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American Experience

How Captions Went from Niche to Necessity | Extended Audio Description | The Curb Cut Effect

Season 37 Episode 2 | 8m 33s

EAD For the first three decades of television, there were no captions of any kind, leaving Deaf viewers unable to fully participate in a medium that shaped culture and conversation. The fight for closed captioning was a battle for access and inclusion. Deaf advocates spent decades pushing broadcasters, lawmakers, and technology companies to make television—and later, the internet—accessible.

Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Extras
Watch • 2:22
American Experience
Trailer | Clearing the Air: The War on Smog
Watch a preview of Clearing the Air: The War on Smog.
Preview: S37 E4 | 2:22
Watch • 1:58
American Experience
Why do people shake Polaroid pictures?
We were told to "shake it like a Polaroid picture". But what if we got it wrong?
Clip: S37 E3 | 1:58
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American Experience
Clearing the Air: The War on Smog
The story of L.A.’s noxious smog problem and the creation of the EPA and Clean Air Act.
Episode: S37 E4
Watch • 52:20
American Experience
Mr. Polaroid
The story of Edwin Land, whose iconic Polaroid camera let everyone instantly chronicle their lives.
Episode: S37 E3 | 52:20