Buzz and Woody Buzz saying autocaptions autocaptions everywhere
Our theme for December is captioning! Continue reading for some great resources, information, and news!
TEACHING WITH ACCESSIBLE MEDIA
A picture may be worth a thousand words but a video is worth 1.8 million words. Video media can level the playing field by making sure that everyone in the class is envisioning the same mental picture before teaching a concept. Teachers are using video to capture the attention of students, providing content that is engaging and relevant. Turning on the captions can make the video a talking book, improving literacy for all. For other students, the captions are required for accessibility. Technology makes it easy for anyone to produce video content, but it is not always accessible. Educators must learn how to select, or in some cases create, accessible video. 

RMTC-D/HH collaborated with the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) to create an online course titled, “ How to Locate Captioned Videos and Create Your Own .” The course has three levels (Entry, Build, and Proficient) with a time commitment that ranges from one hour to three hours so participants can select a level of instruction to meet their individual needs. In addition, Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) has a 15 credit course called, “ Using Accessible Media in the Classroom with Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing .”
REAL-TIME SPEECH-TO-TEXT ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Speech-to-Text ” is an umbrella term used to describe the accommodation of taking spoken communication and other auditory information and presenting it in a written manner for the consumer to read on a screen. When it is in “Real Time,” the speech and text are happening simultaneously. Research has shown this to be an effective accommodation to provide access for students who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH). The advantage to this accommodation, as opposed to notes, is that the student is an active learner during the instructional progress. When the written text is provided on an individual basis, it only benefits that student. But when the text is visible to all learners in the class, it is not only an accommodation, but also an accessible UDL Strategy

The world of free and available auto-generated captions is advancing quickly. It should be noted that "auto-generated" does not necessarily equate to "accessible." Users must remember that captions created by artificial intelligence often have errors in punctuation, spelling, and/or content, potentially creating a barrier to comprehension, impeding full access, and could even cause confusion for the reader. Remember to choose your captioning choices and media with the audience and end product in mind. When captions are required as an accommodation, they require a Speech-to-Text Professional (STTP) to provide full communication access. Common types of speech-to-text services include Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), C-Print, and TypeWell.
Real-Time Speech-to-Text Services Definitions ( NDC, 2019 )
Verbatim Real-Time Captioning (AKA-Captioning)
A captionist captures 100% of the conversation as expressed by the speaker as well as auditory information in the class. The provider types nearly every word spoken, including false starts, misspeaks, and filler phrases. Most people do not speak in complete sentences the whole time. The rate of the typing can be 180-225 words per minute resulting in about 25 pages of transcript for 1 hour of lecture. This accommodation is recommended for consumers that read at a speed and linguistic level that would enable the student to receive the teacher's speech verbatim, using full text captioning. This is provided using CART.

Meaning-for-Meaning Text Interpreting (AKA-Transcription)
A captionist condenses the language into fewer words. This related service provider may change the dialog to complete sentences or eliminate false starts for the consumer to improve comprehension for the reader. They can also use visual formatting such as bold , italics , and lists to clarify content for the consumer. This can make it easier for the consumer to receive the message. One hour of lecture typically results in about 15 pages of transcript. This support is recommended if the student has reduced language and/or reading levels. This service may also be recommended if the student cannot communicate his/her questions/comments in class as it allows for two-way communication. The consumer can send questions to the captionist in real time for clarification or to participate in class discussions. Meaning-for-meaning text interpreting may be recommended for consumers that read at a speed and linguistic level that would prohibit the student from following the teacher's speech verbatim, using full text captioning. This service can be provided using C-Print or TypeWell software.
AUTO-GENERATED CAPTIONS
With a recent spotlight on the newly announced auto-generated captions now being offered by Google and Microsoft, accessibility just became a lot more accessible!  Auto-generated captions are a new feature offered in presentation mode when using presentation software Google Slides and Microsoft Powerpoint . Both platforms utilize speech-to-text discrimination software that captures speech within a given environment and translates it into digital print. Ultimately the feature enables a verbal information to be visually presented through live captioning.  

While both companies have released their version of auto-generated captions, there are some discrepancies between the two. Google Slides’ auto-generated caption feature is embedded within the presentation tool bar and will appear when the slides are in presentation mode. There is no additional download or add-on necessary to begin using the feature. Just click and play! Microsoft PowerPoint’s auto-generated captions offer more customizations and allow the presenter to adjust the delivery of the captions to meet their audience's needs. Unlike Google, Microsoft requires an add-on driver to be installed before using the captioning. When on a Windows computer, Microsoft also has an option to download a transcript of the captions allowing the audience to review class discussions and instruction from the teacher at a later time. For more information and comparison of the two tools, see RMTC-D/HH’s infographic regarding auto-generated captions in the classroom on our website !
 
