Overview
Welcome to the Disabled Students' Program's Realtime Captioning Guidelines page. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment for all students, including those with disabilities. To ensure effective communication and equal access to educational content, we have established the following guidelines for the use of realtime captioning in your classes:
Effective Speaking Techniques
- Speak clearly, at a moderate pace, and in a normal tone.
- Do not rush through lectures.
- Avoid simultaneous speaking when multiple speakers are present, as the captioner can only caption one speaker at a time.
- If the captioner requests clarification, please slow down or restate the information.
Interaction and Participation
- Repeat audience questions or comments aloud before answering.
- Encourage raised hands and orderly participation.
- When reading text, cite page numbers and paragraphs for easy following.
- Directly address the student with a captioning accommodation, and avoid addressing questions to the captioner.
- Respect scheduled class end times to accommodate students' and captioners' other obligations.
Microphone Usage
- If a microphone is available, presenters should wear it at all times to ensure clear audio. For Course Capture courses, a microphone must be worn at all times, including during student presentations and with guest speakers.
Utilization of Personal Devices
- Students with a Realtime Captioning accommodation should be allowed to use their laptops, tablets, or cell phones in the classroom to receive captions.
- Instructors should include a statement in their syllabus advising students needing electronic devices to contact them for exceptions, avoiding singling out students with disabilities.
- Students may need to sit in specific locations to accommodate their disability, such as near the front of the class.
Preparation Material Sharing
- Provide class materials in advance whenever possible, including PowerPoints, handouts, and charts, to facilitate effective communication. Providing course materials in advance allows captioners to provide accurate captions by familiarizing themselves with course topics, proper names, and terminology.
- Course materials can be posted to your bCourses page or emailed to dsp-captioning@berkeley.edu.
Guest Speakers and Presenters
- Inform guest speakers and student presenters about DSP captioning protocols.
Remote Instruction
- Be mindful of ambient noises that may interfere with the audio feed, such as shuffling papers or typing.
- Ensure speakers face the microphone to maintain clear audio transmission.
- Monitor the chat window for questions or requests from the captioner during Zoom lectures.
- When multiple participants are speaking at one time, the audio does not stream through or may cause feedback. Please ask participants to mute their microphone until they need to speak.
- You can use the chat window in Zoom to communicate with the captioner. The captioner will be named “Captioner” in the participant list. Please send all messages to the captioner privately. Do not mention the student's name associated with their accommodation over the microphone or in a public chat.
We appreciate your cooperation in implementing these guidelines to foster an inclusive learning environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at dsp-captioning@berkeley.edu.