ADAPTATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPACT, PORTABLE COMPUTERIZED REAL-TIME CAPTIONING STENOGRAPHIC UNIT FOR USE IN COURTROOMS WHERE DEAF LAWYERS OR JURORS ARE ACCOMODATED

USING COMPUTERIZED REAL-TIME CAPTIONING STENOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED BY VIRGUS COMPUTER SYSTEMS (VCS), THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR WILL DETERMINE ANY ADAPTATIONS NECESSARY TO ENABLE THIS STENOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY TO BE OF SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO HEARING-IMPAIRED (DEAF) LAWYERS, JURORS, LITIGANTS OR WITNESSES IN A COURTROOM SETTING. VCS,A SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING FIRM SPECIALIZING IN PRODUCTS FOR THE STENOGRAPHIC FIELD, HAS DEVELOPED A COMPUTERIZED REAL-TIME CAPTIONING STENOGRAPHIC SYSTEM FOR USE BY JUDGES AND ATTORNEYS, AND HAS A COURTROOM USING SUCH A SYSTEM IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON. RESEARCH IS REQUIRED TO ASCERTAIN THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF HEARING-IMPAIRED LAWYERS, JURORS, LITIGANTS AND WITNESSES AS USERS OF THIS COMPUTERIZED REAL-TIME CAPTIONING STENOGRAPHIC SYSTEM AND TO ADAPT AND DEVELOP THE SYSTEM TO MEET THOSE SPECIAL NEEDS.