How to show CC on your SmartBoard with DVDs

From: Kehoe, Yvonne M.
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 4:37 PM
To: All FH North High Employees
Cc: Miller, Cynthia L.; Cobb, Deborah L.; Brewer, Lawanda Dawn; Kelly, Christine Elaine
Subject: Showing Closed Captioning

I had a representative from Schillers come out to help us with our closed captioning (CC) woes.  The Sign Language Interpreters informed me that some of you were having trouble getting CC on a DVD.  Here is my advice if you are showing a DVD:  play it through your computer and not your DVD/VHS player.  If you go through your computer (and your computer is hooked up to your SMART Board speakers), you should either have the option of selecting English subtitles or CC.  Here are the steps to follow:

1.                   Put the movie into the DVD drive on your computer and show it through your computer, not the DVD/VHS player.

2.                   Go through MY COMPUTER and click on the DVD symbol.  The movie should start showing on your computer screen.

3.                   On the Play Bar at the bottom of the screen (where you see the -> to play, the box to stop, and the || to pause), there will be the letters “DVD” in all caps to the left.  Click on that.

4.                   Select “special features”

5.                   Select “captions”

6.                   Select “closed captioned”

You do not have to go through the above steps if the movie has “Language” as an option on the movie menu; you can select it and find English subtitles (using your mouse) as an alternative.  If you are showing a movie that does not have English subtitles (and we found some that do exist), you should be able to follow the above instructions and get CC.

Let me know if you are having any difficulties after following the above steps.

As for showing VHS tapes and getting CC…we’re still working on that.  It looks like the only option for now is to:  a) find another, more update movie on a DVD with the same content, or b) hook up the cable from your VHS player to a TV/VCR combo as you have been doing.

Angie Gunnell just sent out an email pertaining to purchasing DVD’s to support your curriculum…perfect timing.  Take this as an opportunity to purchase those newer movies on DVD format (if available) that have CC.

As most of you are aware, equal access to all information is the law (ADA).  Call me or ask your friendly Sign Language Interpreter to assist you.

Thank you,

Yvonne Kehoe

Teacher of the Deaf/HH

Francis Howell North High School