Communications Access Realtime Translation for People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), is the instantaneous translation of spoken word into text. A CART writer uses a stenotype machine, notebook computer and realtime software to provide this translation. The text appears on a computer monitor or is projected onto a screen or display so the person with hearing loss can read along as much as he she needs to have access to what is spoken.
CART is specifically recognized as an assistive technology under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is used to provide communications access for individuals with hearing loss in schools, on the job, at conferences and in other settings. In many situations, CART has come closest to “equalizing” the field for individuals with hearing loss in the workplace and at school. It is not a coincidence that more individuals with hearing loss have succeeded at the highest academic levels since CART became available.
AG Bell has put together a useful Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) Resource List. It gives you a bit of a background about how CART works, provides a number of national and state resources, including a providers' directory, and has a CART in the News section. Learn more on the AG Bell Website.
