Preparing for ASL/CART Captioners at Your Event

Toolkit Table of Contents

Information to provide accessibility vendors before your event.

  • Link to Zoom or venue location
  • Times for set-up, start, and finish (estimated arrival 30 min before the event starts).
  • List of names, medical terms, or industry-specific jargon that may be used.
  • Slide deck, script, or other materials.
  • Do not extend your event beyond scheduled time for ASL/CART staff without consulting them first, as they may not be able to stay late, and access must be provided for the entire event/session requested.
Setting up captioning in Zoom
  1. Go to your Zoom Settings - this only needs to be done once.

  2. Click on Settings (see green circle in diagram) in the lefthand menu bar and ensure that "Meetings" (green arrow) is in blue and underlined.

     

    Screen shot of Zoom settings page. Instructions indicate to go to your Zoom Settings page. Click on Settings (indicated by a green circle in diagram) in the lefthand menu bar and ensure that 'Meetings' is selected.
  3. Scroll past In Meeting (Advanced), indicated with the green arrow below, until you find Closed captioning and Save Captions.
  4. Both settings are ON by default; if you previously turned either setting off, toggle to the right - or click "reset" - to turn each option back ON.

  5. You can now assign a captioner to provide closed captions in future Zoom sessions.

     

    Screenshot of Zoom in Meeting (Advanced) settings page. There is a green circle highlighting the 'closed captioning' and 'save captions' functions, and they are both turned on.
Assign a Captioner in Zoom - do this at the start of each session.
  • After starting your Zoom session, click on the Closed Caption (CC) icon (circled in red) located along the bottom menu bar.
  • Click on the "Assign a participant to type" button indicated by the red circle, and a window will open to the right with a list of your session participants.
  • Two buttons will appear as you hover over each name: "Mute" and "More". Find the participant with "Captioner" in their name.

  • Click on "More" to open the participant menu and click "Assign a participant to type" (see red circle).

     

    Screen shot of Zoom platform with a black background and large white text that reads 'Closed Captioner'. On the bottom toolbar is the Closed Caption CC function that is circled in red, and another circle around 'Assign someone to type'.

Note:

  • Zoom has a feature where you can enable automatic captioning in your Accessibility Settings.
  • Go to User Preferences and click Go to Accessibility.
  • Check box under Accessibility for Always show captions.

  • You can customize the size and font on your captions by changing the Closed Captioning Font Size.

     

    Screen shot of Zoom settings showing the feature where you can enable automatic captioning in your Accessibility Settings. Go to User Preferences and click Go to Accessibility. Check box under Accessibility for Always show captions.
Setting-up Sign Language Interpreters in Zoom

Zoom does not offer sign language interpreters; hosts must provide and assign users as sign language interpreters in the virtual event or meeting.

To enable Sign language interpretation view:

  1. Sign into the Zoom web portal.
  2. In the navigation menu, click Settings.
  3. Click the Meeting tab.
  4. Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Sign language interpretation view to enable or disable it.

How to manage sign language interpretation during a virtual event

  1. Sign into the Zoom web portal.
  2. Start an event or meeting as the host.

  3. In the meeting controls toolbar, click the Interpretation 

    Icon of the world sign which represents the 'interpretation' function in Zoom.

    icon.
    Note: On smaller screen sizes or windows, you may have to click the More 

    Icon with three dots indicating the 'more' function in Zoom.

    icon, then click Interpretation. A window will open for managing interpretation, where you can do any of the following:

    • View everyone assigned to an interpreter role.
    • Add or remove someone from an interpreter role.
    • Start or end the interpretation feature for everyone.

To add an interpreter:

  • Add an interpreter: Click + Add Interpreter, choose if you want to add a sign language interpreter, then select their name and language.
  • At the bottom of the interpretation management window, click Start or End.
  • Start: Everyone is notified that sign language interpretation is available. Anyone designated as a sign language interpreter will be shown in a designated video channel for the language they're interpreting.
  • End: Everyone is notified that the host has ended interpretation. For anyone designated as a sign language interpreter, their microphone is enabled but muted by default, and their video reappears in the meeting or webinar.

Allow a sign language interpreter to talk

By default, sign language interpreters will not be allowed to unmute their microphones in Zoom, unless given permission from the host. Sign language interpreters may use their voice (using audible speech) to interpret from American sign language to English.

To give a sign language interpreter permission to speak in the session by unmuting their microphone:

  • In the meeting controls toolbar, click the Participants 

    Icon of a silhouette of two people represents the 'participants' function in Zoom.

    icon.

  • Hover over the name of the interpreter, then click Allow to talk.

     

    Screen shot showing the names of two interpreters in Zoom. The first name (Geri Halliwell, Interpreter) is muted with the ASL symbol. The second name (Victoria, Interpreter) has the button 'Allow to Talk' highlighted.

Recording sign language interpreters in Zoom

Recording to your computer is necessary to record sign language interpreters.

  • Cloud recordings do not include interpreter video.
    • You must record the meeting on your computer.
  • Even when recording to the computer, the interpreter window will not be recorded by default.
    • Select Allow to Speak for each interpreter. This is the only way they will be captured in the final video. This does mean that the interpreter's video will be visible to everyone.
  • The entire gallery of all participants will need to be captured to also record interpreters.
    • Pin or Spotlight interpreters so that they appear prominently.
    • Select View (in the upper right corner) and select Gallery and Hide Non-video Participants.

Accessibility Considerations for Break-out Rooms

Tips for breakout rooms

  • Pay attention to accommodations. If CART captioners or ASL interpreters are present, assign them to the same breakout room as the participant receiving the live captioning or ASL interpreting.
  • Maintain anonymity when assigning participants to breakout rooms with accommodations.
  • Note: Zoom only allows for one break-out room to have CART captioning and/or ASL interpretation. Announce which break-out room will have captioning or ASL.
  • A host must assign all requesters and their accessibility service providers to the same break-out room.
  • Auto captions are available in multiple breakout rooms.
  • Provide flexibility in participation. Some people with disabilities may prefer not to join a breakout room. Whenever possible, it is best to allow participants the option to remain in the main Zoom session if they would prefer not to join a breakout room.

Final Accessibility Check: Day of Event Considerations

Final checklist items:

  • Do a final accessibility check of the event venue and/or remote platform.
  • Ensure approved accommodations are in place and scheduled.
  • Ensure presentation materials are accessible.
Accessibility Announcement
  • One way to set a welcoming and inclusive tone for your event is by starting with an accessibility announcement. Make an announcement at the beginning of your event notifying attendees of any accessibility features of your meeting (e.g., ASL, captioning), and how to use them.
  • For in-person events, verbally describe the locations of emergency exits, food, accessible restrooms, and any other important information.
  • For in-person events, always use a good-quality microphone.
Additional Communication Considerations
  • Presenters should describe images, graphs, and tables used in their presentations.
  • Inform attendees if there will be any activities (e.g., break-out rooms, question & answer time, and polls).
  • Encourage presenters and attendees to say their names before they make a comment or introduce themselves. This makes it easier for attendees to keep track of the discussion (e.g., "This is [Name]. [XX] mentioned [X]. Can you say more about that?").