What is CART?
Communications Access Real-Time Translation, commonly referred to simply as CART, is a broad description of SLUSA’s captioning and transcription service.
CART service is the live real time streaming captions that accompany the spoken word. Some of the following scenarios may require CART service
- Communicating with Deaf/Hard of Hearing – Not all deaf people know sign language and those that do, sometimes prefer the addition of captions. CART can be provided to add streaming captions viewable on a personal device such as an ipad, table, or computer so they can easily read what is being said
- Need for Written Transcription – Organizations that require meeting minutes, a written record of what was spoken during a meeting or event, or students who require a transcript of class lectures are both good examples of CART service used for transcription.
- Public Meetings/Events – If you’ve ever been to a large public event, you’ve likely seen written captions streaming across a large viewable screen. This is a great example of CART in action
CART services can be performed either in person (In person CART) or remotely (Remote CART). For in person CART where an individual requires real time streaming of medical appointment or other conversation, the captioner will arrive with a device they type into as well as a remote viewing device such as an ipad where the individual can read the captions as they stream. For Remote CART, SLUSA would establish a HIPAA compliant ZOOM call where both the captioner and the medical office (or other in person meeting) will call in. SLUSA will provide a StreamText link for the individuals located on site where they can easily display the captions on any laptop, computer, or tablet.
There are other forms of captioning such as Typewell. This is just a different technique to the captioning where rather than word for word captions being displayed, Typewell will take the input and display a more summarized version
SLUSA offers two types of transcripts:
Rough Transcript – This is the version originally typed by the captioner. The transcript may contain very minor mistakes such as spelling errors or omissions due to lack of audio clarity.
Verbatim Transcript – These transcripts must be requested in advance of the meeting or event. The captioner will need to record the audio of the event. Once the live event is completed, the captioner will then go back, read through the original rough transcript while listening to the recording in order to clean up and correct any mistakes as well as add in any omitting information. There is an additional fee for verbatim transcripts.
Captioner Qualifications:
There are various certifications for captioners which include the following:
- Registered Skilled Reporter (RSR)
- Registered Professional Reporter (RPR)
- Registered Merit Reporter (RMR)
- Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR)
- Certified Realtime Captioner (CRC)
SLUSA’s Text Services Manager will review the event requested to determine the appropriate captioner for the assignment which will include choosing a captioner with the appropriate certification level.