I Read Captions. Don’t we all?
I was reading an article that points out that many deaf internet users felt left behind by one of the Internet’s fastest growing media: online videos.
Not many online videos offers closed captioning.
It says that the absence of online captions is a hot topic in the deaf community. Many shows with full length episodes are shown on the internet, but without captions.
“Advocates for the deaf and hard of hearing say the lack of captions is a slight, since most programs have already been transcribed to comply with FCC rules. They (deaf advocates) are pushing to update government regulations to cover the internet.”
FCC rules do say that federal agencies are required to caption speeches and other videos they provide online.
An attorney with NAD stated that we, the deaf people should not have to legislate this anymore, it should be a given that if you have captions on TV, it shouldn’t be a “rocket science” to put them on the internet.
“The Internet has traditionally been a place where I could, as a deaf person, go and get equal access to information,” said Jared Evans, a 32-year-old software developer in San Diego. “The vast majority of content on the Internet has been text and images which you don’t need hearing abilities in order to understand the content.”
Another article delved into arena of movie clips, television shows, newscasts and sporting events on the internet. There is a bill sponsored by Rep. Edward Markey of MA that would mandate major producers of Internet Videos to caption their videos.
It goes on to say that as media advances, that, we as a society need to make sure that everyone has the accomodations for complete access to all areas. This bill will ensure that “people with disabilities are not left behind as technology changes.”
Most of you have probably appreciate Bill Creswell, who’s known for his famous motto “Captioning the internet one video at a time.” This guy is awesome. He realizes the need for captioning and subtitling videos. He’s hearing, by the way. You can read a story written about how he got into Deaf blogosphere and got started with captioning the internet, one video at a time at this site here.
And in this blog, you will see a story about a Major TV station’s video player that includes a caption button one can click on in order to view its videos on the internet. Take note of the comments in that blog, too.
This interesting article by VITAC that goes into the launching of a National awareness campaign called “CaptionsON.” This is a must read!
And Banjo even blogged about VITAC too. Check it out here.
We are seeing more and more deaf and hard of hearing people being frustrated when they locate a video online only to find that it is not captioned! This Deaf Mom relates her story about not being able to have access to a certain video about John Denver.
And there is this woman who supports Obama, thanks to captioning that was done over at Project Read On. Captioning a video can be a powerful platform to use.
This site is about the first national reading event to put emphasis on the importance of captioned media (e.g., broadcast, Internet, DVD, CD-ROM) as a reading tool for all children, not just those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
This blogsite talks about Five Ways to Increase the Accessibility of the Blogs. It not only encourages Text Transcripts but also gives out some interesting ways to make blogs accessible for those with sight impairments.
“There seems to be a truism among Deaf people that learning English well is not something Deaf people need to do, that it is okay to just be skilled with ASL or another signed language. I am here to tell you nothing could be further from the truth.”
Definitely a worthwhile read! Something that many deaf people should take the time to see why she thinks that way.
I read captions on TV. Don’t we all?
And if you can’t provide captions or subtitles, at least try to provide transcripts. After all, it’s all about access. And it is something the deaf have been screaming for, for years. Now, you want to say NO to CAPTIONS on videos in the deaf blogosphere?! If you say NO to one type of videos, you’re endangering ALL videos.
Are you really sure?
Cuz, all that captioning on the internet could go away easily if that is what you all really want.
Be.Careful.For.What.You.Wish.For!
And here’s “Nobody’s Listening” by Linkin Park in just subtitles……
I know.
I am an avid reader like a “smoking” habit. It’s better than smoking.
Captioning is now everywhere except the DVTV people who do not want to deal with all the dirty work.
I find it amusing that one of the vloggers in the DVTV requested Tayler to set up the new DVTV policy to omit the CC’s from the DVTV.
I find it odd because the BSL people in the DVTV don’t provide the captions and I have never understand them in BSL. So does the ASL people in the DVTV. So, what’s the point having the ASL people in the DVTV complaining about the captions or not?
To me is that they are trying to avert the Deaf Village’s guideline #5.
On the both sides, they want to be freedom from the suppressive world.
I want to point out is that many hearing vloggers in the YouTube don’t provide the captions. I understand that many hearing foreign people don’t provide the captions as well.
That is the main problem.
I read MishkaZena’s blog…..whew. She has to be careful what she say about Mike McConnell’s.
Yeah, similiar thoughts went through my mind as I read your posting… We scream for the right for accessibility in the hearing world but angrily deny it in the deaf community, just as we say we are disabled to hearing people, since we already know that we are not “perfect” in hearing people’s eyes but we are NOT disabled to deaf people, wanting to look whole in deaf people’s eyes…
Paradox, all right.
I read captions too!
Even my daughter who is hearing, has captions on her television at all times. Maybe that is why she reads above grade level.
And yes, I am left out of the internet youtube craze. Accessibility is for all not just the deaf.
Well, it is their call not to caption their signing. We can’t have everything… and they can’t have everything either. So we have to live with it. They want to have a safe haven where ASL won’t be “corrupted”, give it to them.
I am not on anyone’s sides… the way I see it, it is their right and… *shrug*… since it is a big deal to them, leave them alone.
Then do we have the right to demand that dvd’s and television have caption then? It is a two way street.
Regardless, Val, the need for captioning/subtitling is far more greater for those with hearing loss than not. We’re all in the same boat on this and everybody agrees to this.
