Media Room

If you are a writer, editor, or producer and would like to request an interview with Stephanie for a news story, podcast, or video, please email hello@stephaniecawthon.com with all the details of your request.

How to Host a Deaf Podcast Guest 

Podcasts have exploded in popularity. But aren’t podcasts just for hearing people? Nope! Podcasts can be for deaf people, too. Stephanie is an avid fan of several podcasts and has been a guest on some.

Here’s how to make your podcast an accessible experience for deaf guests and subscribers — and for a broad audience that uses or prefers multiple communication modalities such as captions and video. 

• Ask what communication modalities and supports your guest prefers. (Stephanie usually lets the host know in advance if she’s not asked.)

• Record the podcast on Zoom or another platform, complete with captions and video of all participants. 

• An ASL interpreter may be used. Stephanie and her designated interpreter have worked together in many “live” high-stakes media and recorded events. 

• If possible, provide the questions or topics ahead of time. Stephanie provides key phrases and concepts with her ASL interpreter to prepare her in advance and ensure a smooth conversation. 

• For optimal accessibility for all, the final edited episode should include ASL video and audio with captions (shared on YouTube or another public video platform), audio on the podcast channel, and a link in both descriptions to a full transcript. 

• Speaking of the episode description, this is a good place to explain to your audience that your guest is deaf, the accommodations your podcast provided, who is speaking and who is signing, and the role of the interpreter — so people are clear on what is what (and who is who)!

Accessibility Guidelines for Media Interviews and Presentations 

Each disabled person has individual accessibility preferences. Stephanie is no different!

Stephanie is deaf and uses a range of communication strategies. The decisions around communication modality are complex and highly dependent on context and communication partners. There are times when Stephanie voices for herself and times when she signs. You may see her use different modalities in different contexts. 

For the most part, these recommendations apply when communication partners are speaking and hearing. We are happy to discuss other accessibility considerations, as they vary by the content, format, and audience of each media event or presentation. In the meantime, these general accessibility guidelines can get you started in your planning.

Remote Conversations 

This includes consulting appointments, interviews, meetings, and discussions. Stephanie rarely takes voice telephone calls unless she already knows your voice and if the conversation can be accessible without visual input. 

Live 1:1 Conversations

• Zoom or other video platform. (Zoom preferred.) 

• Video (cameras on) is strongly preferred if that is also accessible for the other party.

• Turn on auto-captions. Transcripts are shared for note-taking purposes. 

• One American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter may be needed for access support, depending on the length and content of the appointment.  

Live Group Conversations

• Zoom or other video platform. Zoom preferred. 

• Video (cameras on) is strongly preferred if that is also accessible for the other group members. 

• Turn on auto-captions. Transcripts are shared for note-taking purposes. 

• ASL interpreter(s), depending on the group size and complexity of communication modalities across the group. 

• When selecting a date, ask Stephanie for schedule availability that includes ASL interpreter(s).  

• If presentation slides will be used, send them ahead of time for interpreter preparation. 

Recorded Video Conversations 

This includes podcasts and other media interviews. Stephanie does not do audio-only recordings of podcasts or conversations. 

• Zoom in gallery view is strongly preferred.

• Video (cameras on) is strongly preferred.

• Record to computer.

• Captions can be on, but be prepared to edit for accuracy in post-production.

• Send questions or prompts ahead of time for ASL interpreter preparation, preferably in a shared document such as a Google doc. 

• When selecting a date, ask Stephanie for schedule availability that includes ASL interpreter(s).  

• Schedule time for a tech check (minimum 15 minutes) prior to each recording. 

• Plan to prepare a video version of the interview (even if you are hosting only an audio version). Stephanie will request access to a final video edited version for sharing with her audiences. 

Presentations and Conference Panels 

This includes keynote speeches, conference panels, or training sessions. For guidelines on hybrid meetings, please check with Stephanie and her team. 

In-Person Presentations WITHOUT Audience Engagement 

• Microphones for all participants who are speaking. 

