Captioning Technology, Media

Before the advent of captioned media, the deaf were shut out of many forms of entertainment, but advancing technologies, public awareness, and federal legislation have combined to make media more accessible to the deaf. Captioning originally required an individual to purchase an expensive decoder that could be attached to a television, but a series of laws concerning the rights of individuals with special needs began requiring all televisions to contain captioning capabilities. In some models, manufacturers have provided the ability to adjust captions, allowing users to choose the size, color, and font of the displayed text. Background colors may also be changed for greater contrast. Compliance is monitored by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The FCC does not mandate captioning on home videos, DVDs, or ...