FAQ

An American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter is someone trained to translate between spoken English and ASL. Sign language interpreters facilitate communication between people who use sign language and those who do not. The interpreter will convey everything that is being communicated either in a group setting or one-on-one (and in-person or from a distant location using technology).

If you are new to DSPA, please email office@dspa.org with pertinent information, including:

• Assignment date and time (please include time zone)
• Location of the assignment
• Assignment description
• Agenda, website, helpful links, speaker bios, and other resources
• Names of key participants
• Preferred platform for any participants who will be joining remotely
• Billing information
• We look forward to working with you!

If you have worked with us before, please email services@dspa.org with the details of your request.

A two-hour minimum is the industry standard. Interpreters may work multiple places over the span of a day, and much of their time is spent driving from one assignment to another. The two-hour minimum helps compensate them for time spent traveling to and from assignments.

• Length or complexity of the assignment
• Number of participants
• Language needs of participants
• The potential for physical or emotional stress from the assignment
• Industry standards intended to prevent repetitive motion disorder

Yes.

We appreciate requests at any time and will always do our best to accommodate any last-minute needs. Under normal circumstances, however, making your request with 10 business days’ notice gives you the best chance of having a qualified interpreter available.

As with the two-hour minimum, it is considered best practices in some locations to include travel time. When an interpreter charges for their time spent traveling to the job, we pass that along.

A DI or CDI is an individual who is Deaf or hard-of-hearing and has been trained to work as an interpreter. They may be certified (CDI) or pre-certified (DI) and are held to the same code of professional conduct as their hearing interpreter counterparts. Use of a Deaf interpreter may be warranted when the communication needs of the Deaf participant would not be adequately served by the use of a hearing interpreter only. Such instances might include working with:

• sign languages from other countries
• someone with limited communication skills
• someone with nonstandard signed language
• someone with characteristics of Deaf culture not familiar to a hearing interpreter
• someone who relies on regionalized signs or culturally-specific signs that may not be familiar to a hearing interpreter
• some Deaf-Blind individuals

In these situations, a Deaf interpreter will act as a mediator between the hearing interpreter and the Deaf participant, enhancing communication.

No, it is not universal. Sign languages, like all languages, are regionalized. There are national sign languages for most countries across the globe, and within those countries, there are often local dialects.

Our agency has relationships with international interpreters. We can provide services for events in a multitude of countries.

IS is not a true language. It is a contact variety of sign language that is often used in situations where there are large numbers of international Deaf people in attendance. It lacks the nuances and complexities of true languages but can effectively communicate facts and information.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the business’s responsibility to cover the cost of interpreters. Please speak with your tax professionals and legal representatives to discuss your specific situation.

Under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), organizations that provide services or goods to the public are required to make communication accessible no matter how many employees the organization has. Please speak with your legal representative to learn more.

Sign language interpreting requires mastery of two different languages as well as a thorough understanding of the process of interpretation and the ethical considerations of the profession. Interpreters must also be knowledgeable about Deaf and hearing cultures and be able to facilitate cross-cultural understanding. Someone who knows a little sign language is most certainly not qualified for the task. Additionally, if that person wishes to participate in the interaction, he or she will be hard-pressed to do so while trying to facilitate the communication of other participants. The ramifications of inaccurate or unethical interpreting practices can lead to misunderstandings and inaccuracies that could be damaging to the functioning of your team.

If the Deaf person lets you know their preferred accommodation is lip reading or note-writing, then yes. It is up to the person requesting the accommodation to determine the most effective accommodation, so you would need to provide what the Deaf person requests.

There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to interpreting for Deaf-Blind individuals. Members of the Deaf-Blind community are linguistically diverse, and their service needs vary. Some of those services include close/low vision interpreting, one-handed/two-handed tactile interpreting, and/or Pro-tactile interpreting. DSPA has resources to meet a variety of linguistic needs.

People have the right to identify themselves any way they choose, so when in doubt, it is perfectly acceptable to ask the person directly how they identify. Many people who cannot hear and who use sign language to communicate will identify themselves as “deaf” or “Deaf.” The use of capitalization typically designates a strong cultural relationship to the Deaf community.

When using an interpreter, please speak normally, looking at and speaking directly to the Deaf participant. Avoid using statements such as “tell him” and asking the interpreter for information about the Deaf participant. Names of people, places, or jargon should be communicated clearly and may take an extra minute to be interpreted. Please avoid speaking in an unnatural cadence or volume. Understand the interpreter will need time to process both languages. This may mean the interpreter is still signing after you are done speaking and that they do not immediately begin voicing when the Deaf person begins signing. This is a normal function of the interpretation process and is no cause for concern.

The role of the interpreter is to provide equal access communication. You should treat the Deaf participant just the same as you would a hearing participant. If there is something you wish to keep private, it would be best to not speak it out loud in front of the Deaf person. Telling an interpreter, “Don’t interpret this part,” is considered oppressive and offensive to the Deaf community. Additionally, as part of their Code of Professional Conduct, an interpreter cannot change or omit any communication.

Generally, yes. The first guiding principle of the Interpreter’s Code of Professional Conduct states: Confidentiality is highly valued by consumers and is essential to protecting all involved. Each interpreting situation (e.g., elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education, legal, medical, mental health) has a standard of confidentiality. Under the reasonable interpreter standard, professional interpreters are expected to know the general requirements and applicability of various levels of confidentiality. Exceptions to confidentiality include, for example, federal and state laws requiring mandatory reporting of abuse or threats of suicide, or responding to subpoenas.

There are some tax credits available to small businesses to help offset the cost of interpreter services. Please reach out to your tax professional for more information.

Yes, depending on your needs, interpreters can work remotely using videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, Blue Jeans, Google Meet, etc.

Yes, interpreters can be scheduled to interpret an online event such as a webinar or conference. Videoconferencing platforms handle sign language interpreters in different ways, so please include your interpreting team when deciding which platform you will use. Once you have the details of your event, simply send a request and let our coordinators work with you to finalize your coverage.

Often with remote work, for jobs that are over 30 minutes, two interpreters will be required due to the unique and complex nature of remote interpreting. Working remotely is more challenging for ASL interpreters, who often must navigate technical issues such as the Deaf participant’s screen freezing mid-sentence or losing the consumer as other attendees pop in and out of meetings.