Remote Transcribing

 

 

 

Note: Transcribers should have at least 50 solid hours of experience providing communication access services in the classroom or at the lecture site before they provide remote services.  On-site experience is necessary in order to learn critical skills can't be developed over a remote link.

This page is about how to provide remote services using TypeWell Premium.  If you are more interested in the services themselves and would like to find a transcriber or agency that provides remote services, please contact us.  We will be happy to put you in touch with some good choices.  You might also want to read the How It Works section below to understand the basics of such a service. 

When to Use Remote Services

Sometimes there is no transcriber available to be at a lecture site.  In that case, remote transcribing can be used with TypeWell Premium.  The transcriber can be located far away from the lecture site.  The lecturer wears a microphone and the speech is sent over the internet to the transcriber.  The transcriber's transcript is sent back over the internet to the reader at the lecture site. 

Regular wireless linking reaches only as far as the computer's radio, about 100 feet.  Remote linking on the other hand works through the internet, and can reach any distance near or far.  It can link within the same room, across a school campus, or across the country, as long as the linked locations are both on the internet. 

Another situation where remote services can be used is when the transcriber is at the lecture site, but the reader is not.  This is the case for students who take real-time distance learning classes, using streaming video to access the class.  This is called the remote reader situation, and is further discussed at the bottom of this document. 

Remote transcribing is more complicated than local transcribing because there's more technology involved, and because organized teamwork is needed when the transcriber is not at the lecture site to handle unusual situations. 

How It Works

Here's a diagram showing how remote transcribing works.  Trace the flow of the instructor's speech from the top (1), through the blue lines (2, 3) to the remote transcriber (4), then back as transcribed text through the black lines (5, 6) for the student to read (7).

Equipment Needed

When the transcriber is at a remote site, the equipment needed at the lecture site is:

• A computer for the reader in the audience.  This computer displays the transcript, and also acts as the hub for audio and text transmission over the internet.
• A fast and reliable internet connection (wired or WiFi) for this reader computer.
• A microphone for the lecturer to wear.
• A wireless audio transmitter to send the audio from the lecturer to the reader computer.
• A wireless audio receiver at the reader computer to pick up the audio.
• Skype software to transmit the audio over the internet to the transcriber.
• TypeWell Premium Reader software.

The equipment needed at the remote transcriber's location is:

• A computer for the transcriber.
• A fast and reliable internet connection.
• Free Skype software to receive the audio over the internet.
• Headphones to hear the audio clearly.
• TypeWell Premium Transcriber software to transmit the transcript to the reader.

Planning

When the transcriber is at a remote site, the transcriber cannot assist with set-up at the lecture site.  Someone at the lecture site must be trained to set up the computer for the reader and the microphone for the lecturer.  In some cases a technically savvy reader can take care of this, but often someone else is the best choice. 

Because of the heavier technical requirements of remote transcribing, there is the potential for many things to go wrong.  Special steps should to be taken to provide backup solutions.  Here are some items to consider:

• Microphone batteries should be charged or changed on a regular schedule, so they don't run out mid-lecture.  This is the most common failure point. Depending on the charging requirements of your mic you'll need to set up a procedure to make sure it is charged before every lecture. 
• Have a backup contact person, so that another service provider can be arranged if the transcriber is unavoidably detained (such as due to internet failure at the transcriber's location). 
• Work with an IT person for the lecture site to make sure there's a reliable high-speed internet connection for the Skype contact to the transcriber.

Tips

Here are some suggestions for getting set up for Remote transcribing:

• There are literally hundreds of wireless microphones to choose from.  Here are some good choices:
   
  • One popular low-cost choice is the Sony WCS-999 wireless microphone system, which costs about $100.  This mic uses AA batteries, which is an advantage since it's easy to keep replacements on hand.  In some environments this mic has reduced sound quality due to radio interference.  A good alternative to the lower-quality lapel mic that comes with this system is to use a computer headset mic worn around the lecturer's neck, with the mic boom sticking up in front of the lecturer's mouth.  This mic has an extra input port which can be used with a second microphone for picking up class comments.
     
