Transcription of the audio component of a video stream is an important function in making the content more accessible and usable. In addition to opening the content to those who me be audio impaired (critical for certain government funded projects), it provides the basis for automated indexing and search – which is critical for many applications.
This article, written by an automated transcription company, discusses some of the benefits of interactive transcriptions that were identified in a survey of MIT on-line learning students. http://www.3playmedia.com/2013/01/29/how-online-learners-using-interactive-video-transcripts-part-i-study/
I found it very interesting that one of the very first comments posted about Monday’s “Learning Creative Learning” course was a suggestion to add a synchronized transcription and search capability.