The ODS makes every effort to secure appropriate providers and classroom technology for deaf and hard of hearing students, when such services are needed.

Examples of providers and supports include the following:

• American Sign Language Interpreters
• Transliterators
• Captioning-Print (C-Print) and Communications Access Real-Time Translation (CART) Captionists
• FM Systems

Providers play a crucial role in making our educational environment accessible, and are relied on by members of the College community (students, faculty and staff) to relay information accurately and intelligibly to and from deaf and hard of hearing students.

Please visit our Interpreting, Transcription, Real Time Captioning, and FM Hearing Systems page for additional information pertaining to:

• Speech Captioning Services and Technology (C-Print and CART)
• Frequency Modulation (FM) Systems
• Provider Definitions/Certifications
• Interpreter Standards of Conduct
• Student's Responsibilities to Interpreters
• Student's Responsibilities to Disability Services

Working with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing

• Hearing loss affects a person’s ability to receive information through sound; therefore, deaf people depend heavily on their eyes to understand what is being said.
• Be aware that each individual who is deaf or hard of hearing is different; what one individual prefers may not be the same as what another would prefer.
• To get an individual’s attention, lightly tapping the shoulder or arm, tapping the desk flicking the lights off and on once, or waving your hand gently in the person’s direction are perfectly acceptable.
• Be aware that inadequate lighting may interfere with communication. Also, try to avoid standing in front of a window where glare might inhibit visibility.
• To establish rapport, face the individual when speaking and maintain eye contact with him/her (not with the interpreter).
• Speak and enunciate clearly and normally; don’t exaggerate your lip movements.
• Use pencil and paper to write your message, if you want, or use other visual aids.
• The native language of many Deaf individuals is American Sign Language (ASL) which has a different grammatical structure than English.

The interpreter’s role

• Interpreters facilitate communication/exchange of information between all individuals in the classroom. To accomplish this, the interpreter will position him/herself between you and the student, usually in the front of the classroom. Usually the interpreter will sit, but occasionally she will stand and/or "shadow" you (following you to a far side of the room if you are showing the class something, for example), depending on the situation.
• The interpreter will translate/interpret everything she hears (from people who are speaking) and sees (from people who are signing); she will not "protect" consumers by censoring.
• Interpreters are neutral parties. They follow a Code of Professional Conduct which requires that they keep confidential any and all information gathered from an interpreting situation. They may not speak on behalf of a student. Nor may they counsel, advise, interject personal opinions or participate (beyond their role as interpreters) in classroom activities.
• Interpreters work best if they have access to the materials that will be covered in class. Thus, it would be extremely helpful if you could provide copies of your syllabus and any handouts, as well as loan extra copies of your textbook(s) to the interpreter. Instructors have been able to request an extra “desk copy” of their text(s) from the publisher for this purpose.
• It is essential that interpreters have sufficient knowledge of the content area to interpret its concepts and vocabulary accurately and meaningfully. Therefore, it is likely that interpreters will need to prepare for assignments by consulting with instructors/presenters, reviewing lecture outlines, reading papers and/or skimming required readings in textbooks, and previewing non-captioned instructional video tapes. Disability Services works directly with the interpreters and instructors to provide the interpreters with the necessary preparatory materials, as well as, access to Moodle.
• Interpreters will only interpret questions from the student to the teacher and vice versa; interpreters will not interpret the printed English test questions.
• When an interpreter is unable to complete a scheduled assignment, he/she will work with the ODS to find an acceptable replacement with the appropriate skills to do the job satisfactorily.
• In the event of a sudden illness or other emergency, the interpreter will notify the student, as well as, work with the ODS to find a substitute. If the assignment requires more than one interpreter and a substitute cannot be found, the remaining interpreter may choose not to work alone. The ODS will notify the student if both interpreters cancel.

Common considerations for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing

• Act and conduct your class as you normally would. Speak at your natural pace; however, be aware that the interpreter must hear and understand a complete thought before proceeding to interpret it. There will be, therefore, a "lag time" that is inherent in any interpreting situation. For this reason, it is important to provide enough time for the student to ask or answer questions.
• Provide for good lighting and an extra chair. If lights must be low (e.g., while showing videos or when using the overhead projector,) you can contact the ODS and we can work to find a lamp to place in the classroom.
• Maintain a primary relationship with your student, not with his/her interpreter. Ask questions and inquire about a student's progress directly to the student.
• Provide a copy of your outline or lecture notes and/or a list of vocabulary words to the student and to the interpreter in advance to facilitate accurate speech reading and assist the interpreter with technical or unusual terms.
• Write important information on the board (e.g., changes in class time, examination dates, assignments)
• Any films/videos shown must have captions. Videos or TV programs that are closed captioned are marked with a “CC,” and are often available. Verify that the captions are in working order by playing the video prior to class.
• If it is not possible to get closed captioned versions, a script could be provided to the student and the interpreter prior to the showing date.
• Ensure time for students to move their eyes from the interpreter to the items being shown so that they do not miss what is being said. When using auxiliary equipment and/or visual aids, as well as those times when students are asked to refer to printed materials that they have at their desks and/or on a computer monitor, it is important to allow for visual tracking and processing time. In other words, it is helpful to allow “viewing time” with no talking, so that the individual can look at the items, and then back at the interpreter once discussion has begun again.
• Let the student and interpreter know far in advance if any “special events” such as field trips, theatrical performances, and/or out-of-class study groups will be scheduled so that interpreter coverage can be arranged.
• In some situations, students who are deaf may request testing accommodations due to their difficulty with written English. If your test/quiz is assessing content as opposed to the student's skills in English, then providing extended time (50% additional time) or having parts of the test interpreted (with the student writing his/her own response) might be appropriate. Since each case is different, please contact the ODS if you would like to discuss this option further.

Web-based training resources

The website of the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes contains some excellent training resources for postsecondary education professionals who are working with students who are deaf or hard of hearing. We highly recommend a visit to this site for those who enjoy doing online learning.