Caption Consulting

06/11/2026

Gallaudet University students earned Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships at a historic rate, with thirteen students selected for funding to study abroad in Ghana, France, and Italy. Students submitted 33 Gilman applications this cycle, itself a record for the university. The Gilman Scholarship, funded by the US Department of State, supports students with financial need who might not otherwise have the opportunity to study internationally, with a priority on broadening the diversity of students who participate in education abroad programs.

What makes this milestone particularly meaningful at Gallaudet is the context. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students navigating international study face layers of planning that hearing students typically do not: arranging communication support abroad, finding accessible housing and academic environments, and navigating sign language differences across countries. That thirteen students are heading to three different continents this summer, and that the university submitted a record number of applications to get there, reflects both student ambition and serious institutional investment in making it possible.

At Caption Consulting, serving clients across the US, UK, and Canada, we know that deaf professionals and students bring irreplaceable perspectives to global conversations. We celebrate every Gallaudet student heading abroad this summer.

Gallaudet University students earned Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships at an historic rate this year, with thirteen students selected for

06/10/2026

The Hearing Loss Association of America is hosting its 41st annual convention in Louisville, Kentucky June 10-12, bringing together hearing health professionals, assistive device manufacturers, accessibility advocates, and people living with hearing loss from across the country. More than 50 million people in the US have some degree of hearing loss, and the convention is designed to connect every part of that community with the latest information, technology, and research.

The program includes two general sessions, 24 educational workshops, and a full exhibit hall featuring product demonstrations. The HLAA Research Symposium, supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, will focus on the theme "The AI Revolution in Hearing Health: Smarter Tech, Greater Access," reflecting how quickly artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the field. Notably, HLAA has made the event itself a model for what accessible gatherings look like: every plenary session and workshop will have real-time captioning, and every meeting room will be equipped with a hearing loop to support assistive listening devices.

At Caption Consulting, events like this one represent exactly what we believe in: a room where people with hearing loss are not an afterthought but the reason the room was built. If you are attending, we would love to connect.

HLAA 2026 will gather hearing health professionals, manufacturers, and advocates to discuss the latest in hearing assistive technology and advocacy.

06/08/2026

🌈Pride Month is a celebration of authenticity, visibility, and belonging.🌈

At Caption Consulting, we know that true inclusion means creating spaces where every person can fully participate, be valued, and be heard for who they are. Accessibility and equity go hand in hand. When we remove barriers, we create opportunities for people of all identities and abilities to thrive.

This month, we proudly celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and recognize the importance of intersectionality, including the experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, disabled, or otherwise marginalized.

We remain committed to advancing accessibility, fostering belonging, and building a more inclusive world where everyone has equal access to communication, connection, and opportunity.

Happy Pride Month. We celebrate you. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

06/05/2026

Honored to have our CEO, Dawn Sonntag, speak at the 36th Annual Postsecondary Disability Training Institute Conference.
For Dawn, accessibility has always been about more than compliance—it’s about ensuring every student has equitable access to opportunities, information, and meaningful participation.

Sharing ideas and learning alongside educators, disability service professionals, and advocates who are equally committed to student success made this experience especially rewarding.

Thank you to the conference organizers and everyone who joined the conversation. Together, we’re helping build more inclusive campuses and stronger pathways for Deaf and hard of hearing students and all learners.

Leadership

05/31/2026

“It’s like A Beautiful Mind in here.”

Our CEO Dawn’s home office walls are currently covered with presentation notes, ideas, and research as she prepares for next week’s Postsecondary Disability Training Institute (PTI).

Her session, Beyond the Bot: Why AI Falls Short in Ensuring Access for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Communities, explores a topic we’re passionate about at Caption Consulting: ensuring that innovation never comes at the expense of access.

AI can be a powerful tool—but when it comes to communication access, there are still places where human expertise makes all the difference.

We’re looking forward to connecting with disability services professionals from across the country at PTI!

CaptionConsulting

05/20/2026

A story published by Gallaudet University on May 13 highlights something that is quietly changing in Deaf healthcare: more Deaf and hard-of-hearing students are entering medical fields, and they are building community around it. Seven Gallaudet students recently attended the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Loss conference in Orlando, then returned to campus to share what they learned with peers in a panel discussion moderated by biology professor Dr. Alicia Wooten.

The conference, whose theme was "Back to Basics: Shoring up our Foundation," brought together Deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals and students across medicine and public health to network, mentor, and support one another. Gallaudet's Director of Student Services, Dr. James Huang, who currently serves as AMPHL president, noted that while the number of Deaf individuals in healthcare is growing, it remains small. "If you can't see it, you can't be it," he said, referencing the power of representation in professional spaces. One student described hearing from Dr. Philip Zazove, the third Deaf doctor in America, and Dr. Judith Ann Pachciarz, the first Deaf woman with both an MD and PhD. "It was fascinating to hear their stories, the challenges they faced, and the barriers they fought to get through med school. That gave me chills." Another student reflected on a panelist's advice that stuck with them: "Your confidence in the workplace shows your colleagues that they can trust you."

At Caption Consulting, we are inspired by every Deaf and hard-of-hearing professional who walks into a field where they have rarely seen themselves represented. Stories like these remind us why access to mentorship and community is as important as access to education.

