Communication Access Resources

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Accessible Interactions

It's only a matter of time before you have a student in your class or in front of your desk at your student service office that communicates differently than you. Remember that each student has specific communication preferences, and give them space to let you know what they need. Students who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing may prefer to communicate through sign language, using speech and lip reading, or through written/typed means. Providing various types of communication ensures that the student has access to the materials and services of our college. Specific considerations when working with students who have communication access needs include:

  • Making direct eye contact as you speak to the person.
  • Follow any communication cues the person gives; like writing on a piece of paper, or reading a note they may have typed in their phone.
  • Enable the Live Transcript in all online Zoom meetings, whether you know someone has a hearing disability or not. It provides better access to anyone that uses captions.
  • When presenting information, try to speak facing the student and not toward the board or off camera.
  • Pace the information in a way that allows the student breaks to process and ask questions.
  • Provide any additional information or instructions in written form, if possible.

Accommodations may need to be provided for a student to fully engage with our college’s services and course offerings. It may be in a classroom setting, participation in a student life event, or accessing additional student support services. Those accommodations could be for the provision of American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, live CART captioning, or post-production captioning of recorded materials. 

CART (Captioning)

Live CART services, Communication Access Real-time Translation, may be needed in your classroom to ensure the student has access to the information being presented. That means a captioner will be providing the student with an accurate live transcript of the dialog in the class.

EvCC typically uses remote CART services, which makes things easy in our current online environment. In the physical classroom, it means your student might arrive with a laptop and a microphone for you to wear during the lecture. Those microphones have the ability to mute for conversations that you do not want transcribed by the captioner.

Using CART:

CART stands for Communication Access Real Time Captioning.

  • The student will bring a tablet or laptop checked out from the CDS Office. A wireless microphone will need to be clipped onto the instructor. The microphone will relay the instructor’s voice to a real-time captioner who will be typing out the transcript of the class in real-time to the student.
  • Please repeat questions from the class, as the captioner will most likely not be able to hear other students in the classroom.  If group discussions are a common occurrence in your classroom, please discuss with the CDS for microphone alternatives.
  • After class, the tablet or laptop AND microphone must be returned to the CDS office to be charged for the next class. The microphone only has about 2 hours of use per charge.
  • The CDS Office will make arrangements for the equipment to be returned.

Interpreting

EvCC provides interpreters for students.

Please teach your class as you would usually, the interpreters will capture the lecture and class discussion, and communicate what the student is signing.  The interpreters may request to have you slow down the lecture.

When communicating with an individual who utilizes interpreters, please remember to face and communicate directly with the student, not the interpreter. 

Please communicate any classroom schedule or location changes to the CDS Office as soon as possible.

  • Sign language interpreters are highly skilled professionals who have studied American Sign Language and interpretation for many years. At EvCC we use interpreters who are nationally certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) to ensure the highest level of expertise and professionalism.
  • Interpreters pledge to abide by a code of professional conduct dictated by the RID that requires adherence to strict standards of confidentiality, neutrality, professionalism, and respect for consumers (including students, professors, TAs, staff, and other interpreters). RID Code of Professional Conduct
  • Interpreters cannot answer personal questions about the student, interject personal opinions, or assist a student with schoolwork. They are there strictly to translate what is being said. Address questions or comments regarding the Deaf student directly to the student.
  • Interpreters should not be expected to hand out papers, take notes, participate in discussions, or attend class when the student is absent.
  • Interpreters often work in teams. If classes are more than an hour in length or content is complex, there will be two interpreters in the class. One will be up front near you interpreting, while the other is watching visuals and listening in order to assist the primary interpreter with cues as needed.  They will switch every 15-20 minutes.
  • Interpreters are there to provide communication access for the student, the professor, and the class.

Tips For The Classroom

If you have never interacted with a deaf or hard of hearing student, you may be unsure how to best communicate or what to expect.  Here is some information that may be helpful. 

Expectations:

All Deaf/hard of hearing students are unique and may require different accommodations. They may or may not:

  • Communicate through a sign language interpreter. 
  • Communicate through a captionist.
  • Speak for themselves.
  • Be skilled lip readers.

