Absorbing information in the classroom is challenge enough for most students, but for those with hearing impairments, language or learning difficulties, it is even harder.
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A national campaign as part of National Literacy and Numeracy Week encourages teachers to turn on captions whenever they use audiovisual resources in the classroom to save students from the potential embarrassment of having to ask for captions to be turned on.
The ''Cap That!'' initiative aims to make captions an automatic part of classroom learning whenever television or video is in use.
NSW Labor senator Ursula Stephens launched the national campaign yesterday at St Clare of Assisi Primary School in Conder.
As national patron for ''Cap That!'' Senator Stephens said ''as a former teacher I understand that every single class is made up of a diverse learning group, whether those needs are obvious or not. One way to ensure the needs of all your students are met is to switch on captions when audiovisual resources are part of the lesson.''
She has been involved in recruiting teachers as ''captions champions'', who will promote the practice to their colleagues with 300 Australian teachers signed up so far to spread the word. According to a survey last year of 149 diverse schools throughout Australia, 9 per cent of students had a disability, and one out of three of these was a learning disability.
The survey also found 17 per cent of Australian students had a language background other than English.
Captions were an important way in which to better engage students, but were not often used in classroom settings.