Inclusive Media and Design

What Is CapScribe Open?

CapScribe Open is a freely available Mac-based (Duo Core 2 Intel machines and greater with Leopard/Mac OS 10.5 or greater and at least 1.5 GB of RAM) video editor for captioning and description.

Use CapScribe on your Mac to create captions for Quicktime, YouTube, and Flash videos. CapScribe also offers a way to create video description.

CapScribe editor - image of Marshall Mcluhan with caption - and the effect of the electic revolution.
View of CapScribe's Caption Editor

CapScribe editor - image of the video description editor tool set
View of CapScribe's Video Description Editor

Background

Charles Silverman has been developing CapScribe Open, previously referred to as CapScribe, for over 8 years. While versions of CapScribe have been available for download in the past, it's been about a year since CapScribe has been made available. We're looking forward to reconnecting with previous users and meeting new users.

Future Plans

CapScribe has always been about getting as many people as possible to caption and describe their web and desktop media. In the coming months we're looking forward to improving and adding to CapScribe Open's video description features. CapScribe was one of the first tools to use text-to-speech to create video descriptions, which makes the process go quite a bit faster. We're also looking forward to growing our plug-in library and creating robust documentation.

What You Can Do

CapScribe is a work-in-progress. You can help by sending us your feedback and links to your finished videos for us to showcase. Consider doing volunteer captioning and description. There's plenty of content out there, and many non-profit organizations that would more than welcome your help!

Finally, when you can't get everything done yourself, use our web captioning and descriptive video services and this will help to fund further CapScribe development.

CapScribe Testimonials

As a newcomer to the world of captioning, I had the opportunity to explore several tools in order to caption my media. Of them, I found Capscribe to be not only intuitive and easy to learn, but very forgiving to a beginning captioner! The clear, well-designed interface displays tons of useful information in a tidy window and gives me all the control I need to precisely create, edit, and style captions for instructional media content. At each point in the process, I know exactly where I am, and what I need to do, thus enabling a smooth workflow. A variety of output options are available which provide immense flexibility. And, (Charles and) the team at Inclusive Media are incredibly helpful and attentive with their support. I highly recommend this product!

Alan Kirker, Media Designer
Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services,
University of Waterloo, Ontario

Using CapScribe, with the generous and extensive support and consultation of Charles' company, Inclusive Media and Design, we have been able to develop a sustainable, robust in-house captioning program. To date we have captioned well over 100 videos, from short online clips to full length documentaries and videos. Both students and instructors alike have been very happy with the results, and no longer are students with hearing loss effectively excluded from the classroom when the lights go down and their instructors press play on their videos.

Jessica Gunnell, Learning Strategist/Student Support Officer
Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities,
Carleton University, Ottawa

IMD's Capscribe Open is a fantastic tool to close caption your home made and professional movies. Capscribe offers export options, so our closed captioned movies can go to YouTube, Flash or Quicktime with ease. We tried other captioning software, but none matched the simplicity and options offered by Capscribe.

Alvaro Tobar, Senior Instructional Technology Specialist
Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts, Boston

As someone who works with the Deaf community daily, CapScribe has been a valuable tool for me as a means of making video media accessible. Whole other groups of people are now able to enjoy and appreciate videos they didn’t have access to previously. In addition, it is so easy to use. People are able to caption their own videos themselves!

Monique Bozzer, Certified ASL/English Interpreter
Toronto

I am a professional video describer and captioner and a CapScribe user for several years. I have used many software programs to produce both captions and video description, including a couple of programs where I assisted in the development. Without hesitation I heartily recommend CapScribe. The program increases efficiency throughout the workflow.

John Stubbs, Principal
Stubbs Solutions, Mississauga

CapScribe is a VITAL tool for me, and the same should be true for anyone who needs to sync text to video. CapScribe gives me easy-to-use, precision-level control. Moreover, CapScribe's support for a variety of layouts, tracks and formats means that it adapts to my workflow, saving time and headaches. Don't leave home without it!

Jim Nevin, New Media Artist focusing on the conversion of live performance,
electronic media, and oral and written narrative
New York

Start Captioning and Describing Now

If you haven't already, write us, and we'll get back to you with a link for downloading CapScribe Open.