Still, it is their right to form an exclusionary club based on a single language such as ASL. It’s either they want their message to be heard by the rest of the world, or they don’t. Many are still not comfortable on stepping outside of their comfort zones. Some feel that the world “owe” it to them and that they’re “entitled.”
Whatever the case may be all we can do is try and respect that and leave them alone. I’m just hoping someday there will be a software that can translate ASL into English text on the fly. Then again we have “purists” who wouldn’t dare put captions on their own ASL videos because it would “corrupt” the whole thing even if such a technology exists to make it so easy to do.
You are so right. If they want their message to be viewed by the rest of the world, then they will put captions. I also agree if they chose not to, then I chose not to view there vlogs. That is my choice.
I put a comment on Elizabeth’s blog and it seems to have disappeared. My comment was not negative. I’m not a negative person, I respect the use of ASL, but also the journey including all.
The problem with the “purist” is the lack of understanding to the group of people who want to learn. How can you learn if they exclude you?
Great Garbo is dead but still has her fan base obviously….
Check out today’s edition of Washington Post
I agree that in the end, it is really up to them to caption/subtitle or provide transcripts and one of the requirement of DV is to have that. And, if they don’t want to, then it’s not a big deal, except that they’re not gonna be able to submit their post in DV.
I for one know that at least one or two guidelines might prevent my future post (something that is not PG 13 or whatever…) to even make it in DV. And, I do keep that in mind. If I choose to ignore the guidelines, then I know the consequences and it’s ok because it’s not my perogative to tell DV what to do. It’s their aggregator. As long as I can live with whatever consequences, all’s good.
But, to see this “safe haven” being brought up and having this fear to even do it, just makes it pretty sad to see how they are not overcoming adversities in their life. I don’t know how to make it clearer than what Mike has been doing.
So, yeah, I will just express my views and “leave them alone.”
OH, and one more thing…I commented over at MM’s site.
It’s regarding DVTV. When it first came out, I noticed that one could not provide comment in Text form. You’d have to comment back on videos. At that time, I thought wow, I don’t do vlogs and since I don’t, I was missing out on providing feedback. IT wasn’t inclusive. Yet, I didn’t make an issue out of it. I figured that if I really wanted to partake, I’d do a vlog. Since, I don’t, I accepted their “guidelines.”
And, I don’t remember anyone making an issue out of it either. I think we all pretty much thought that it was their call to not be inclusive and we pretty much let it be, didn’t we?
I’ve been watching the debate on ASL translations for blogs/ English captioning or transcription on ASL vlogs unfold for some time.
We all deal with some kind of adversity, as Mike pointed out. I saw problems as challenges to push myself and I guess that’s what some experts call “thinking outside the box”.
I don’t know ASL well and doubt that I’ll ever get fluent in it because I’m not exposed to it everyday. However, I’m pushing myself to learn it on the vlogs in the deaf blogosphere whenever I can, and the captioning helps a lot in the comprehension of signs at the same time. I’m aware that some signs defy exact English translation, so there will be some gaps. A transcript is the second best way to get a vlogger’s message across.
The point I’m trying to make here is that at least I’m trying to learn ASL even though I’ll never be expert at it, just as I think those who are more proficient in ASL but weak in written English skills should try to push themselves to learn English and get better at their written English even though they’ll never be expert at it.
For example, I watch Seek Geo’s captioned vlog, and I usually first hold up an index card to screen off the captioning to watch the signs first. Then I rerun the vlog again with the captioning visible to see if I understood the signs. I also practice new signs that I haven’t seen before with my hands.
If each of us can think outside our little boxes and try to live with the discomfort of looking somewhat “silly” or “stupid”, then we broaden our world and learn so much more about other people and ourselves. I have more respect for a person who at least tries to learn something new, even though he/she may stumble many times, than for someone who doesn’t/won’t try.
What people overlook is that the minute someone stumbles, he/ she gets belittled or gets criticised for poor skills. We deaf have been criticized so often for poor communication skills by the hearing as it is, that one would think that the d/Deaf (both little d and big D) would practice more tolerance among ourselves, even though many of us have different communication modes to varying degrees of skill, from beginning newbie to proficiency to fluency. But that doesn’t seem to be happening on the deaf blogosphere.
I hope someday that there will come along some captioning software for conversion of ASL into spoken/written English, that also takes into account the emotional context of ASL,and vice-versa, English into ASL, via animated avatars. Such a feat will open up the world for those in Deaf culture and for others.
This deaf DVTV vlogger is asking Tayler to forbid speaking and/or subtitles in DVTV.
Click here
You can watch the responses to his vlog. If anyone wants translation, let me know.
Another DVTV vlogger said that he don’t want subtitles. Even tho he does enjoy reading newspapers, books, etc. He just don’t want captions on DVTV.
Another DVTV vlogger asks deaf viewers which do they prefer for comments in DVTV, Video comment or Text comment. Out of 12 responses, 3 said they prefer both. Nine said they prefer video. However out of the nine, One did say that it would be nice to have text capability. Another said if no one has video response capability, she wouldn’t mind text comments.
All in response to Mike McConnell’s two video that showed up in DVTV. What I am seeing here is a repeat of them “rejecting” anything that resembles the mainstream society.
I tend to say what goes around, comes around. So, if certain people from the mainstream society gives them a hard time, well, it came around.
Interesting mindset. Well, all I can say is that I have never seen that kind of extreme behavior in the mainstream deaf society as I see in DVTV. Definitely not the moderates. At least, that is what I’m seeing, at this point.