The seven Gallaudet students who attended this year's Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Loss (AMPHL) conference participated in a panel

05/19/2026

With summer just around the corner, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association published a timely guide on May 11 to help families of deaf and hard-of-hearing children navigate the season safely. Nearly 15 percent of school-aged children in the United States have some degree of hearing loss, and summer activities like swimming, outdoor play, and travel bring specific considerations that parents and caregivers may not always think through in advance.

At the water, kids who use hearing devices often remove them before swimming, which means they can miss lifeguard whistles, instructions, and other warnings. Pediatric audiologist Michelle Hu, who is herself profoundly deaf and a cochlear implant user, recommends dressing children in bright, highly visible swimwear and adding language like "I'm Deaf" or "I'm Hard of Hearing" in bold letters so lifeguards and other adults know immediately that shouting may not get a child's attention. For travel and overnight stays, the guide recommends talking with children in advance about where they are going, what the rules are, and how to advocate for themselves by letting people know when they have not understood something. Teaching self-advocacy, ASHA notes, is one of the most lasting tools any family can give a child with hearing loss.

At Caption Consulting, we believe that preparing children to communicate confidently in the world around them is one of the most important investments a family can make. Tips like these make summer safer and more joyful for everyone involved.

/PRNewswire/ -- Swimming, playing outside, and traveling are central parts of the summer experience for many children. For families with children who are deaf...

05/16/2026

A story published in the UK reinforces an issue that advocates have been raising since Keir Starmer became Prime Minister. Despite commitments to inclusion and years of pressure from the Deaf community, Starmer continues to deliver major speeches and public addresses without British Sign Language interpretation. His most recent address, in which he publicly criticized the status quo following Labour's local election results, was shared online without any BSL access, continuing a pattern that has persisted throughout his time in office.

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People offered its own interpreter for Starmer's very first speech as Prime Minister, which he did not take up. Since then, interpreted press conferences have been sporadic. An Information Commissioner's Office decision notice confirmed that in-person BSL interpretation for major government speeches was "not being taken forward" by the Cabinet Office, though it had "not been completely closed out." RNID's advocacy manager Michael Quinlan responded directly: "The Government must do more to ensure deaf BSL users feel engaged, informed and included in political decisions that affect them, including by ensuring all major announcements are available in British Sign Language."

At Caption Consulting, serving clients across the US, UK, and Canada, this matters. When a government leader speaks to the nation, that communication should reach everyone. BSL users are not a niche audience. They are citizens who deserve to hear their Prime Minister.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has addressed his party’s “tough” local election results last week by criticising the “status quo” – while continuing to deliver speeches without British Sign L…

05/14/2026

Gallaudet University holds its 156th Commencement on May 15, 2026, and the speaker lineup reflects exactly the kind of leadership the Deaf community has built over generations. Nyle DiMarco, Gallaudet class of 2013, will deliver the undergraduate address and receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. DiMarco made history in 2025 as the first Deaf filmmaker nominated for an Emmy in a directing category, for co-directing the Apple TV+ documentary Deaf President Now! alongside Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim. The film chronicles the 1988 student-led protest at Gallaudet that led to the appointment of the university's first Deaf president and helped ignite the disability rights movement that produced the Americans with Disabilities Act.

DiMarco first gained national visibility as the first Deaf winner of America's Next Top Model in 2015 and Dancing With the Stars in 2016, using both platforms to bring Deaf culture and ASL to mainstream audiences. Through the Nyle DiMarco Foundation, he has since worked with organizations including the United Nations and the World Economic Forum to advance bilingual education, language access, and resources for Deaf children and families worldwide. His memoir, Deaf Utopia, was a bestseller. That a student who graduated from Gallaudet just over a decade ago is now returning to deliver the commencement address and receive an honorary degree says a great deal about how much can be built from one place and one community.

At Caption Consulting, we are proud to work in a field shaped by advocates like Nyle DiMarco, who have spent their careers insisting that Deaf voices belong at every table. Congratulations to the Gallaudet Class of 2026.

Gallaudet University, the world’s leading university for deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing students, has announced the commencement speakers for its

05/12/2026

A survey published in mid-April by RNID and DeafATW found that over 40 percent of deaf people using the UK's Access to Work scheme have missed out on training and career development opportunities because they did not have the interpreter support they needed. Access to Work is a government programme that funds communication support, including British Sign Language interpreters, for deaf employees. But the survey of more than 350 users found serious gaps: nearly a third waited four months or more for an application outcome, and close to one in five said delays forced them to reduce their work or change how they did their jobs.

Particularly striking was the finding that over a third of BSL signers renewing their awards had their support reduced by the Department for Work and Pensions despite no change in their circumstances, and half of those received no written explanation for why. Only 37 percent of working-age BSL users in the UK are employed, compared to 77 percent of non-disabled people. RNID's head of policy Robert Geaney said the findings highlight a "serious gap in support," adding that without adequate interpreter funding, "people whose first language is BSL cannot communicate with their colleagues or fully participate in the workplace."

At Caption Consulting, serving clients across the US, UK, and Canada, this issue resonates directly. Interpreter access is not just a workplace accommodation. It is the difference between a deaf professional being able to do their job and not. The data from this survey makes the stakes very clear.

Just over 40 per cent of deaf Access to Work customers have missed out on training and development opportunities in the workplace because they did not have access to the support they needed, a new …