Captioning for In-Person Events

Live Captioning Priorities

Although most events are being held virtually due to COVID-19, there will be a time when live events will resume. In certain instances, captioning of content delivered live during campus events or streamed online, whether on university-affiliated websites or social media, is required. The following guidelines should also be used when making a decision about captioning of live video material or video streams shown during a live event.

In most cases, accurate captioning through the use of a third-party human captioner will be the mode of captioning that must be provided. The rates for this type of captioning range from $95 to $125 per hour.

Live Captioning is REQUIRED:

  • When requested as an academic accommodation through SDS.
  • When an event organizer is notified of a disability-related accommodation for captioning.
  • When a large event is being held that did not include a disability accommodation statement on event promotional and registration materials.
  • If the event is live streamed on UM-affiliated website or social media account.

Live Captioning is RECOMMENDED in the following scenarios:

  • For events where attendance exceeds 200 and the audience needs are largely unknown or there is no required registration.

Live Captioning is considered a LOW PRIORITY in the following scenarios:

  • When an event accommodation statement is included in promotional materials and no requests for captioning are received.
  • Small events where audience needs are known.