  • Another good microphone choice is the Revolabs xTag USB, which costs about $250.  This mic has the simplicity of a built-in audio transmitter, USB connection to the computer, and an 8-hour battery that charges in only an hour.  However because the battery is built-in, one can't carry backup batteries in case one's forgotten to charge the mic. Also note that with this device the reader computer must be within about 50 feet of the lecturer.  A lanyard (a cord used as a necklace with the mic as a pendant) is usually a convenient way for a busy lecturer to wear this microphone. 
     
  • An example of a higher-end wireless mic is the Sennheiser EW100ENG-G2 for about $600.  High-end systems like this have the highest reliability and sound quality.  This is a good choice if it's important to keep failures of service to a minimum. 
   
• Skype is available for free.  Set up a separate Skype account for each computer so they can call each other. 
   

Remote Troubleshooting

Remote transcribing can be fairly reliable, but it's inherently less reliable than regular "in the class" transcribing.  This is because if one computer breaks during "in the class" service, the transcriber has the option of sitting next to the reader and transcribing on the other computer.  With remote transcription that option is not available, and service may be completely unavailable if there is a hardware problem. 

Here are some approaches for reducing the chances of service failures with remote services.  These suggestions range from simple and low-cost to technically complicated and expensive.  The simple, low-cost approaches are sufficient in most cases but if you want the highest possible reliability, consider all these options. 

Failure point		How to Avoid
Dead microphone battery		Always carry spare batteries, for microphone systems that use replacable batteries. Develop a policy for storing the laptop after each use that includes putting the microphone into its charger, for microphones that use rechargables. Develop a policy of checking the charge on batteries an hour before or the day before each session.
Poor Internet connection at the lecture site		Train the reader to switch to a hardwired ethernet connection rather than WiFi when there is radio interference. Have a cellular phone card in the computer that can be used when the campus wireless network is unreachable.  Note this is both technically complicated and has extra cellular phone costs.  Have a cellular phone available and train the reader to set the professor up with the cellular phone when Internet bandwidth is too low for a good Skype voice connection.  Of course, this incurs additional costs for the cellular phone.  Note that Skype is still needed at low bandwidth for the text transmission, so this solution is no help in case of complete internet failure.
The Transcriber misses the appointment or has no internet connection		Have a backup transcriber available who can take over if the scheduled transcriber is unavailable.  Have a second Skype contact for the reader to use if the reader cannot reach the scheduled transcriber.  Contract remote services through a reputable remote service provider who staffs backup transcribers.
Hardware problem on the reader computer		Carefully train the reader ahead of time in what to do in case of common problems like dead microphone battery.  Have an IT person stop by at the start of the lecture to set things up.  Train a tech-savvy audience member to help when something goes wrong.  Give the transcriber the texting address and phone number of the reader's cell phone, so that the transcriber can text to the reader or talk to the lecturer during the initial setup.
Software problem on reader computer		Teach the reader to restart the computer if one of the programs stops working. Train the transcriber in common technical problems so that the transcriber can use Skype to type directions to the Reader for other problems.
Transcriber can't hear clearly		Make sure the lecturer wears the mic on the upper body, outside of clothing.  It won't work well inside a pocket or under hair.  Provide a lanyard (cord necklace) for easy wearing of the microphone in the proper position.

Considerations for the Remote Reader situation

When the reader is located away from the lecture site, the transcriber can use TypeWell Premium to send the transcript over the internet to the reader.  Questions and comments can be sent back by the reader, to be voiced aloud in the class by the transcriber. 

Relatively little additional equipment is needed to support a remote reader, since the remote reader usually already has the basics in order to see streaming video of the distant lecture. 

The equipment needed at the lecture site is:

• A computer for the transcriber. 
• A fast and reliable internet connection.
• TypeWell Premium Transcriber software to transmit the transcript to the reader.

The equipment needed at the remote reader's location is:

• A computer for the reader.
• A fast and reliable internet connection.
• TypeWell Premium Reader software.

Streamtext

Another method of remote linking is available, using a service called Streamtext.  In this method, the transcript is sent from TypeWell to the Streamtext web site.  Readers may read the live transcript using standard web browsers. 

Streamtext has the advantage that the reader doesn't need to install special TypeWell Premium Reader software; any web browser will suffice.  The disadvantage is that this method doesn't show font style information like bolding, and doesn't show editing changes to previous paragraphs. 

Pricing of Streamtext linking is different too.  You must arrange an account with the Streamtext company to pay by the hour for the use of this service. 

See the Streamtext Linking page for technical details about using this type of linking. 

 

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