We recommend that the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered live transcription available in Zoom be turned on by the host for all meetings. When you host a meeting you need to turn it on for each meeting. Only the host can turn this on (not co-hosts) and any participant can view the captioning as needed. Only English is supported at this time, and for the best results, the speaker must speak clearly.  

AI-powered live transcription can be a valuable tool for Universal Design.  Many people benefit from captioning who may not have documented disability including:  individuals for whom English is not their first language, situations where background noise is present, situations where the volume and clarity of the speaker’s voice is not optimal, and if the speaker has a heavy accent. A good headset can help with the speaker’s volume and clarity, request one here if you need it.  We encourage you to use transcription when appropriate outside of disability accommodations.

Important legal reminder: AI-powered live transcription is NOT a substitute for professional real-time captioning services for individuals with disabilities.  Students will need to request real-time captioning from the Student Disability Resource Center.  Faculty and staff wishing to request real-time captioning for events should contact Human Resources for more information.