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Putting

live captions

into schools

to

support

children's

learning

Why is this initiative needed?

13.6%

increase in pupils

with identified SEN

but no EHCP

18%

of school children

identified with SEN

(1.7million)

78%

of deaf

children attend mainstream education

What are live captions?

Live captions (LC) or speech to text are an accessible feature that automatically generates real - time text for spoken audio or video. In classrooms, this means having the teachers

voice displayed directly on the interactive whiteboard.

Why is it important?

​In the classroom it can be easy to fall behind when missing out on verbal information from your teacher. Live captions has the potential to benefit many children where there is a real and

urgent need to close the attainment gap. Live captions simply helps to plug the gaps in communication and allows students to access information that best suits them.

What is Action for Captions?

Action for Captions is Sound Waves Foundations grassroots initiative kick-starts national change. Live captions has the potential to benefit many children where there is a real and urgent need to close the attainment gap. Live captioning software is readily available for free, making it a simple and cost-effective tool for most schools to adopt. We have found that not many schools know about it

and may not realise the importance of it.

Who does it help and how?

Deaf and hard of hearing

 SEND - Dyslexia, ADHD, slow language processing

English as an additional language and visual learners

  • Improved access to learning

  • Greater independence

  • Better participation

  • Reduced cognitive load

  • Increased confidence and inclusion

  • Support in challenging
    listening environments

  • Improved literacy and vocabulary

  • Reduces misunderstandings

  • Supports understanding

  • Creates a more inclusive
    learning environment

  • Builds confidence

  • Provides information in both visual and verbal formats

  • Gives students extra time to process information

  • Helps students follow lesson content more effectively

  • Reduces the risk of missing key information.

  • Encourages greater participation and engagement

  • Aids learning a new language

Our 4 easy steps to turn on

live captions in your classroom.

1

Join a growing number

of schools that are turning on live captions in their classrooms.

Click here to find out more about

the difference it can make.

2

Read our introduction to Live Captions to help you get started.

3

Get the guides.  Find, select

and download the most

appropriate free live captioning software for your classroom

and needs.

​

4

Be supported and be part of the

live captioning community!

Join the forum and share your experiences whilst drawing from the wealth of shared knowledge.

Download our information sheet to find out more about the benefits of using captions in education. 

We have set up an online hub to help support schools, professionals and parents to implement live captions in school. Sign up to gain access to relevant software and hardware guides, FAQs, peer support and research. Plus, there are workshops for teachers and students to make the introduction of live captions easy.

"It helped with

my spelling"

"I want to keep live captioning in future - definitely, definitely, definitely."

"If you miss something or didn't hear you can catch up by reading the captions."

"Captions improved

children's focus."

 "It allows them to

follow the thread of

the lesson better."

"It is helpful

for modelling how

the spoken word translates to text."

The Action for Captions
2026 summit

What we're calling for

We envision a future where live captions are in

every school, from primary all the way up to university level.

We hope for every student to have the right to access words,

no questions asked, no EHCP necessary.

Help join the fight for words! 

Teacher

 It allows them to follow the thread of the lesson better and captions improved children's focus

Student

As a deaf child it definitely helped my ability to understand the teacher

Student

I want to keep live captioning in future - definitely, definitely, definitely.

Teacher

Helpful for modelling how the spoken word translates to text

Student

It helped with my spelling

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