How to Use Interpreters

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#330066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Professional Sign Language Interpreting, Inc.</B></FONT><B>     |   </B><B>  </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Professional Sign Language Interpreting,"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" About Us"><U> About Us</U></A>   |   <B>How to Use Interpreters</B>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Request an Interpreter"><U>Request an Interpreter</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Interpreter Feedback Form"><U>Interpreter Feedback Form</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Emergency Services"><U>Emergency Services</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="VRI Service"><U>VRI Service</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Info for Interpreters"><U>Info for Interpreters</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Helpful Links"><U>Helpful Links</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#330066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div>        <IMG SRC="064984c0.gif" border=0 width="152" height="76" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> What is the A.D.A.?</div> <div> The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) is a law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, including deaf and Hard of Hearing people.  There are four sections in the law: employment, government, public accommodations, and telecommunications.</div> <div> <B>Suggestions for maintaining ADA compliance as it relates to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people include:</B></div> <div> -Allowing Deaf people to choose for themselves the kind of communication they need</div> <div> -Realizing that Deaf people may not be charged for services required under the ADA.</div> <div> -Obtaining a qualified interpreter at any point that communication is required (written or spoken).</div> <div> -Using family members or staff with basic sign competency is NOT the same as qualified interpreters.</div> <div> -Having TTYs and captioning decoders readily available to deaf people..</div> <div> -Training staff to communicate with deaf people visually rather than audibly is helpful.</div> <div> -Posting signs with accessibility information for deaf people.</div> <bR> <div> <B>For more information about the ADA, visit this website:</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.captions.com/deafrigh.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.captions.com/deafrigh.html"><U>http://www.captions.com/deafrigh.html</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=398 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>How to Use Interpreters</I></div> <div> <I><B><U>A sign language interpreter may be used when:</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c866003300.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">clear communication is desired between Deaf and (non-signing) hearing persons.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c866003300.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">wanting to comply with existing laws related to Deaf and Hard of Hearing communication</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>        access (e.g., ADA Section 504, IDEA).</B></I></div> <div> <I><B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c866003300.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">hoping to ensure that important information is accessible to all participants in communication.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>An appropriate setting for a sign language interpreter would include:</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>~ medical/dental                          ~ mental health</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>~ social services                           ~ legal</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>~ business/staff meetings              ~ job training/interviews</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>~ educational                                ~ conferences</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>~ religious                                    ~ entertainment </B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>Paying for  a sign language interpreter:</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990), businesses that provide services to the general public must be accessible to all persons with disabilities.  This means that if your agency or service is accessible to people </B></I><I><B>without</B></I><I><B> disabilites, it must be accessible to people </B></I><I><B>with</B></I><I><B> disabilities.  For Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons, this includes the responsibility to procure and pay for needed sign language interpreting services.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>How and when to request a sign language interpreter:</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The more advanced notice you can provide, preferably at least 48 hours, the better the chance of securing an intepreter.  Requests are taken between 8:30 and 4:30, Monday thru Friday.  Should a last minute need arise, however, please contact us as we are usually able to accommodate such requests.  Requests for regular business hour needs can also be made on this web page--simply link to '</B></I><A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Request an Interpreter"><U><I><B>Request an Interpreter</B></I></U></A><I><B>' page.  Requests for after hours and weekends can be made using our business phone number--more information is available on the link to '</B></I><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Emergency Services"><U><I><B>Emergency Services</B></I></U></A><I><B>' page.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>Service Agreement:</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>When you call or email to request interpreting services, we will send you a Service Agreement outlining our rates and scheduling policies.  Once we have a signature agreeing to abide by these terms and conditions, we will happily begin scheduling interpreters on an individual or ongoing basis.</B></I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="3" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="3" WIDTH="502" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#9999CC" BORDERCOLORDARK="#330066" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#6633CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#9966FF HEIGHT= 94 WIDTH="221"><div> <B>We look forward to working with you!</B></div> <div> <B>Contact us via email at </B></div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:psli@psli.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:psli@psli.net"><U><B>mailto:psli@psli.net</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#9966FF><NOBR><div> <B>PO Box 33557</B></div> <div> <B>Northglenn, CO  80233</B></div> <div> <B>303-920-7330 (Voice)</B></div> <div> <B>1-866-889-8647 (TTY user ID: PSLI)</B></div> <div> <B>303-920-7335 (FAX)</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>