Captioning is not necessarily the most glamorous part of any multimedia job, but it is still an important element in online course materials. I take pride knowing that a student is able to complete their work because I stayed up late making sure all of their courses are in order and their accommodations are met on time.
Each semester brings new challenges, but it isn’t until the students are enrolled and the spreadsheet is submitted that we see just how large our workload will be. This particular semester hasn’t been the easiest, but by balancing the work and having the support of SHSU Online and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), I’ve been able to make sure that each and every student has the accommodations needed to complete the tasks that their professors have assigned.
With 20 students taking more than 80 courses between them, a lot of energy has been put into organization and communication this go around. With this many courses, attention to detail plays a huge factor! That’s not to say we can’t and haven’t been able to handle the growth, but the influx of students requiring our services has steadily increased, and based on recent enrollments, it will continue to do so.
It is the policy of Sam Houston State University that no otherwise qualified disabled individuals shall, solely by reason of their disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic program or activity.
Each work day, I begin and end with that in mind, and regardless of how many students need these accommodations, each and every one is handled in a timely manner. Captioning is a necessity because for some people, it’s their only option.
I’d like to conclude with a big THANK YOU to all of the instructional designers here at SHSU Online for assisting SSD and me with the captioning and transcription process. I know it takes time away from your typical duties, but this couldn’t be accomplished without you all. Your continued effort and extreme patience is much appreciated as we work toward a more accessible academic environment.