Malisa
Janes
Copyright 2002
CART is a service that we who have been raised with English use to understand speech when the environment does not let us enjoy conversations or presentations or events any other way. A captioner - the person is trained as a court reporter or steno. They use a funny looking machine on a stand that grabs phonics to make words. It writes about twice as fast as any typist can type - usually only one word behind the actual speech. (Technically CART.. is REAL TIME CAPTIONING) The count steno typing is run through a lap top computer which has a dictionary in it... and the computer grabs the word that looks closest to the typed phonic or blend of letters. (That's why it isn't always perfect but a good captioner WITH a GOOD DICTIONARY can get it right a remarkable percentage of the time).
Then the words on the computer are put out via a projector onto a screen, or they can be sent to a TV, or they can be put on a "red bar" (moving words like you see at the airport), or even to another computer. It requires that the captioner have the right equipment and cables for the set up that you desire. Some captioners have worked in the CART field and know what can be done and have all the equipment, others are new and need us to help they learn the ropes and know what to buy.
CART costs $75 per hour in Houston - interpreters cost $35 but it takes two for a meeting and a note taker. (the prices are higher in the east and west I think) With CART you don't need a note taker as the captioner can give you the disk or a copy of it and you have the full presentation to edit for notes. (The disk can also make being the secretary at a meeting easy if a copy is given to them, and professor can ask for a copy for students that were absent) There is No chance that some note taker is poor at determining what is important or that they can't spell. (Most get the text of a class and make sure that all the technical words and names are in their dictionary before they begin! THAT is why it is important in educational settings that the contract for the CART is done EARLY!) I find having a disk and using English VERY important and superior to ASL interpreters in that it gives me the technical words and language that a field uses. I am proficient in English and depend on the nuances of the words in English to give the communication in meetings more meaning than might be derived by the interpreter in sign. I do value signing for social communication and teaching children who have not developed a large vocabulary in English.
How do you get CART? You put your request in writing. Since many places are not aware of it, it requires some education and work on your part. I suggest everyone prepare their request in advance of needing it... as it can be used for ALL requests. The ADA says you MUST be given APPROPRIATE access unless the venue can not afford to get it (and they can be asked to provide the rationale in writing for their inability to pay - and they need to know that you will take this to an attorney if you have any doubts about their fiscal ability. If they get any governmental funds they can NOT deny or they risk the loss of their funds.)
Why would anyone request CART if they know sign or can use an assistive listening device (ALD)? Because:
1) they need the writing in English to obtain the technical words and jargon to be more employable and this is not possible by getting a translation into ASL with finger spelling.
2) they can hear sounds with an ALD but can not discriminate words sufficiently to understand (they might use the ALD to hear the music but not get any of the lyrics in an musical).
So.. the request says... I would like CART (captioning) for the event, time date and place. I am making this request because I have a sufficient hearing loss that prevents me benefiting from other methods because..... I then add what benefit they might use from my being given CART (advertise the access for others to attend, use for secretarial use, etc.). Then I add some resource names and number and email. (I ALWAYS copy the request to the captioners that I have referred them to.. and I usually put at least 2 or 3 on the list. This keeps the venue honest... as I know if they haven't contacted the captioner for price estimates and availability that they can't have really listened before saying no.) And LAST but MOST IMPORTANTLY.. I give them a date to respond to me per my request (3 days is plenty of time to contact a captioner!)
Some other comments... captioning is captioning. Don't confuse folks with "Open Captioning"(like they do at the movies), "Closed Captions" (like they do on a VCR tape), "Real Time Captioning" (like they do with the news or in class rooms).... those terms too often muddy the water. Just say captioning! The captioner will provide the words however they need to be done. That's all you care about.
You do care about HOW it is projected and that is up to the captioner to work out with the venue. I do tell the captioners who I have referred them to what I want for a set up.... e.g. red bar on the stage, two TV's a large on by the chair and a small one in front of my seat - All in a straight line of sight! I usually don't ask for a big screen as it requires a dark room and I have found that this irritates many hearing folks where the other methods do not. Captioners need training in making the environment friendly to all as well as the physical aspects that effect the comfort of our participation. (Seeing the face of the speaker with the words, not swinging the head back and forth or up and down, having a media show in line with the words when the lights go out... are some of the things that ARE important.)
Getting captioning paid for. If a venue charges for a event, they need to pay out of the profit. A business that is open to the public is required to make access available. The producer of a show or program ... senator's talk, broadway show, football game... is responsible for the access not the building managers. The building managers are responsible for the Assistive Listening Devices. Hotels should provide the TV sets for access if they have them for other public use
Groups of folks with a hearing loss can turn to their Department of Deaf and Hard of Hearing for grant funds for captioning for events that benefit a large number of them when nothing else is available. For example a Shhh state or city meeting that has sessions on coping with hearing loss or learning your rights under the ADA would be a good applicant. In most other cases it is up the the venue to find the funds.. either within their budget or by seeking outside sponsors.. it's not our job to find their funds... that's their responsibility.
Title I under the ADA covers access in employment.
Title II covers access in government
Title III covers businesses (profit and non profits).
Places of worship are exempt unless they have a school attached to the place of worship. Then they are required to provide access. Many are making attempts even though they are not required to do so.
Movies were not mandated to be captioned nor was TV. Deals were cut when the original ADA was written. TV now is mandated but is on a sliding scale... by 2008 all will be captioned by law. Now all emergency MUST be and prime time and a bit more. There are folks pushing hard to get a mandate for open captioning on all movies... we're making progress slowly but surely. I think Harry Potter is the first major movie that came out simultaneously with the first run being show at the same time for captioned films as non captioned. Interestingly in Houston both were well attended.. with many hearing folks going to the captioned version. Get a popular movie and folks forget quickly to discriminate.
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