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Disability Programs
and Resource Center
- If you plan to borrow a DVD or video from the University for instructional use, check the San Francisco State University Media Collection Catalog to see if it has either closed captions or Subtitles for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing (SDH). Start by searching on the title you want to borrow and open the link. If the DVD or video is captioned or subtitled, then the last sentence of the description will state this.
- If you plan to show a DVD or video from outside the University collection, then look at the box or cassette for one of the following symbols to confirm that the media is actually captioned or subtitled:
- If you are still unsure if the videotape or DVD has closed captions or Subtitles for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing (SDH), contact Academic Technology at 338-1493 for further assistance.
- Use the Cablecast system to broadcast the video to your classroom. Be sure to ask the A/V Distribution Center staff to use a VCR with a closed caption decoder. They require at least one day’s advance-notice to make arrangements for your video to be broadcast to your classroom with closed captions. For more information, visit the AV Distribution Center.
- Use a classroom TV and change the internal TV menu setting using the remote control to activate the captions by tuning it to “C1” (not “C2” or “TEXT1”). If your classroom does not have a TV, you can borrow a media cart with a closed caption decoder from Academic Technology. To reserve the equipment, please call 338-1494. They prefer at least three days of advanced notice so that the media cart may be reserved. For more information, visit the AV Distribution Center. Instructions for operating the closed caption decoder can be found at the following decoder link.
- Use a Smart classroom with closed captioning capabilities. To find out if your classroom is on the list of smart classrooms with closed captioning capabilities, visit the following smart classroom link. All classrooms at the Downtown Campus have closed caption capabilities. If the classroom has closed captioning capabilities, turn on the closed caption decoder that is installed in the A/V console. Instructions for operating the decoder can be found attached to the A/V console or you can call Academic Technology at 338-1494 for further assistance.
How to Identify, Show or Record Captioned Media
A Step-by-Step Guide
A Step-by-Step Guide
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Identifying Captioned or Subtitled Media
Closed Captioned for the Hearing Impaired  |
 |
 (Subtitles for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing; for DVDs only) |
Showing Captioned or Subtitled Media
If you have a video that is closed captioned, you can use one of the following three options to show the captioned video:
If you have a DVD with Subtitles for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing (SDH), you can use a laptop DVD player (e.g., QuickTime Player), classroom DVD player, or the Cablecast system.
A. If you are using a classroom DVD player, go to the “Set-up” or “Languages” page of the DVD menu using your remote control where you can activate the Subtitles for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing (SDH). No closed-caption decoder is required for this step.
B. If you want to use the Cablecast system, inform the A/V Distribution Center staff that you want the Subtitles for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing to be activated.
Troubleshooting Media That is not Captioned or Subtitled
If the videotape or DVD you are bringing in or the existing title in the University Media Collection is not closed-captioned or Subtitled for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing (SDH), you can request Academic Technology to conduct a search for a captioned or subtitled copy.
If a captioned copy is available, it can be purchased with your department’s approval.
If a captioned copy is not available and the video is essential to the teaching of your course, submit a Video to Caption Request Form to Brigid Duffy in Academic Technology at bduffy@sfsu.edu at least five weeks in advance. Including "show dates" on the request form will help ensure that the captioned version of your videos is ready in time.
If you encounter any other issues, contact the Disability Programs & Resource Center at 338-2472 to discuss alternatives that will provide your Deaf or hard-of-hearing student with access to the material.
Recording Closed-Captioned Media at Home
1. Consult the TV Guide at www.tvguide.com before you begin recording to see if the program is closed captioned. The TV Guide designates closed captioned programs with the “(CC)” symbol.2. If the program is closed captioned, you may record it – even without activating the captions at home. The captions will still be displayed in your classroom with the assistance of the closed caption decoder.
3. To ensure that the captions will be displayed in your classroom without any difficulty, bring the media to the Academic Technology department in the J. Paul Leonard Library for verification.
4. If the program is not closed captioned and it is essential to the teaching of your course, please submit a captioning request to Brigid Duffy at bduffy@sfsu.edu at least five weeks in advance.
For additional information or further assistance, contact:
Disability Programs & Resource Center
Tel.: (415) 338-2472 (voice/TTY)
E-mail: dhohsrvc@sfsu.edu
Fax: (415) 338-1041
Website: www.sfsu.edu/~dprc/
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