Ever since the Americans with Disabilities Act was put into action, movie theaters became one of the premier establishments highlighted through the bill that was direly in need for some hearing friendly renovations. Among some of the noted requirements that were implemented into cinema theaters included installing assistive listening devices and showing closed captioned films. As more than 48 million Americans currently suffer from a variation of hearing loss, further advancements have been implemented in theaters so that those who have hearing loss can enjoy a cinema experience just as stimulating as everyone else. Here are a few of the recent advancements movie theaters have made to accommodate the auditory needs of those with hearing loss.
Rear-window captioning
An amenity that is available at participating AMC theaters nationwide, rear-window captioning is a way that individuals with hearing loss can receive the captioning they need to follow the movie while the rest of the audience isn’t distracted by subtitles. The theater provides hearing loss patrons with a flat panel that can rest in a cupholder that reflects captioned letters on a separate smaller projector. This way, a patron with hearing loss can read all of the words throughout the film right in front of them instead of being located on the actual movie screen.
Subtitle glasses
Subtitle glasses are a simple and efficient form of providing captioning for movie viewers that also don’t distract other attendees with subtitles. When watching a 3D film, just slip on the subtitle glasses, and three dimensional subtitles appear that are not visible to anyone else. These glasses are also large enough to be able to fit over prescription glasses.
Assistive listening devices
One of the first breakthroughs in auditory technology to help those with hearing loss enjoy their theater experience, assistive listening devices continue to progress and allow hard of hearing patrons to efficiently follow the movie. Practically all major movie theaters now carry headphones necessary for using assistive listening devices, that carry the audio of the film through either FM transmitters or infrared broadcast emitters.
Mobile phone applications
Cell phones have always been a perceived enemy for movie theaters; however, your smartphone can easily accommodate your auditory needs while viewing movies. Several phone services can provide you with everything from syncing your phone with the captioning of the movie, finding cinema theaters within your area that provide the best auditory-friendly equipment and even streaming captioned movie trailers, so you can see what you are getting yourself into before going out to the theater.
Receiving auditory benefits at the theater
For those with hearing loss, you should always make sure ahead of time that a theater has the necessary capabilities to accommodate your condition while enjoying a film in its venue. If a theater informs you that assistive listening devices are not available, informing them that they are indeed in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act should help them realize that perhaps it’s time for an upgrade. If your smartphone can be used to sync captioning or audio through a headset, make sure to check with the theater employees that it is alright to use your phone for hearing during the movie. Auditory assistance should be held to the highest standard with today’s movie theaters, so don’t hesitate to seek help with any questions pertaining to your cinema experience.
