USI 701–08 Interpreting Services for Students Who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing

To provide equal access to ASU-sponsored educational programs and activities for enrolled students who are deaf/hard-of-hearing

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 United States Code §§ 701–796

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 42 United States Code § 12101 et seq.

Disability Resource Center

ASU provides federally mandated interpreting services and other accommodations for qualified students who are deaf/hard-of-hearing. Services involve a variety of language modes, including American Sign Language (ASL), Pidgin Signed English (PSE), Signed English, Oral, and Computer Aided Real-time Translation (CART) services. These services are provided by qualified staff and hourly staff interpreters, or in some cases, freelance agencies. Deaf/hard-of-hearing students may use available interpreting services and/or have access to FM radio systems.

The university is responsible for funding all interpreting services related to all enrolled degree and nondegree students (graduate or undergraduate). These services are provided for all academic courses and course-related activities such as internships, field trips, and cocurricular activities. If the academic or cocurricular program includes expenses (e.g., travel, per diem, and lodging expenses) beyond the actual cost of the disability accommodation, the sponsoring department is responsible for the extra costs.

Students must provide required disability documentation, which includes a current audiogram. Services are requested in advance through the Disability Resource Center (DRC) disability access consultant.

All student interpreting services requests are processed through the DRC disability access consultant. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis with a priority given to currently enrolled students. Questions about ASU interpreting services may be directed to the DRC disability access consultant responsible for deaf/hard-of-hearing accommodations on that campus.

The need for interpreting services for academic classes takes priority over cocurricular activities and students must follow applicable DRC procedures to submit all requests.

Interpreting services through the DRC are not available for public activities.

Public, self-supporting university units (e.g., Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium) are responsible for providing their own interpreting services for the general public. This includes nonacademic credit and/or fee-based programs, lectures, classes, workshops, conferences, and activities.

Nonuniversity units that need interpreting services for activities or programs not covered by the DRC interpreting services can contact the following agencies:

For additional information about using these services and more, refer to the documents provided by the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACDHH) at http://www.acdhh.org/documents/ca_directory.pdf.

Please check with each agency for its policies on making inquiries about availability and requesting, canceling, and billing for services prior to finalizing any requests. Costs may vary.

See the DRC Web site for detailed information and procedures for accessing services and accommodations available for qualified students at specific ASU campuses and sites.

For more information, see:

1. USI 701–02, “Eligibility for Accommodations—Required Disability Documentation”

   and

2. USI 701–03, “Priority Enrollment for Students with Disabilities.”