How Captions Are Building Confidence at Kambui School for the Deaf

Since May 2025, inABLE’s AI Live Captioning project at Kambui School for the Deaf has been helping make classroom instruction more accessible to Deaf students. As teachers speak, their words appear as real-time captions on a screen, giving students another way to follow lessons, revisit important information and stay connected to classroom discussions.

For Grade 8 student Sharin Keru, the captions have made it easier to follow lessons and keep track of important information. “Before we started using AI Live Captioning, it was sometimes difficult to catch everything the teacher was explaining.”

With captions available during lessons, Sharin can revisit key points and confirm instructions when several ideas are introduced at once. The added support is helping her participate more confidently in class as she works towards her dream of becoming a teacher and supporting other students.

Making learning more accessible

Grade 9 student Danson Mwangi remembers being excited when he first saw his teacher’s words appear on the screen in 2025. “When I first started using live captions in 2025, I was excited because I could see the teacher’s words appearing on the screen as they communicated.”

For Danson, the captions have become a practical learning tool. He can follow instructions, revisit information and complete classroom activities with greater independence. “One thing I can do more easily now is complete classroom activities on my own.”

The benefits extend beyond the classroom. Danson also uses live captions when communicating with family and community members who do not know sign language. This has made everyday interactions easier and created more opportunities for him to participate in conversations outside school. Danson hopes to become a doctor. For him, having better access to classroom instruction is one way technology can support him as he works towards that goal.

Grade 6 student Phelix Njaaga has also found the captions useful, particularly when teachers give several instructions at once.

“The captions help me understand my teachers and participate more in class.”

With this additional support, Phelix says he feels more confident answering questions, taking part in activities and learning alongside his classmates. He is particularly interested in subjects such as science, where new terms and concepts can sometimes be challenging to follow.

Phelix dreams of becoming a doctor and believes that having greater access to classroom instruction is helping him move closer to that ambition.

Technology that supports independence

Teachers at Kambui have also observed changes in the classroom since the introduction of AI Live Captioning. With spoken instruction appearing in written form in real time, students have another way to access lesson content and refer back to important information.

The captions can also reduce the need for repeated explanations and provide additional support during classroom discussions and activities. Regular exposure to written language is further helping students engage with reading and writing as part of their learning.

For Sharin, Danson and Phelix, the value of AI Live Captioning goes beyond the technology itself. It is about having another way to access information, participate in lessons and complete tasks independently.

Their experiences demonstrate how thoughtful use of accessible technology can help remove barriers to classroom participation. When students can access the information being shared, they have greater opportunities to engage, contribute and build confidence in their learning.

As Kambui School for the Deaf continues to explore the potential of AI Live Captioning, the experience offers a practical example of how technology can complement existing approaches to inclusive education and create more accessible learning environments for Deaf students.

Written by Linda Wairegi, Communications and Assistive Technology, and Stephen Koina, inABLE Instructor, Kambui School for the Deaf