ANN ARBOR—Pomp and circumstance will not be the only thing at this year’s Spring Commencement at the University of Michigan. A real time digital display of all the speeches will help the hearing impaired enjoy the ceremony as much as everyone else.

The U-M is the first university ever to use this LED display in an outdoor setting involving so many people. The digital screens will be placed on the ground of Michigan Stadium near the front of the stage. The entire audience will be able to see the 10-inch letters from their seats.

Jacque Dunham, co-director of the Office of University and Development Events, says, “Spring Commencement is a wonderful opportunity to provide state-of-the-art captioning for an audience composed of the whole University community—this service will benefit students and their families and friends with hearing impairments. The University’s goal is to provide each participant and audience member with a full and satisfying experience.”

In past years, an interpreter signed the commencement comments from the stage. Last year, a captioning display was available in the press box, but those sitting there felt isolated from the graduation ceremony.

U-M officials plan on using this same real time captioning program during the Winter Commencement in Crisler Arena, and hope to use it during other student programs and other University buildings.

The Spring Commencement is Saturday (
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