ASL and CART

A Note On ASL and Captioning for Remote and Online Classes:

ASL as well as live and closed captioning accommodations are absolutely available for classes and events that happen on an online or digital platform such as Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate, as well as for pre-recorded lectures. If a live stream, webinar, or video is being captioned as part of a specific accommodation request, it is best to use DRC services to ensure accuracy of the captions and transcript. Please follow the standard procedure by completing the ASL/CART Request Form to initiate a request. Feel free to email the student’s Disability Services Specialist or drc@uic.edu for more information.

How to allow for captions in Zoom

How allow for captions in Blackboard Collaborate

If there is no active accommodation request, video owners are nevertheless encouraged to caption their videos for Universal Design. Captions are helpful for a wide variety of people and make video content fully searchable. Panopto, Youtube, and Echo360 can generate captions using automatic speech recognition (ASR). These typically require editing before they’re suitable for publication, but the ASR process can save substantial time over captioning video from scratch. For specific instructions, see the following resources:

How to Add and Edit Automatic Captions in Panopto

How to Add and Edit Automatic Captions in Youtube

How to Add and Edit Automatic Captions in Echo360

American Sign Language (ASL) and Interpretation
Sign language and oral interpreters are available for classes and campus events. Requesting these services promptly following registration ensures sufficient time to provide appropriate support services for academics. Given advance notice, the DRC facilitates provision of ASL for classes, class events, and for students attending campus events and activities.

Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART) and Captioning
CART live captioning services and closed captioning services for video materials are available for students who need captions in order to fully access audio content. CART produces real time (live) word-for-word captions for live events, classes, discussions and seminars. A CART provider is assigned to a class based on the registered student’s schedule. The student can access the captions via small screen (such as a laptop or tablet) or via a projector and screen. Given advance notice, the DRC facilitates provision of CART for classes, class events, and for students attending campus events and activities.

Generally, services provided by outside vendors that are requested for accessibility purposes, such as ASL Interpretation, CART Live Captioning, audio description, and creation of closed captioning for video are scheduled and facilitated through the Disability Resource Center, though arrangements may be made outside of the DRC. No student, member of faculty or staff, or community member needing accessibility services, and who has requested services in a timely manner, will be denied the benefit of such services.

Payment for Services

Once services are sought, coordinated, and rendered, the following guidelines will govern the billing process for payment of third party accessibility service vendors.

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) will pay for services rendered when 1) a UIC student or prospective student with a disability is the recipient of the services and 2) the materials, course, or event that services are requested for is required as part of a student’s academic program, or admission into said program.

Accessibility services will be billed to the department hosting the event when a 1) department, student, or member of the public initiates a request for a departmental or public-facing event held on UIC’s campus or otherwise hosted by UIC that is not required for a student’s academic program (even if a registered DRC student is attending) or 2) when a UIC employee registered for accommodations with the Office for Access and Equity (OAE) requires accessibility services to perform the essential functions of their job.