Ask AP: Following Sotomayor, Movie Closed Captions

Albuquerque, N.M.

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A closed captioning system for movie theaters does exist, but its availability is somewhat limited.

The Rear Window system displays captions on a panel that is generally attached to a seat or a floor stand, allowing theatergoers to read the words on or below the movie screen, according to the U.S. Access Board, a federal agency that aims to increase accessibility for the disabled.

The Rear Window system allows deaf or hearing impaired people to follow captions without having them appear on the screen for the entire audience to see. (Another approach, called open captioning, puts the captions directly on the screen.)

Rear Window systems are used by several movie theater chains. Carmike Cinemas Inc. marketing director Dale Hurst says the company currently has one system in place in Des Moines, Iowa, following a moviegoer's request for her brother. Regal Entertainment Group uses both open captioning and Rear Window systems at select locations.

The Rear Window system is also available at certain AMC, Crown, Loews, Mann, National Amusements and Imax Corp. theaters across the country, according to Rear Window developer The Media Access Group of WGBH, which is affiliated with Boston-based public broadcaster WGBH.