Making video accessible to viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing is important to us here at Transcription City. Which is why we support both online and broadcast captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as offering discounts to clients who choose to caption their online videos for accessibility. BSL (British Sign Language) and ASL (American Sign Language) interpreters are often featured in online and offline videos to make them more accessible to viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. However, unfortunately, many people with hearing loss are unable to use or understand BSL British Sign Language and so really need access to subtitling or captioning services for both online and VoD (video on demand). Like spoken languages it can be argued that videos using sign language should also include closed captioning to ensure that any viewers who do not have the funds, means or time to learn sign language can learn at home whilst watching the programmes they love.
Subtitles, Captions, Sign Language and SEO
Subtitles, captions and sign language are all great ways to increase your global audience and allow your videos to reach everyone worldwide, without language barriers. Whilst captions and sign language offer accessibility to those who are deaf or hard of hearing, subtitles offer accessibility to viewers who do not speak the source language of the video. All of this is important for increasing your viewership, widening your audience, increasing your revenue and building your search engine optimisation or SEO.
Closed Captions and Subtitling for the Deaf and hard of Hearing
Closed Captioning services and subtitling services for the deaf and hard of hearing promote accessibility, inclusion and help to enhance the viewing experience of viewers with disabilities. Subtitling videos that contain BSL or ASL allow the audience to learn at their leisure without discrimination or hefty fees (we believe that sign language should be free to learn for everyone who wishes to do so). Captioning makes online and offline content more easily found, indexed, learned from and accessible to all. Captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing offers equal opportunities for learning, without language barriers.
Here at Transcription City, we have years of experience in working with captioning and subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing. If you would like more information, feel free to contact us at any time.
Here’s a bit of history with regards to sign language…
British Sign Language
BSL or British Sign Language can be dated back to around 1570. As with all languages, it has evolved and diversified over time. The first known school for the deaf in Britian was established by Thomas Braidwood who founded ‘Braidwood’s Academy for the Deaf and Dumb’ in 1760.
American Sign Language
ASL or American Sign Language is used in both the US and throughout Canada. ASL is also used in Southeast Asia and West Africa and is similar to French Sign Language. ASL can be dated back to the beginning of the 19th Century. ASL also includes movements of the face and body (as well as the hands). Words can also be spelled through the fingers
Realtime Captioning Services
Reatime captioning can be offered onsite or online depending on your situation and your needs. Our realtime captioners and stenographers are able to caption your events, meeting and discussions with approx 99% accuracy. We only use experienced qualified stenographers to ensure that your event is accessible to all, whilst increasing your marketing opportunities and reach. We believe that Realtime captioning (both as performed by a stenographer or via voice recognition) is essential to provide accessibility to participants and attendants of events who are deaf or hard of hearing.
For more information about our captioning services, subtitling services and transcription services for the deaf or hard of hearing, why not get in touch? We are available seven days a week and always happy to help.