Whether you’re looking to transcribe your medical reports, classes, or business meetings, transcription services are crucial for making data more accessible and ensuring inclusivity for all. In a world that is constantly developing newer and faster ways to distribute information, transcription services help people better process data, especially for those with disabilities.
In this quick read, we’ll unpack the reasons why accessibility is so important in our society, as well as the role transcription services play in making the world around us more inclusive. With International Language Consultancy (ILC), experience some much-needed peace of mind, knowing that your work will be faithfully and accurately transcribed – by highly-trained professionals to boot.
Accessibility & Disability In South Africa
Understanding what a disability is informs the value of accessibility. By definition, a person with a disability is regarded as having one or more activity limitations due to some mental or physical impairments. In South Africa, an estimated three million people live with disabilities, which translates to more than 7% of our nation’s population. This percentage excludes the lives of people living with someone who has a disability, which adds up to over 20%. Hundreds of thousands of South Africans who have disabilities have struggled to live out their lives because of existing barriers that inhibit their quality of life.
A lack of access for South Africans with disabilities affects every facet of their lives. Without the proper accommodations, citizens are not able to secure employment for themselves, which may lead to them being isolated from the economy. Often, people with disabilities, as well as their family members or guardians, have had to handle the brunt of medical fees – these procedures and medications enable them to contribute to society. These fees, coupled with the inaccessibility to secure employment, force people with disabilities to live impoverished lives, further excluding them from the country’s socio-economic sphere.
By creating facilities that are accessible to all South Africans, people with disabilities are given equal access and can participate in their communities as freely as their neighbours. Strides towards accessibility for South Africans with disabilities, such as wheelchair-friendly architecture, transcription services, inclusive job creation, and sign language and braille facilities have advanced our country towards a culture of inclusion and equality.
The breaking down of barriers gives all citizens a chance to properly integrate into and contribute to the country’s economy which, in part, uplifts the lives of those who live with disabilities. The key to building an equal future for all South Africans relies on the value of accessibility.
Why Do We Need Accessibility?
Accessibility is the cornerstone of any equal, functioning society. By law, accessibility should be included in all institutions, including that of businesses, educational facilities, and many others. Choosing to disregard this law is not only illegal but also excludes groups of people from accessing valuable information. Whether it be in the form of transcription services or wheelchair facilities, accessibility affects our lives on a day-to-day basis. Here is a breakdown of why accessibility is so important and how it impacts us:
More Usability & Engagement: When content is made more accessible, be it through text-to-speech or transcription services, it encourages more people to interact with it. Providing these avenues allows both people with and without disabilities the option to better digest information. In terms of business accessibility, incorporating these features benefits both the company and its clients. When people can easily navigate through a business’s website or other information, it enhances their user experience, making them more likely to interact with it and seek out a company’s services.
Promotes Inclusivity: Everyone deserves to have the same access to information, including those with disabilities. Making services available to everyone, able-bodied or not, means more than just ensuring a better user experience – it gives disabled people the opportunity to partake in society. Creating and fostering a culture of accessibility is the responsible thing to do, regardless of institution. At International Language Consultancy, we firmly believe that access to information should be made equal to all and can be made possible with the effective use of translation and transcription services.
Ensures Compliance: Making public establishments more accessible is an ethical responsibility, as much as it is a legal one. The law protects those with disabilities by ensuring that businesses, schools, and other institutions are complying with official accessibility legislation. Without abiding by these laws, companies risk the chance of legal action being taken against them. In some cases, businesses can even be shut down if they refuse to acknowledge and enforce accessibility laws.
Benefits Societies As A Whole: Enforcing and practising accessibility measures does more than just create equal opportunities for people with disabilities – it works to the benefit of everyone. At worst, removing barriers that inhibit those with disabilities makes little to no difference in the lives of able-bodied people. At best, making everything more accessible makes the lives of everyone easier.
Many advancements in technology that were developed specifically for people with disabilities are now used commonly in all households. For example, inventions like the telephone, typewriters, SMS messages, and remote controls were all created with the initial goal of enhancing accessibility. Today, these developments have become the norm and benefit us all.
What Is Transcription?
