Disability Services will work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing and in need of interpreters.  It is imperative that students needing an interpreter contact Disability Services as soon as they know they will be taking a course.  It can take a considerable amount of time to locate a qualified interpreter who can work at the times you need.  Every attempt will be made to locate certified interpreters, but occasionally, non-certified personnel are employed.

To request and utilize interpreter services, you must:

1. Contact Disability Services least 3 weeks (preferably earlier) in advance to request interpreter services.  While every attempt to find an interpreter will be made, requests made less than 3 weeks in advance may be insufficient time to locate an interpreter.  If an interpreter cannot be located, an alternative format will be utilized (ie: volunteer notetaker and/or transcription of the class discussion/lecture).

2. Meet with a representative in Disability Services to discuss your specific interpreting needs.

3. Provide Disability Services with documentation of your disability that contains the following:
   a.)    a diagnosis of the hearing loss and copy of a recent audiogram.
   b.)    a description of the functional limitations.
   c.)    a statement from an audiologist regarding the level of benefit of amplification.

4. Provide Disability Services with your class schedule as soon as you register for classes or preferably before.  This will allow plenty of time for scheduling interpreters.  The longer the delay in requesting services, the greater the possibility that interpreters will be unavailable.

5. Report any difference in the confirmed schedule (as compared with the requested schedule) as soon as possible.

6. Inform Disability Services when interpreter services are not needed (i.e. will not be in class, class is canceled, etc.) so that the interpreter may be canceled.  If you fail to notify Disability Services when services are not needed on 3 such instances, services will be suspended until a meeting with the Director is held.

7. Inform Disability Services during regular business hours at least 1½ hours ahead of time when you will be arriving late so Interpreting Services can be cancelled.  In the event that Disability Services is not notified, the interpreter(s) will wait 20 minutes before leaving.  If you are sufficiently late without warning to warrant the interpreters leaving for 3 classes, services will be suspended until you meet with the Coordinator.

 For additional information or to arrange interpreter services, please contact Disability Services at:

Voice/TDD:(540)-568-6705