Accessibility for live events, without the hardware bill
The ADA expects many venues to provide effective communication for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. PocketStage delivers live captions and clear audio to each attendee's own phone, helping you meet that need for a fraction of the cost of receiver systems and on-site captioners.
What the ADA asks of venues
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, places of public accommodation and public entities are generally expected to provide "auxiliary aids and services" so that communication with people who have hearing disabilities is as effective as communication with everyone else. For spoken presentations, that often means assistive listening and, in many settings, real-time captioning.
The exact obligation depends on the venue, the audience, and the setting, so this page is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. What PocketStage does is make two of those aids, clear audio and live captions, dramatically easier and cheaper to offer at every session.
How PocketStage helps you meet it
Assistive listening on their own earbuds
The speaker's voice streams straight to each attendee's phone and earbuds, cutting through PA echo and room noise. It delivers assistive-listening functionality without issuing, charging, or sanitizing a single receiver.
Real-time captions
Every word appears on screen live, so attendees who are deaf or hard of hearing, and who may not use sign language, can follow a keynote, lecture, or panel in real time.
Live translation, too
Each attendee can read along in the language they choose, which also helps you reach limited-English-proficiency audiences. Translation is included on every plan.
Nothing to check out at a desk
Attendees just scan a QR code and join. There is no equipment counter, no waiver, and no need to disclose a disability to a staff member, which protects their privacy.
Why it costs less
The traditional way to provide assistive listening and captioning carries hardware, rental, and staffing costs at every event. PocketStage replaces most of them with something your audience already owns.
The traditional setup
- Transmitters plus a pool of receiver units to buy up front
- Per-event rental of receiver kits for larger audiences
- Booking on-site CART captioners or interpreters for each session
- Staff time to hand out, collect, charge, and sanitize hardware
- Replacing and upgrading equipment as it ages or goes missing
With PocketStage
- Attendees use the phones and earbuds already in their pockets
- Live captions and translation are built in, with no per-session booking
- Usage-based pricing, so you pay for the minutes you actually use
- Nothing to buy, store, charge, or maintain between events
- One QR code scales from a small room to a large hall
Actual savings depend on your venue and audience. Want a comparison for your event? Talk to us.
Made for
ADA & accessibility questions
Does PocketStage make my event ADA compliant?+
It can be a big part of it, but no single tool guarantees compliance. The ADA expects many venues to provide effective communication for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. PocketStage delivers live captions and clear audio to each attendee's own phone, which helps you meet that need. Full compliance depends on your venue's overall setup, so treat this as a cost-effective tool toward it, not legal advice.
What does the ADA require for spoken presentations?+
In general, places of public accommodation and public entities must provide auxiliary aids and services so communication with people who have hearing disabilities is as effective as with everyone else. For spoken presentations that often means assistive listening and, in many settings, real-time captioning. The specifics depend on the situation, so confirm your obligations with qualified counsel.
Is this an assistive listening system?+
It provides assistive-listening functionality over the devices attendees already carry: clear audio streamed directly to their earbuds, plus live captions. A traditional assistive listening system relies on dedicated receivers you buy and hand out; PocketStage uses each attendee's own phone instead.
Do attendees have to request equipment or disclose a disability?+
No. Anyone can scan the QR code and join in their browser. There is nothing to check out at a desk and no need to identify themselves to staff, which keeps the experience private and dignified.
How accurate are the captions?+
Captions are generated automatically in real time and are highly useful for following along live, but they are not a certified transcript. For safety-critical, legal, or medical settings, pair them with a human captioner.
Make your next event accessible
Start free, no credit card, and add captions and clear audio for your whole audience in minutes.
PocketStage is a tool to help you meet accessibility requirements, not legal advice. Full ADA compliance depends on your venue's overall setup.