They may type notes in class on laptop computers like many regular students, but for students with impaired hearing at the University, captionists serve a special purpose.
Captionists attend classes with students, usually in pairs, and act as mediators between instructors and students with impaired hearing.
The University currently employs 18 full-time and part-time captionists to assist 36 students who are either deaf or hard of hearing.
“They rely on lip-reading, so they can’t take notes and listen at the same time,” said Jennie Bourgeois, deaf and hard-of-hearing specialist for the Office of Disability Services. “They use the captionists so they can do both.”
Bourgeois said most captionists use a combination of typing the instructor’s words and using a voice recognition system.
“It’s one system called C-Print, and that’s the software that we use,” Bourgeois said. “We generally use a combination because the voice recognition is not wonderful yet.”
Captionists attend classes in pairs to reduce the stress on both.
Bruce Derouen, an interpreter and captionist, said he usually switches every so often with his partner.
“We do 15 to 20 minutes, then we trade off because of the mental stress of having to do that and put it out, but also the physical as well,” he said.
Bourgeois said students must present proper documentation in order to have captionists attend classes with them.
“We have to have an audiogram that indicates they have significant hearing loss, especially in the speech range, that would impair them from being able to listen to the lecture,” Bourgeois said.
Derouen said he tries to use the voice system when possible, but poor acoustics in certain classrooms limit its effectiveness.
While some students may be curious about captionists’ presence, Derouen said most instructors have a relaxed attitude about having captionists in their classes.
“They get a letter ahead of time from our office telling them somebody will be in their class,” Derouen said. “But I usually try to go up to them and introduce myself. Usually, the response is ‘Oh, OK.'”
Juliet Noor, a biology instructor, said the captionists never have been a distraction in her classes.
“They just listen to me like other students,” she said.
Derouen said although he has grown close to some students with whom he has worked, he usually maintains a less personal relationship.
“You have to learn where to draw the line,” Derouen said. “You are a professional, you are giving a service, you’re not a friend. You are there as a professional in the classroom.”