Working with a Captioner in the Workplace
Before a meeting or event with real-time captioning – what you should know
- The On-Site Captioner will arrive early to the assignment in order to set-up equipment.
- The Captioner may need to be situated close to an outlet.
- If the captioner is connecting remotely, you may be required to use a lapel microphone for audio access.
Please provide ICU and/or the Captioner with any informational materials related to the assignment, as soon as it is available. This includes:
- Handouts (eg: meeting agenda, presentation slides, etc.)
- Common acronyms used
- Names of other attendees
This allows the Captioner a chance to prepare and convey accurate information.
If a video is going to be shown, please check to see the media is captioned and have the captions turned on for the viewing. SEE MEDIA CAPTIONING document, for more information.
Communication tips
Communicate directly with the colleague who is Deaf or hard of hearing.
Captioners will type auditory information to be read on a computer, including:
- Identifying speakers
- The dialogue (what you and others say)
- Descriptions of environmental sounds (e.g. music, alarms, cell phones ringing)
A Captioner can only accommodate one speaker at a time. Captioning works best if you:
- Encourage the group to follow turn-taking rules.
- Face the group and minimize movement across a large area.
- Encourage others to speak clearly.
Understand the Captioner’s role
While working, the Captioner is a neutral communication facilitator and cannot serve as a participant.
A transcript of everything that was captioned may be sent to the person for whom the captioning was provided.
Captioners follow a code of ethics, which includes confidentiality
Captioners may communicate directly with event participants for any troubleshooting needs. They also communicate with the ICU if there are any issues or barriers.