Creative Access Press Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: Carol Finkle October, 2002
215-569-9311 T/V
215-569-8104 F
craccess@aol.com
www.creativeaccess.org
FRANKLIN INSTITUTE and CREATIVE ACCESS
WELCOME VISITORS
WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING

Philadelphia - The Franklin Institute launched its completely renovated Fels Planetarium and Space Command Center at a media event detailing every aspect of their state of the art renovations which have been in progress for the past two years. During this time, Creative Access, the region's non profit organization advocating access to the arts for individuals and families with hearing loss, worked with Dennis Wint, President and CEO and Kevin Keppel, Director of Visitor Services, encouraging that state of the art listening device and captioning systems be included in Franklin Institute’s Planetarium renovations and in its acclaimed Imax Theater. “All parties enthusiastically responded with openness to the idea of full accessibility and committed to making Creative Access’s suggestions part of their overall plans for renovation” reports Carol Finkle, Executive Director and founder of Creative Access.
Of particular interest to the communities of visitors who are Deaf and hard of hearing (and their families, typically hearing) was the special announcement made by Derek Pitts, Chief Astronomer at the Institute, that the cutting edge sound system included the best listening device system available (LED) as well as a dozen Rear Window Captioning (RWC) devices. “This means that groups of twelve people at a time for whom the RWC device is beneficial will have access to the wonders of Fels Planetarium programs. Of note was the Institute's dogged research to install not just 'any’ assisstive listening system”, boasts Finkle, “but to locate and install the one that will be the most productive for Deaf and hard of hearing patrons. Making the completely renovated Fels Planetarium equipped to serve Deaf and hard of hearing visitors with amplification and captioning services for the recorded shows was clearly one of FI’s top priorities.”
“This is the most advanced technology in the industry and The Franklin Institute is proud to be at the forefront of its implementation,” said Dennis M. Wint, President and CEO of The Franklin Institute on the Fels Planetarium’s captioning capabilities.
The captioning system is Compsult's Caption Display. This multi-line, crawling LED screen is mounted below the dome at the rear of the theater on which scrolling text is fed from the planetarium host computer to an interlocked display. Visitors view the captioning via twelve adjustable, seat-mounted reflective panels. Radio transmitter/receivers (25 headset units) compliment the system for personal amplification.
The Tuttleman IMAX Theater is also equipped with 40 headset units similar to those in the planetarium. On-screen captioning is not currently available for domed, large format theaters such as that in the Franklin Institute. However, to assist visitors who are Deaf and hard of hearing , The Franklin Institute will provide written scripts and sign language interpreters upon request, at no cost, with advance notice.