by Amy Pajula, on December 8, 2024
Living with hearing loss can become particularly difficult during the holiday season when social gatherings grow in size and frequency. Shortly after Thanksgiving, I took my college-aged sons to our now traditional holiday season kickoff event, a play. The show's witty sarcasm and improvisational flair have made it a hit in previous years, and the humor and profanity are sufficient to keep both boys amused.
The show takes place at a relatively small theater, but I always pay for the front-row seats. I became concerned upon our arrival when I noticed that our seats, which used to be one of 12 tables in the front, were now crammed with 22 tables in the same space. It was tight, and my view was impacted a bit visually, but we got seated.
The actors were certainly able to project their voices, and I could hear them. However, hearing them and fully understanding their dialogue were two different things. Have you ever observed how a punchline can sometimes be a bit subdued?
The music, audience noise, and honestly, the loud voices and visual obstacles as I tracked them moving around the stage impeded my understanding. I felt confused as I missed key parts of the dialogue and frustrated when the audience laughed at jokes I didn't catch. On either side of the small stage, there were monitors to provide context, such as displaying the name and logo of a popular chain restaurant to set the scene for each skit. I wanted to experience the play as it was intended and captioning on those monitors would have made a significant difference.
There are two types of captions, open and closed. Open captions are visible to all audience members and can't be enabled or disabled. Closed captions, can be enabled or disabled at the will of the user. Some venues have devices on hand that can be requested by audience members however you want to be watching the performance not just reading it. I tried to use the live captioning from my iPhone, but the microphone wasn't able to pick up in a large venue.
I've attended many plays in larger theaters where I've missed parts of the performance. There is almost always a sign language interpreter but rarely captions. Most people with hearing loss do not understand sign language, making closed captioning not just a convenience, but an essential accessibility feature. Understanding spoken dialogue, sound effects, and other audio elements, allows people with hearing loss to fully engage with and enjoy audiovisual content. The key is full engagement. Missing a few words or comments can alter the entire experience.
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming closed captioning. AI-powered automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology has greatly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of creating captions. Real-time transcription is now possible, removing the need for manual captioning and providing instant access to captions for viewers. AI algorithms can also generate captions for archived content, making previously inaccessible material available to everyone.
It's great to see the benefits of technology making such a positive impact. As we continue to embrace these advancements, we can look forward to a more inclusive and accessible experience for everyone. The joy of fully experiencing a play, a lecture, or any audiovisual content should be within reach for all, ensuring that no one is left out of the conversation.
I contacted the theater and suggested they add captions. They replied that they offer ASL and Audio Descriptions for two shows per production. Audio descriptions assist those with vision loss by describing visual details like a person's look, facial expressions, and the setting. I emailed the venue to request captioning and am eager to hear back. In the meantime, I appreciate the remarkable progress in technology.
