How detailed is a printed TypeWell transcript?

One of the well-liked features of the TypeWell system is the educationally sound transcript produced by the transcriber. The transcript is sometimes casually referred to as the "notes;" however, it's much more detailed than traditional notetaking.

While the meaning of the class conversation is captured during class, the resulting transcript could be too long and overwhelming for many students, once all that information is presented in a printed document. Thus, TypeWell transcribers who work with students in K-12 schools are taught (in our Basic Skills Course) how to edit the transcript to remove educationally-irrelevant information if needed. This includes things like behavior control comments by the teacher, directions given that are no longer needed (such as directions given for an in-class test), redundant comments, etc.

Some parents and teachers prefer that this educationally-irrelevant information be retained in the transcript. Whether or not to retain this information is a topic that parents can discuss with the transcriber's supervisor and the child's teacher. Remember, this kind of information is presented during class, as it happens. It is only optionally removed later, in the printed transcript. The printed transcript can also be organized in ways that promote learning, such as listing related items as bullet points, emphasizing new vocabulary and important points, or highlighting assignments and due dates.

The complexity of the language and content of the edited class transcript can be adjusted by the TypeWell transcriber to meet the needs of the students served. In the K-12 setting, decisions about these levels are made by the school supervisor and the served student, in conjunction with the parents when appropriate. By comparison, in the postsecondary environment, transcripts provided after class tend not to be significantly edited.

Note that the process of editing a transcript after class takes additional time and effort on the part of the transcriber. In a K-12 setting where a transcriber may have additional classroom responsibilities outside of their role as a communication access provider, editing each and every transcript may not be practicable. The amount of paid editing time allotted to a transcriber should be weighed against the benefit to the student.