What happens when a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience is made truly accessible?

In this conversation, Shari Eberts speaks with Dr. Alison Richard—former Provost of Yale and a leading primatologist—about a recent trip to Madagascar and the Seychelles. While the journey itself was memorable, one thing that stood out was how a simple tool—PowerPoint captions—transformed the experience for participants with hearing loss.Dr. Richard shares her personal journey with hearing loss and reflects on how communication challenges show up in lectures, fieldwork, and group settings.

The discussion highlights how enabling live captions during presentations made it possible to fully participate in lectures, Q&A sessions, and group learning moments—something that is often difficult in traditional environments.

What began as a small request quickly became a powerful example of inclusive design. As Dr. Richard explains, captions didn’t just benefit those with hearing loss—they improved comprehension and engagement for everyone.

The conversation also explores why accessibility tools like captions are still underutilized in academic and professional settings—and how small changes can have a broad impact.

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