Communications Accommodations
- Set-up issues?
- What info should I provide?
- How do clients access the captions?
- What's needed at the event?
- What if there isn't A/V?
- Buildings with/without A/V systems?
- What equipment is needed?
- How to request services?
- What's needed to provide access?
- Do all requests go through DAC?
- Is funding available?
- Video captions?
- Does DAC provide captions?
- Should events advertise captions?
- Which events need accommodations?
Communications Accommodations
What if I encounter issues or challenges while I am setting-up or during the event?
In case there are any issues like the audio/video feed collapsing or captioned data becoming lost in transit, please ensure the on-site contact person remains available for support. In case of an emergency the event coordinator and/or the onsite contact person should contact the Aberdeen Emergency telephone number (949-302-0004).
What information do I need to provide to the Aberdeen remote captioning vendor before the event?
-
Videos, clips, and/or media played during the event must be captioned beforehand. College campus Event Coordinators can contact us with any questions.
-
Prep material including list of speakers/recipients, speeches, introductions, agenda, sponsors, etc. must be provided a minimum of 48 hours prior to event.
-
Song lists and lyrics played during the event must be provided a minimum of 48 hours prior to the event.
-
Please have speakers use a microphone in large spaces.
-
If captions are going to be projected onto a screen, ensure there is a screen, a table and chair, an electrical outlet available. If slides/videos are being used and captions are being provided on the same screen, StreamCast can be downloaded onto the computer to provide captions. This is found on the StreamText website.
How do clients access the captions?
Depending on what you selected when you completed the Communications Request form, Aberdeen can provide captions directly in the caption window feature of a web conferencing app/software program, making the content accessible to everyone participating in the web conference/meeting. Aberdeen can also arrange to translate the event content by streaming it to a website(link is external). If there are concurrent events an alternative web address will be sent to the on-site contact email address identified in the submitted Communications Request form. Share this web address with clients to provide access to captioned content via iPad or tablet or smart device with internet access and confirm captioned content is being received by patron.
What needs to happen on the day of the event?
-
Early Access - Gain early access to the event location to set-up and test the equipment.
-
Microphones: Make sure microphones are set-up and operational for audience question/answer participation.
-
Confirm communications access with Aberdeen:
-
Establish contact with Aberdeen by cellular telephone as you open a zoom account session at the location and send the invite. Aberdeen can also join the event using the live streamed address or the web conferencing URL (along with API info) provided on the submitted Communications Request form. The remote captioner will join the web conferencing meeting, confirm the audio signal is clear, and will begin captioning content. Confirm captioned content is being received.
-
What if there is no Audio/Visual speaker system?
There may be a need to be creative since not all campus buildings like Paulie Ballroom are able to produce an audio signal feed through a built-in audio system with a tech to provide support. In such instances, please place the electronic web conferencing device as close to the speakers as possible.
[Also see Section on “Requirements Prior to Event”]
Buildings with/without A/V systems?
Do all college campus buildings have Audio/Visual speaker systems, and if not, what should I do?
Before the event the on-site contact must determine if direct connection to an A/V system is available at the specific location and if there is a tech they can work with as a team to assist with establishing a stable and sufficient audio signal feed with the Aberdeen captioner.
Electronic devices must be connected to the on-site audio/visual (A/V) speaker system that is controlling the microphone that the performer(s) are using whenever possible. [Note: This direct connection will provide the captioner with ‘internal audio’ and control for ambient noise.]
I know I need to set-up a web conference, but what kind of device and equipment is needed?
To produce a clear audio signal feed Aberdeen can use to hear audible content, you must use a microphone and an electronic device capable of transmitting the audio signal (e.g., laptop, iPad, Tablet, Cellular Telephone, etc.) using an internet connection. If you do not have a microphone and/or one of these devices, we can lend one to you. Please contact us and arrange to pick-up a microphone and iPad/tablet at least 48-hours prior to the event to ensure access.
Please confirm the electronic device can access the web conference session using zoom, skype or similar to establish the connection ] At Technology @Berkeley you can access Zoom(link is external) to provide the audio signal].
[Note: All speakers and presenters should use a microphone in order to support captioners.]
How do I request services for the event with the Remote Captioner?
