.
Question 3
A <h2>Podcast transcript</h2>
B <p>Welcome back!</p>
C <p>Guest: Thanks!</p>
Line B — The speaker label is missing. A transcript should say who is talking, so this line should be <p>Host: Welcome back!</p>.
Question 4
A <h2>Episode 4</h2>
B <audio controls scr="ep4.mp3">
C </audio>
D <p>Transcript below</p>
Line B — The attribute is spelled scr instead of src, so the audio file will not load. It should be src="ep4.mp3".
Question 5
A Upload video
B Generate auto captions
C Fix wrong words and names
D Publish auto captions as is
Line D — Auto-generated captions often have mistakes, so they must be checked and fixed first. This line should publish the checked captions.

Student with a class code? Join your class →