Regardless of which tool is right for you, your classroom, and most importantly your students, one thing is certain - captioning has opened doors into the world of accessibility for students who are deaf/hard of hearing!
News from RMTC-D/HH


RMTC-D/HH’s website page “ Captioning: The How and Why of Making Media Accessible ” is completely devoted to captioning. Check out the new information regarding auto-generated captions! Specifically the infographic comparing Google Slides and PowerPoint's auto-generated captions.
spotlight
Expanded Skills Spotlight
SP.PK12.DH.6.6  Request written reinforcement of instruction, including transcripts or closed captions for film/videos, when needed.

Students who are D/HH require direct instruction in self-advocacy skills in order to prepare them for postsecondary education or employment. The importance of using captions is an imperative tool that can’t be overlooked when teaching Expanded Skills. But how do you teach students who are D/HH the importance of using captions? 
  • Conduct a modified Functional Listening Evaluation from the media 
  • Show them content with captions and test them and then show them similar content without captions and test them and then compare scores.
  • Show them a video with captions and in an important section, remove the captions and then ask them questions about the non-captioned parts.
  • Collaborate with their classroom teachers and teach ALL the students to employ close reading strategies on the transcript from a media presentation.
  • Role play with another student or group of students requesting the captions be utilized. Make sure to sabotage the situation to make them practice with difficulty.

Looking for other lessons for teaching self-advocacy and self-determination skills? Check out the News From the Loan Library section for curricula you can borrow for more ideas.
Spotlight
Teacher Spotlight
Cheryl Crumpler , M. Ed., has been committed to educating students for over 30 years and has taught most recently Career Education and Career Experience courses at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and in the St. Augustine community. Cheryl enjoys teaching students about the soft skills needed for employment. One of the ways she does this is through having her students watch vignettes with role models who are DHH, as well as other media sources that use closed-captioning and then follow this up by engaging students in their own role plays, activities, and discussions related to the video content. 
Shannon Fowler is a teacher of students who are deaf/hard of hearing (TODHH) in Palm Beach county. She previously taught in an itinerant setting for 4 years and now teaches in a K-2 bilingual-bimodal program for students who are deaf/hard of hearing.

Next month, our Tech Notes theme is on Progress Monitoring. Have an idea or lesson plan for Expanded Skills standards related to this topic? Know a teacher of students who are deaf/hard of hearing who is doing amazing things in their classroom? Email your ideas to Candace McIntire to be added to an upcoming Tech Notes!
Teacher Toolkit
Did you know?
Listening and Spoken Language Boot Camp will be presented by Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech and is designed to support families in Central Florida from coast to coast who have children who are deaf or hard of hearing ages birth to five.  This event will focus on parent education with listening and spoken language techniques, classroom activities, and auditory-based speech sessions for the children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The event is free for families to participate. Activities will be provided for siblings on Saturday. Register now !


Reading Scholarship Accounts , worth $500 each, are still available for any student in grades 3-5 who scored below a level 3 on the English Language Arts Florida Standards Assessment in the prior school year. The educational savings accounts can be used to pay for tuition and fees related to part-time tutoring, summer and after-school literacy programs, and instructional materials/curriculum related to reading. 
  • Parents: Apply for the scholarship now
  • Teachers: If your school district provides fee-based after-school or summer reading programs, you can partner with Step Up for Students to offer support for your district’s struggling readers while eliminating the out-of-pocket expense for parents of scholarship recipients. Please contact Krystle Morrison if you have any questions regarding reading scholarships.

National Literary Competition : The National Literary Competition is open to ALL students who are deaf/hard of hearing in 2nd through 12th grades from all schools/programs. Submit your students' ASL or written creations between December 2nd through December 13th! Winners of the competition can choose one of the following prizes:
  • Free trip to Gallaudet University
  • Free registration for Summer Youth Camps
  • $1,000 Scholarship to Gallaudet University 

2020 Education & Advocacy Summit: Deaf Education : This free summit at Gallaudet University is designed for administrators and professionals in deaf education and special education. It includes presentations and discussions on policy, best practices, and innovation related to educating students who are deaf/hard of hearing.

Celebrate “ Read Captions Across America Day ” in your class or school by ordering your kit now. This activity is a great way to showcase the ease and importance of using captions in the classroom. Get your FREE kit now!
Upcoming Events: Save the Date!
  • December 6: Flagler College, FEDHH, and RMTC-D/HH will be hosting a training on CLAD's ECV-D/HH.
  • December 11: TALive! Keeping it Accessible Part 1: Captions for Everyone
  • January 8: TALive! Keeping It All Together: Progress Monitoring and Record-Keeping Binders for the ToDHH 
  • February 28: Tools for Success Family ConferenceThe conference is for and about families with special needs birth to age 22. The theme for the 2020 conference is based around Deaf Awareness and Deaf Education! If you have any questions, please contact Megan McMillan.

Check out the  RMTC-D/HH 2019-2020 Calendar  for more upcoming events!
Do More. Be More. Achieve More.
RMTC-D/HH provides Tech Notes as a free resource to teachers, professionals, and parents around the state in order to pass along potentially useful information and expand the knowledge and opportunities available to educators and families of children who have hearing loss. This email was funded by the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Part B funds. The information included does not reflect any specific endorsement by any parties involved.