New app increases access to theatre for the hearing impaired

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Wednesday, 11 April 2012 15:11pm

A new service from Adelaide-based The Captioning Studio allows patrons to access theatre captions on their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch in selected venues. The app gives Deaf and hearing impaired theatre goers the freedom to sit in any seat in the theatre to enjoy a captioned performance.

Go-Theatrical Mobile can be purchased for $1.99 from the App Store, allowing patrons to select the captioned performance they’re attending from a list of shows. The app means that theatre patrons now have a choice of watching traditional open captions on plasma or LCD displays fixed to the side of the stage, or closed captions on a personal device.

Patrons can either bring their own device with the app already installed or borrow one from the theatre. In theatres which are providing iPads, these can be attached to the rear of the seat in front.

Sue Daw, convener of Better Hearing Australia in Canberra and self-confessed theatre buff, explained just how vital captioning is. “Good theatre captioning has changed my life, my husband’s and many other people’s, enabling them to return to enjoying the theatre again.”

Sue was given the opportunity to speak at the official launch of Go-Theatrical Mobile and her speech, with captions, can be viewed on YouTube.

Learn more about Go-Theatrical products and captioned theatre performances at The Captioning Studio.


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