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
This important event will bring together leaders from education, technology, accessibility and policy to explore the transformative role of live captioning in schools. Through the latest research, inspiring keynote speakers, expert panel discussions and interactive Q&A sessions, the summit will provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence, opportunities and practical implementation of live captions in education.
Our research, case studies and engagement with schools, families and professionals continue to demonstrate that live captioning can significantly benefit a wide range of learners, including:
-
Deaf and hard-of-hearing students
-
Many pupils with SEND
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Children with English as an additional language (EAL)
-
Students who benefit from multimodal approaches to learning
This summit is designed to move the conversation beyond awareness and towards meaningful action. By bringing together those who can influence national policy, technology adoption and practical implementation in schools, we hope to build momentum for lasting change.
Attendees include Members of Parliament, EdTech leaders, SEND Experts, academics, national organisations, unions and other key decision-makers who are uniquely positioned to help shape the future of inclusive education.
Our ambition is clear: to establish live captioning as a standard feature in schools, improving accessibility, inclusion and learning outcomes for all pupils.
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."
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