While Zoom supports Closed Captioning, there are a few steps you must take to get this setup. Please review the procedures below and allow for ample time to get this service arranged.

Most of the following information on how to schedule/request captioning has been taken from Real-Time Captioning on the Adobe Connect Wiki. It has been modified for the process using Zoom.

Scheduling and Requesting Captioning

Must be done at least 1-2 weeks in advance.

For Credit-Bearing Activities

The instructor of the course will need to schedule a captionist through Access Services at NTID. The Access Services department will coordinate your captionist through Caption First (CFI). Captioning should be requested prior to the start of the semester (if possible) or at least 1-2 weeks in advance during the semester. Send your requests to: Susan Stella (sasnes@rit.edu).

The following information will be required to fill your request for credit-bearing activities.

Course Title and Number:
Professor Name(s):
Date(s):
Time(s): (Captionist will typically login 10 minutes prior to class or event start time)
Zoom Meeting URL (Captionist will need to sign in as a participant.)
- Include the following text in your email: This meeting will be using Zoom which will require the captionist to receive a URL at the time the meeting starts. The host will provide the captionist the URL by using the chat feature for the meeting 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
Audio Source: (Indicate whether you will use VoIP or Phone Conference (Premiere Global) audio)
Captionist Resources: (PPT, outlines, common terms, etc.)

For Non-Credit Bearing Activities

You’ll need to schedule a captionist. We recommend Caption First (CFI) as the service provider. Captioning should be requested at least 1-2 weeks in advance. Send your request to: Caption First Scheduling (scheduling@captionfirst.com) and be sure to indicate that you are hosting a non-credit Connect event affiliated with RIT.

The following information will be required to fill your request for non-credit-bearing activities.

Event Title:
Presenter Name(s):
Date(s):
Time(s): (Captionist will typically login 10 minutes prior to class or event start time)
Zoom Meeting URL (Captionist will need to sign in as a participant)
- Include the following text in your email: This meeting will be using Zoom which will require the captionist to receive a URL at the time the meeting starts. The host will provide the captionist the URL by using the chat feature for the meeting 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
Audio Source: (Indicate whether you will use VoIP or Phone Conference (Premiere Global) audio)
Captionist Resources: (PPT, outlines, common terms, etc.)
Text Transcript: (Indicate whether you would like a text transcript sent after the event, and to whom it should be sent)
Emergency Contact: (Phone number of someone who can be reached at the time of the event)
Billing Info: (Name and address for billing)

Setting up Zoom to use the Captioning

Sign into your Zoom meeting 10 minutes prior to the start to work with the captionist to test the service.
Click on Closed Caption along the lower tool bar.
Select Copy the URL to your clipboard under the Use a 3rd party CC service.
Click on Chat along the lower tool bar.
Paste the URL by pressing Ctrl V into the chat window and let the captionist know that this is the 3rd party service URL for closed captioning.