For those in the city, Yorktown mall is in Lombard, about two hours
travel time from the Loop.  Take a Douglas train to the end of the line
and board a Pace 322 to yorktown.  mary Kozy is a social worker at the
DuPage County Center for Independent Living, which is largely supported
through federal funds.  The center is also located in Lombard.

kelly

from the Chicago Sun-Times

                System aids vision-, hearing-impaired filmgoers

   July 16, 1998

   BY DAN ROZEK SUBURBAN REPORTER

   Mary Kozy goes to movies frequently, but because she is blind, she
   depends on friends or family members to describe the on-screen action.

   On Wednesday, Kozy, a Wheaton resident, tried out a movie-viewing
   system she says makes her ``totally independent'' through a wireless
   headset that provides a running description of what's happening
   on-screen.

   It's part of a sophisticated digital system being tested at the
   Yorktown 18 Theatre in Lombard that offers vision- or hearing-impaired
   patrons a way to enjoy first-run films.

   The experimental system, the first one in the Chicago area, may just
   make Kozy's friends and family members obsolete--at least in the
   theater.

   ``They can watch the movie, and my husband doesn't have to be
   whispering all this stuff to me all through the movie and getting a
   sore throat,'' Kozy, 49, said after Wednesday's preview. ``It's really
   great--I'm totally independent. I can just watch this, and he can
   watch the movie.''

   General Cinema will offer the technology beginning Friday in one of
   the 18 theaters at Yorktown.

   Along with the headsets, the system provides a personal
   closed-captioning screen that hearing-impaired patrons fit into the
   cupholder of their chair so they can see the film's dialogue as it
   flashes across the screen. The writing is projected off a larger
   plastic screen at the rear of the theater.

   Theater officials say the DVS Theatrical and Rear Window Captioning
   systems may bring more hearing- and vision-impaired people to the
   movies.

   ``It's bringing in some customers to our theaters who traditionally
   have not been very strong moviegoers,'' said Brian Callaghan,
   communications manager for General Cinema Theatres, which has
   installed the $15,000 system at three theaters across the country.

   The system will be available at four showings daily of ``Mask of
   Zorro.'' There will be no additional charge to use the special
   equipment, although only about 20 headsets and captioning screens will
   be available.

   The system uses compact discs to provide closed captioning and a
   narrative transmitted to the headsets.

   ``With this technology, this screen, I can see it at the same time as
   it's happening'' on screen, said Jeff Beardsley, 35, of Waukegan, who
   is hearing-impaired. ``It's an improvement.''