Faculty can easily make their in-class slide presentations more accessible to all students, by activating the standard “live caption” feature in either Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint. This feature automatically produces on-screen text captions from the audio captured via system microphone. Whether a student is Deaf, hard of hearing, seated in the back of a large room, or simply processes information better through a combination of audible and printed text, using live captions is an easy way for faculty to reduce unneeded barriers and provide more equitable access, with minimal effort.
Your department’s Academic Technology Consultant, the Office of Accessible Education, and the Rice Center for Teaching can be excellent partners to discuss strategies for supporting students with practices for accessibility.
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- Click the Slideshow button (or CTRL-F5 / ⌘-Shift-Enter).
- Mouse to the menu at the lower-left corner, then click More options > Captions preferences > Toggle captions (or CTRL-Shift-C / ⌘-Shift-c).
- Test and adjust your microphone volume, settings, and physical orientation. Your computer almost certainly has a built-in microphone, but using an external mic will provide higher-quality captioning results.
- Need a mic? Borrow one from the Equipment Loan Center or the Rice Center for Teaching.
- Need practice, setup, or support? Contact Academic Technology Services and Media Services.
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N.B.: This feature is available in the web version of PowerPoint, via Office365.
- Click the Present button (or CTRL-F5 / ⌘-Shift-Enter).
- Mouse to the menu at the lower-left corner, then click Turn Subtitles On (or tap J).
- Test and adjust your microphone volume, settings, and physical orientation. Your computer almost certainly has a built-in microphone, but using an external mic will provide higher-quality captioning results.
- Need a mic? Borrow one from the Equipment Loan Center or the Rice Center for Teaching.
- Need practice, setup, or support? Contact Academic Technology Services and Media Services.
