MATERIALS TO ASSIST IN RECRUITMENT AND PREPARATION OF STENOCAPTIONERS

THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES SUBTOPIC 1.D, "DEVELOPMENT OF SELF- INSTRUCTIONAL MODULES, EQUIPMENT, OR SOFTWARE THAT CAN BE USED TO TRAIN COURT STENOGRAPHERS TO DO REAL-TIME CAPTIONING." REAL-TIME CAPTIONING BASED ON COMPUTER-AIDED TRANSCRIPTION (CAT) EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN A MAJOR ADVANCE IN CAPTIONING SERVICES FOR HEARING IMPAIRED PEOPLE. HOWEVER, CAPTIONING AGENCIES ARE CURRENTLY HAVING DIFFICULTY FINDING ENOUGH QUALIFIED STENOCAPTIONERS TO OPERATE THIS EQUIPMENT. THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP MATERIALS THAT CAN BE USED TO ATTRACT, SCREEN, TRAIN AND EVALUATE COURT REPORTERS FOR STENOCAPTIONING WORK. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP FOUR PRODUCTS: 1) AN AWARENESS TAPE THAT WILL EXPLAIN STENOCAPTIONING AND DESCRIBE THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO STENOCAPTIONERS. 2) A SCREENING TEST TO DETERMINE A COURT REPORTER'S SUITABILITY FOR CAPTIONING WORK. 3) A SERIES OF AUDIO TAPES WHICH CAN BE USED AS TRAINING AND PRACTICE MATERIALS TO HELP COURT REPORTERS DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AS CAPTIONERS. 4) EVALUATIONCRITERIA WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A METHOD OF CERTIFYING STEENOCAPTIONERS.