• Captioning, if it is a large group in a theater setting.

• ASL interpreters may be preferred depending on the content. 

• Supportive amplification, if it is programmable with the correct frequencies.

In-Person Presentations WITH Audience Engagement 

• If it’s a room larger than a standard conference room, provide microphones for all participants who are speaking — including a microphone for audience questions, comments, and interactions. 

• ASL interpreters in teams of two for more than 20 minutes.

• Remember that if Stephanie is onstage, she cannot see captions behind her or interpreters in front of her. Stage lighting may also make visibility challenging without proper placement.

Additional Access Tips 

• Schedule in advance. Because we are typically coordinating multiple schedules, advance planning is key. Stephanie has set times when interpreters are already scheduled for most video and remote calls. These are priority times for meetings and media events via Zoom. 

• Plan on interpreter teams. ASL interpreters typically work in teams, rotating every 20 minutes when possible. With a group conversation, they are working for a much longer period of time. Breaks in the meeting are very helpful in maintaining interpreter consistency and quality. 

• Check interpreter qualifications. Experienced ASL interpreters are essential, especially with complicated subject matter. When Stephanie is signing for herself, she will prioritize ASL interpreters who know her and her content well. This ensures the highest quality translations and communication for all parties.

• Prepare the interpreter. ASL interpreter preparation is a key component of accessibility. In all cases, providing any advance material to interpreters will significantly ensure a more successful event. Stephanie typically asks to meet with interpreters to go over specific ASL signs and the intent of her message.

• Introduce the interpreter. When in a meeting, Stephanie will introduce the ASL interpreter(s). Please do not direct questions to the interpreter unless Stephanie has already done so or the issues are related to technology and access. 

• Speak clearly and avoid reading off slides. We all speak much faster when we are reading off slides than when we are speaking naturally. It can be very difficult for interpreters to keep up if you are reading quickly and with few pauses. 

• Manage communication between meeting participants. Overlapping and interrupting speech are disruptive to access when both modalities are in a conversation. Use turn-taking, facilitating the speaker order, and other strategies to make sure that there is visual access to input at all times. Wait for the interpreters to finish before starting to speak. 

In the Media

• Daily Texan: Sticking to Standardized: A Look at Past, Present, Future Roles of Testing in Admissions

• Austin American Statesman: ‘They’re there for Texas’: How UT Austin Researchers Make an Impact

• Exceptional Lives: Life Skills for Young Adults with Disabilities: Tips from a Champion for Disabled Students

• COE News: The Making of a Deaf Capo

• The Uplift: Planning for Access: Teaching & Leading for Engagement and Inclusion

• The Agile Academic: Stephanie Cawthon on Connection and Disability Advocacy in Higher Education

• In Her Sight: Disability Awareness: 5 Tips for Making Your Management Style More Inclusive

• Chronicle of Higher Education: Teaching | How Students Can Help Create More Accessible Courses

• The Daily Texan: UT Introduces Disabled Faculty Equity Council to Promote Campus Accessibility

• American Bar Association: Accessibility and Achieving Equity in the Workplace

• The Daily Texan: UT Community Members Create Strategies to Improve Inclusivity for Students with Disabilities

• Inside Higher Education: A Difficult Pathway for Faculty with Disabilities

• The Mind Hears: All about Dr. Stephanie W. Cawthon  

• K-12 Dive: Report from SXSW EDU

• Advancing ALTELLA: Expert Q&A on Assessment 

• Salesforce 360: Clear Face Masks and Access in the Workplace 

• MindBodyGreen: How to Communicate with Deaf Community While Wearing a Face Mask

• KXAN (NBC): COVID-19 Highlights the Importance of Interpretation Services in Health Care

• National Public Radio (WBUR): Disability Advocates Worry The Quick Shift to Online Learning Could Overlook Needed Accommodations

• KXAN (NBC): Austin team launches first ASL-accessible video game 

• The Hill: First Starbucks “Signing Store” Proves Power of Access (op-ed)