Adding subtitles to videos in Open edX

Best practice for Open edX dictates that you should use subtitles in your videos. It makes your course more accessible to disabled and non-native students, improves your video's searchability, and allows students to navigate to different parts of the video based on what's being said.

Add subtitles

Whether you are linking a new video, or working with a video you have already uploaded, start by clicking the Edit button. 

If your video has captions on YouTube, you will see this option for Import YouTube Transcript here. Click it.

You should see a confirmation message that says Timed Transcript Found. Don't forget to click Save. 

However, f your video doesn't have a transcript on YouTube, and you've had to create it yourself, Open edX still allows you to upload it. Just select the Upload New Transcript option. 

Select the .srt file you have created as a transcript for your video. 

If you have not created an .srt file for your video, there are  a few resources around the internet for how it's done. But that's a separate how-to, than this one! 

And you've done it! Students can now read as they watch, and even click on specific parts of the subtitles and have the video automatically jump to that exact point!