Useful Facts:

  • Lipreading: Despite what you may have seen in the movies, many deaf people do not lipread at all, as only about 35% of what is spoken is visible on the lips.
  • American Sign Language (ASL): Linguistically, ASL is a separate language from English with its own syntax and grammar. It takes the same amount of study to become fluent in ASL as it does to master a spoken language.
  • The student in your class may be using sign language interpreters. Sign language interpreters help bridge the communication gap by listening in class and translating lectures and discussions into sign language. They also translate the student's signed communication into spoken English when the student is called upon, has a comment or question, or makes a presentation.
  • The student may or may not speak for him/herself.  Even if sign language interpreters are present, the student may choose to speak for him/herself when commenting or responding to questions in class.

Ensuring Successful Classroom Communication

Most Importantly! Speak directly to the student, not to the interpreter. A common mistake is to say, "Tell her . . ." or "Ask him . . .." Instead, make eye contact with and speak directly to the Deaf student as though the interpreter is not present. This shows the person respect and helps develop the student/teacher relationship.

  • Expect lag time: Wait for interpretation and response before continuing to speak.
  • The speaker and interpreter should be in the same line of vision for the student. Interpreters may ask you where you are sitting or standing in order to be seated near you. Make sure you do not stand between the interpreter and the Deaf student.
  • Deaf and hard of hearing students may request seating in the front of the classroom, near to and facing the instructor to ensure optimal use of visual clues (lipreading, facial expressions, gestures).
  • Check lighting. Avoid standing in front of windows as the glare interferes with sight. If you are darkening a room for a program (e.g., a slide presentation), make sure you have a lighted area for the interpreter near the screen so the Deaf student can see both the presentation and the interpreter.
  • Give any class materials and handouts to students and interpreters, and do this in advance whenever possible.
  • Advanced copies of lecture notes, technical terms, hand-outs, speeches, audio recordings, song lyrics, websites, PowerPoint slides, and other materials will help orient the Deaf student and allow the interpreter to better prepare to translate the class content. 
  • The CDS attempts to assign interpreters with university degrees and knowledge of the course content in addition to their sign language skills. However, for complex material, interpreters often have to prepare outside of class just as students do.
  • Whenever possible, please repeat questions before answering. It may be difficult for the interpreter to hear the questions, especially in a large lecture hall.
  • If there is a group discussion, consider the best way to facilitate inclusion of the Deaf student. Remember there is a lag time when using an interpreter; allow time for the student to have a chance to respond.
  • If you plan to read something aloud in class, provide the student and the interpreter with a copy before you begin.
  • When reading aloud, people often tend to speak faster than normal. This may affect the interpreter's translation of the material. If possible, try to slow down a bit when reading.
  • You should also be aware that translation into ASL without seeing the written copy may affect the student in terms of the expectation for any exercise associated with the reading.
  • Emphasize important information such as assignment or schedule changes by writing details on a chalkboard and/or providing written handouts.

Captioning for Remote Live Lectures

If your student does not also have CART services, live lecture captioning may also be beneficial in allowing this student better access to the presented information. For EACH live lecture session through Zoom, the meeting host needs to Enable the Live Transcript so students can access the captions on their end.
Captioning for Videos

All video content provided or linked for the class will need to include accurate captioning or have a transcript provided. This includes closed captioning of any films, video clips or DVDs shown in class. CDS can support faculty with captioning services for students who have this accommodation need.

Captioning

All video content provided or linked for the class will need to include accurate captioning or have a transcript provided. This includes closed captioning of any films, video clips or DVDs shown in class. CDS can support faculty with captioning services for students who have this accommodation need.

Live lecture captioning will also be beneficial in allowing this student better access to the presented information. For EACH live lecture session through Zoom, the meeting host needs to Enable the Live Transcript so students can access the captions on their end.

Classroom Considerations

Expect the same from your Deaf/hard of hearing students as you do other students.

  • If you intend to show movies, slides, or video, be aware that media, in accordance with Federal Law, must be captioned or subtitled.
  • Make sure you check your DVDs, videotapes, and web videos well in advance to determine if they are captioned or not.
  • If you have any concerns as to whether your media has captioning, please contact the CDS Office!
  • Some commercially produced films will have closed captions which can be activated through the media menu or TV remote. If the video has closed captions, there will be a "CC" symbol on the media jacket.  Please contact Media Services or the CDS Office if you need assistance.
  • If you have videos that do not have captions, the CDS Office uses a service that will caption videos with at least 3 weeks advanced notice. Please note that rushed captioning is expensive. Please plan ahead.

Please remember: Each Deaf or hard of hearing student is an individual. Usually, the most effective approach to working with a Deaf or hard of hearing student is to check in with them privately at the beginning of the term to find out what their needs are and how you can best accommodate them. 

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