Students with disabilities may require captioning in a university classroom for several reasons. First and foremost, students with hearing impairments rely on captions to access spoken information and participate fully in class discussions. Captioning allows them to read and understand the content being presented, ensuring they do not miss out on important information. Additionally, students with learning disabilities or attention deficits can benefit from captioning as it provides visual reinforcement of auditory content, aiding their comprehension and retention of the material. Captioning also benefits students whose first language is not the medium of instruction, allowing them to better understand and follow along with the lecture or discussion.

Captioning can benefit a wide range of students in a university classroom. In addition to those with hearing impairments and learning disabilities, captioning can assist students who prefer visual learning or have difficulty with auditory processing. English language learners can benefit from captions as they provide additional support for understanding lectures delivered in their non-native language. Moreover, captioning can enhance the learning experience for all students by providing a multi-modal approach that reinforces key concepts and improves overall comprehension.
Captioning is required in university classrooms for students with disabilities under various legal frameworks, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and mandate that educational institutions provide equal access and reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. Failure to provide captioning may result in violations of disability rights laws and expose educational institutions to legal liabilities. Please contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources for assistance about how to provide this accommodation.