Cowboys Stadium Provides Wireless Captioning for Folks with Hearing Loss

January 2010

Editor: Here's another sports facility that is providing captioning and audio description to make their entertainment accessible to folks with hearing and vision loss. I'd love to hear from people who have used these wireless devices to hear their impressions of the service.

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Softeq Development Corporation announced the completion of the DURATEQ Live with Intelligent Access mobile captioning, audio description and assistive listening service at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This past Sunday, DURATEQ Assistive Technology Version (ATV) handhelds were made available for guests who are deaf, hearing impaired, blind, or low vision to enjoy the first NFC Playoff game. Final testing was completed during the Cotton Bowl, and the service was unveiled publically at the Jan. 3, 2010 Dallas Cowboys home game.

"The Dallas Cowboys Football Club contacted us to build a universal experience for all their fans, and we teamed up with Georgia Tech's wireless captioning specialist Intelligent Access to create a customized assistive technology solution for them," said Trey Litel, vice president of Softeq Development Corp. "The spectacular Dallas Cowboys Stadium has the best technology, and now with DURATEQ ATV, they have added real time mobile captioning and assistive audio anywhere in the stadium!"

Originally developed for the Walt Disney World theme park, the DURATEQ ATV makes the full game experience available to all guests. Softeq adapted their application to include the Intelligent Access software to add real-time mobile captioning to the platform. The device also provides assistive listening of all public address system announcements and assistive audio play by play announcements in English and Spanish. Fully integrated into the existing Dallas Cowboys Stadium captioning infrastructure, the server broadcasts content over the stadium WiFi network and assistive band FM transmitters.

"Cowboys Stadium is especially proud to be able to offer a wireless device that provides customized assistive technology for our guests, including those who are deaf, hearing impaired, blind, or have low vision," said Scott Purcel, director of broadcasting, Dallas Cowboys Football Club. "Now at any large event at Cowboys Stadium, our guests will never miss any portion of the event while at the Stadium. We are excited to have this product available to any guest who needs it."

The DURATEQ ATV is the most advanced assistive handheld solution available today that helps public entertainment venues meet Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

"I am so excited to be part of this new technology! The accessibility provided by these mobile devices is both innovative and amazing. Cowboys Stadium is a fantastic venue and I feel fortunate that my captions are now available to so many people all over the stadium," said Lisa Davis, TX CSR, CBC, the official Cowboys Stadium captioner.

For more information about Cowboys Stadium: stadium.dallascowboys.com

For more information about Cowboys Stadium mobile captioning solution: stadium.dallascowboys.com/guests/guestDisabilitiesInfo.cfm

For more information about Intelligent Access: www.intelligentaccesssystems.com