For Providers: Alternative Methods

More than 28 million Americans require some form of communication access assistance in order to function effectively in society. Thus, the critical need to ensure that these individuals have a complete understanding of all the available communication access services and how they may or may not benefit from them. The goal is to ensure that every person with hearing loss obtains the service they not only require, but also deserve.

Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) stands out from nonverbatim notetaking methodologies, as only CART offers an immediate, verbatim voice-to-text translation of what is being said. Further, CART offers myriad benefits that no other communication access option can match.

Ultimately, the choice of methodology belongs to the consumer. While we can assert the benefits of using CART as opposed to alternatives, each individual must decide which option will best meet his or her needs for communication access. The key is to ensure that the consumer understands the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and thus can make an informed decision.