In this November 2019 petition update on open captions in movie theaters, we introduce a new section on current research that shows the benefits of captioning, showcase auditory processing disorder, highlight deaf talent, continue the theater spotlight, and more.
(Above: deaf actor/activist Nyle DiMarco in a screenshot from a Now This video, posted on YouTube on 7/24/2018.)
Articles
On October 27, 2019 the Salt Lake Tribune published a guest editorial from captioning activist Melissa Schack, “Hard of hearing people should be able to enjoy movies like everyone else.”
On November 8, 2019 a small chain theater announced it would offer open captions for Star Wars and Frozen 2. In it, Penn Cinema theater management says: “…I have recently heard from folks that they would really value and appreciate open captions on a more consistent and predictable basis…It is my belief that this should include not just one-off showtimes but also on opening nights whenever possible.”
Theater Spotlight
In a growing number of places, small chain and independent theaters are increasingly offering open captions. Even in Alaska, where the Bear Tooth TheatrePub in Anchorage offers movies open captioned on Tuesdays.
Videos
Open captioning is an international issue, with universal experiences. The UK’s BSLZone program “Deaf Funny” captured these universal experiences in a recent skit. This skit mirrors the deaf experience as experienced by a hearing couple.
Captions Help People with Auditory Processing Disorders
Did you know that people with auditory processing disorder can actually hear? The problem is with how they process sound. Captions close the gap between what they hear and what they understand.
"I am signing because I have auditory processing disorder...and even though it can hear very well in situations where there is background noice I have a hard time hearing other and interpreting what people are saying because it sounds like mumbling.noices. plus I have a lot of awesome friends in the deaf community that would so benefit!"
“I have 2 people in my family with APD & 1 is ESL. Our kids have grown up with open captions & think it’s strange when they are not visible. Open captions have help them to learn to read & understand what is going on with the show or documentary they are watching. Open captions has helped my husband learn to read & pronounce English. Open captions should definitely always be an option in movie theaters.”
“I’m signing this cause because my daughter has severe APD and we stopped going to movies because it was too stressful for her not using close captioning. Though we used the device, which helps it still difficult. The device fails often, it off out the cup holder and instead of enjoying the movie, as a parent I’m constantly making sure it’s working correctly for my daughter so she doesn’t feel excluded. People still complaining at the view and her friends still ask why she needs it, which she doesn’t always want to share.”
Eighty Percent? Where Did 80 Percent Come From?
Captioning advocates often cite the fact that 80% of the users of captions are not deaf or hard of hearing. Where did this 80% figure come from? Back in 2006, the UK Office of Communications, Television Access Services released the results of a survey (study) that found approximately 80 percent of the people using subtitles did not have hearing loss. Where did that 80 percent come from? The key sentence is in this PDF:
"On the basis of the quantitative research, the researchers concluded that most people were aware of subtitles, and about 7.5 million people had used them to watch television, of whom about 6 million did not have a hearing impairment."
Deaf Talent with Open Captions
A growing trend is for film producers to open caption their films when there is a deaf actor in the movie. Coming out on November 21, is a limited-release lesbian holiday romantic comedy, “Season of Love” that has a deaf actress, Sandra Mae Frank. Open captioned screenings are being held in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, London, and Toronto. See the Screenings page.
Recent Research on Benefits of Captioning
2019
Captioning and grammar learning in the L2 Spanish classroom. The Language Learning Journal . Volume 47, 2019 - Issue 4: Video and language learning. Link.
…Results show clear effects of captioning on vocabulary performance….
The Effectiveness of Closed Caption Videos in Classrooms: Objective versus Subjective Assessments. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies, v22 May 2019. Link.
…Results from objective and subjective assessments find that showing a closed caption video versus noncaption video in a classroom resulted in better understanding of video contents...
2016
Book: Captioned Media in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing as Tools for Language Learning. Link.
This book brings together current thinking on informal language learning and the findings of over 30 years of research on captions (same language subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) to present a new model of language learning from captioned viewing and a future roadmap for research and practice in this field…
Reading subtitles and taking enotes while learning scientific materials in a multimedia environment: Cognitive load perspectives on EFL students. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 47-58. Link.
…The results indicated that animation with subtitles groups help reduce cognitive load and increase performance…
Closed Captioning Matters: Examining the Value of Closed Captions for "All" Students. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, v29 n3 p231-238 Fall 2016. Link.
…We suspected students would, in general, benefit from the inclusion of closed captioning, and the results support that hypothesis…