Submit a Communications Request Form (CRF)
This allows us to review and process the communications request, input the data into the vendor website, connect you with the vendor, and track the service request in case there are any challenges. Once the service request is accepted, the Remote Captioning Provider will identify available captioners and arrange to translate the event content by streaming it to a website.
What's needed to provide access?
What is needed to provide remote communications access?
Two things are needed to provide an event attendee access to the transcribed captioned content at the event. First, the audible content at the location must be provided to the remote captioners. Second, the end-user must have an electronic device that can access a website containing the captioned content.
Do all requests go through DAC?
Does the university require all event ASL and captioning service requests be arranged using D.A.C services?
Our current ASL and Captioning service providers are already established as vendors in our financial system and the event sponsor can establish an independent business relationship and encumber funds for services using a purchase order process.
-
For the 'how to' on self-auditing your website for accessibility, go here: https://webaccess.berkeley.edu/evaluating/self-assessment(link is external)
-
Then to have a clinic with campus experts in WebAccess, go here: https://webaccess.berkeley.edu/evaluating/self-assessment(link is external)
-
For an easy slide show on what happens with online remote captioning, go here: https://aberdeen.io/blog/2020/04/10/webinar-replay-captioning-virtual-events-webinars(link is external)
As part of UC Berkeley's commitment to fostering an inclusive and accessible campus climate for people with disabilities, the office of Disability Access and Compliance provides interpreting and captioning services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to attend campus events. In order to qualify for funding to provide accommodations the event:
-
Must have a person with a disability who requires accommodations in order to participate has been identified and named,
-
Must be sponsored by a campus unit,
-
Must be free of charge to participants,
-
Must take place on UC Berkeley property,
-
and the person making the request must give enough notice to allow our staff to fill the request.
If your service request meets the criteria for funding you will be able to indicate this when you complete the Communications Request form. If your event does not meet the criteria, you will be asked to provide a Chart string to pay for the event. For information on pricing, please visit the Aberdeen(link is external) or Linguabee website(link is external)
I want to post the video of the event on our website. Do I need to have the video captioned?
UC Berkeley is committed to making its websites and other online content accessible to all individuals. Online content made available for public viewing created and managed by a university department, organization, program, or unit must be captioned per our campus web accessibility requirements. These requirements are detailed under the University of California IT Accessibility Policy (ITAP), and a judicially supervised Consent Decree(link is external) between UC Berkeley and the United States Department of Justice; and adhere to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (“WCAG”) 2.0, Level AA(link is external) technical standards.
*Please note that individual students and student groups are an exception under the Consent Decree, although we encourage otherwise exempt Berkeley community groups and members to strive to meet web accessibility standards. Such content may still be subject to the UC Information Technology Accessibility Policy requirements.*
YouTube is free and easy to use. You can use it to create captions(link is external) even if you don’t host your video on YouTube. You must review and edit auto captions to meet captioning requirements. Learn more on how to edit YouTube auto captions(link is external) for accessibility compliance. Additional resources are available through the Digital Accessibility Program website.
Please contact improving-accessibility@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)(link sends e-mail) if you have any questions or need a consultation.
Does the office of Disability Access and Compliance provide access to the captioned content? If so, what is the process?
DAC does not provide captioning services. Access Coordinators, event sponsors, departments, programs, and units can complete and submit a Communications Request Form (CRF) and we will review the form to ensure it is complete then upload it into vendor web portals to determine if services are available.
Should events advertise captions?
Are event coordinators and sponsors required to advertise captions as a reasonable access accommodation?
All advertisements of university programming should include a statement that provides contact information for people who want to request reasonable accommodations on the basis of disability. You are welcomed to specifically include language notifying patrons that captioned content is available upon request (7-10 business days before event to ensure availability). Be sure to connect end-users with the person you designate as the Access Coordinator – see Planning for Accessible Events for the event. On our website you will find information about university policy and local implementing procedures/guidelines that we follow to ensure the university provides equal communications access. Here is an example of advertisement boiler-plate: "If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact [name of AC] at [contact information phone number and email] with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event."
Which events need accommodations?
Are all university events required to have live captioning or live ASL interpreting?
Currently, the university is not required to provide live remote captioning or ASL interpretation access for all events unless a person requests access as a reasonable accommodation for disability.