The act of scribing has been used to document information for centuries. By definition, transcription is the practice of taking a spoken word, be it in-person or through audio, and turning it into a written document. When the information has been converted into text, that document is then referred to as a transcript.
While examples of transcription can be seen throughout various industries around the world, it has become a staple for providing greater access to the lives of those with disabilities. Transcripts play a valuable role in offering those with hearing or speech impairments the ability to participate in society, be it through transcribed classes, medical reports, meetings, or other forms of media. Transcription services are one of several other accessibility features that help foster a culture of inclusivity for those with and without disabilities.
Using Transcription Services For Education
Today, more than ever, the global education system has come to rely heavily on technology for teaching classes and distributing schoolwork, especially post-pandemic. One of the major pitfalls of this shift is the lack of accessibility. Following the outbreak of the pandemic, more and more schools and businesses have moved towards remote or hybrid modes of work. Without translation or transcription services, many learners miss out on engaging with important information, hindering their ability to complete their schoolwork.
As the world has adapted to new technological advancements, transcription services have become increasingly popular, especially at schools and tertiary institutions. Here are some of the ways in which transcription services make a difference for learners across the globe:
Makes Learning More Flexible: While listening to lectures or taking notes in class may work well for some students, this is not the case for all. Neurodiverse learners with disorders like ADHD often struggle with concentration and can find it challenging to process verbal instructions as quickly or accurately. With transcription services, learners can both listen to and read their work without having to rely on learning styles that are more difficult for them. This flexibility not only offers students alternative ways of learning but also encourages them to participate more in class. Inclusivity in education is key to learner engagement.
Creates Accessibility For Students: Transcription services play a pivotal role in aiding learners who are visually impaired or have hearing disabilities. Access to text-based learning materials is essential for students with disabilities. By using transcription services to transcribe classes, students can do their schoolwork at their own pace. This accessibility also allows students with disabilities to tailor their work according to their needs by modifying the size and font of written material, which helps them to better comprehend their work.
Encourages Independent Learning: Many students who attend public schooling without proper accessibility facilities often need to rely on their peers to get through their syllabus. Transcription services give learners the tools they require to do their schoolwork independently. Students with disabilities deserve to have equal access to information to get a proper education. Access to transcribed schoolwork encourages students to become self-reliant and learn on their own, which are necessary life skills for all learners.
The Value Of Transcription Services
Transcription services are used for more than just transcribing lectures and classes. At International Language Consultancy, we offer transcribed content for a wide array of source material, such as podcasts, court proceedings, phone calls, and medical reports. Transcribed forms of information are valuable for everyone, as they also allow for record-keeping, accuracy, and accessibility. Transcription comes in a variety of different types, namely:
Media Transcription: If you’re looking to convert your favourite TV shows, podcasts, or other forms of audiovisual content into text, media transcription is especially popular. This type of transcription allows for a wider audience to engage with the source material while promoting accessibility and making content easier to find. Media that is transcribed into text can be found by searching keywords on the web, increasing the chances of people locating and interacting with the content.
Medical Transcription: Medical examinations are packed with important information for patients. While medical consultations tend to be verbal, be it in-person or over the telephone, medical transcription services help patients to have a written document of their medical records. These transcriptions are helpful to both the patient and health practitioner, as they can be added to a client’s medical history.
Legal Transcription: These types of transcription services involve transcribing court proceedings, which are then typed out into written legal documents. Legal transcriptions are valuable in court, as they help attorneys build their cases and ensure the accuracy of the data. Creating written records of court proceedings allows for these documents to be extremely detailed. Additionally, a legal transcription can be considered in court due to its accuracy and legal illegibility. Examples of legal transcriptions recorded by a transcriber would include hearings, emergency calls, interviews, interrogations, and depositions.
Corporate Transcription: Transcription services are especially popular in the corporate world. Whether it be the recording of a conference call or a one-on-one meeting between colleagues, transcribing helps to keep a record of important information in the workplace. Additionally, transcribed documents are essential for businesses, as they allow those who work in the company to refer to notes made in previous meetings or calls. Without a written record, valuable information may be lost and cannot be accounted for.