Danielle Pertile

EDU214 / Fall 2014

11/03/2014
Assignment 9: Assistive Technology
There are many types of assistive technologies available to classrooms these
days. Some are input devices like modified keyboards, joysticks, or computer mice.
Some assistive technologies come in the form of software like screen readers, which
use voice synthesizers to read text aloud to vision impaired students (TeachThought
Staff, 2013). The focus of this paper will be on Closed Captioning, which is an
assistive technology created to aid students with hearing impairments.
Closed Captioning is a simple concept, but is a powerful tool for use both in
and out of a classroom. According to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC), Closed Captioning can be defined as allowing people with hearing
impairments and disabilities access to various television programs by displaying
the audio portion of a television program as text on the television screen (Closed
Captioning on Television, 2014). In simpler terms: the words said in a television
program are translated to text by a stenographer (On television, how does closed
captioning work?, 2000). This is an instrumental tool for two reasons: the first being
communication, and the second being literacy.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), deafness and hearing loss
affects around 360 million people worldwide thats over 5% of the Earths
population (Deafness and Hearing Loss, 2014)! These disabilities are caused by a
number of different factors, but those with hearing loss have something in common:

the ability to communicate is much more challenging than it would be for someone
with average hearing abilities.
Closed Captioning is designed to aid in communication in the classroom and
in the home. In the classroom, teachers can used Closed Captioning on in-class
videos shown to ensure that all students have a chance to understand the material
fully. In the home, adults and children alike are able to access news programs and
other television shows with Closed Captioning, allowing them access to news and
current events. In both instances, Closed Captioned programming is vitally
important for communication of necessary material.
As previously stated, Closed Captioning is also useful in the teaching of
literacy. Persons with hearing disabilities struggle with a great disadvantage when it
comes to literacy. Without the full use of auditory resources, learning to read
becomes much more difficult. In a study done in the mid 1970s, it was found that
the average deaf seventeen-year-old student was reading at the level of a third
grader (Jensema, Koskinen & Wilson, 1986). Using Closed Captions in the classroom
and ad home promotes constant reading and the learning of basic literacy skills.
Children are much more likely to enjoy reading if they are able to watch television at
the same time (Jensema et al., 1986), and using Closed Captioning can be a tool to
create engaged readers.
In conclusion, Closed Captioning is a very important tool for teachers to use
in their classrooms. Students with disabilities face an uphill battle when learning
may not come as easily or effortlessly as it might for able-bodied students.
Struggling with an inability to communicate easily and with reading comprehension
and illiteracy can follow a student throughout their school career, setting them up

for failure. Using assistive technology in the classroom can make disabled student
feel included, and encourage them to be engaged with the material. Something so
simple as having words on the bottom of the television screen can make the
difference between a struggling student and a successful student.

References
Closed Captioning on Television. (2014, June 4). In Federal Communications
Commission. Retrieved from
http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/closedcaption.pdf
Deafness and Hearing Loss. (2014, February). In World Health Organization.
Retrieved from
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/
Jensema, C. J., Koskinen, P. S., & Wilson, R. M. (1986, March). Using ClosedCaptioned Television in the
Teaching of Reading to Deaf Students. American Annals of the Deaf, 31(1),
43-46. Retrieved from Google Scholar. http://muse.jhu.edu/login?
auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/american_annals_of_the_deaf/v131/13
1.1.koskinen.pdf
On television, how does closed captioning work? (2000, July 20). In How Stuff Works.
Retrieved from
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question427.htm
TeachThought Staff. (2013, May 15). 8 Helpful Assistive Technology Tools for Your
Classroom.
In Te@chthought. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/8helpful-assistive-technology-tools-for-your-classroom/