Type:
University Policy
Division:
Student Affairs
Classification:
ACADEMIC & STUDENT AFFAIRS
Contact Phone Number:
503-838-8250
Contact Email Address:
ods@wou.edu
| TITLE | |
| Qualified Interpreter and Interpreter Utilization | |
| POLICY NUMBER | |
| ASA-04-002 | |
| RESPONSIBLE OFFICER | UNIVERSITY CONTACT |
| Vice President for Student Affairs | The Office of Disability Services |
| SUMMARY | |
The Office of Disability Services (ODS) provides reasonable accommodations to ensure that students and community members with disabilities have access to Western Oregon University (WOU) and its programs; through intentional interventions, programs, and services in order that WOU will meet federal requirements, encourage personal growth, and increase effective communication for our students. | |
| APPLICABLE TO | |
| The Office of Disability Services provides reasonable accommodations for people with documented disabilities but access is the responsibility for all students, employees and volunteers of WOU. | |
| DEFINITIONS | |
| AUTHORITY | |
Western Oregon University in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. | |
| FULL STATEMENT OF AUTHORITY | |
|
DEFINITIONS ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act ODS: Office of Disability Services
POLICY STATEMENT The Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities, requires that individuals needing sign language interpreting services receive them from qualified interpreters. The federal regulations define “qualified interpreter” very specifically as, “… an interpreter who is able to interpret effectively, accurately and impartially both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary.” It is the responsibility of the individual who is seeking interpreter services to request such services. Community members and students need to request to the Office of Disability Services. Faculty and staff members need to make their request to the department of Human Resources for Faculty or staff members. Interpreters will interpret the class, which matches the primary language of the class for those who qualify and are approved for accommodations. Interpreters will provide interpretation services for those students, faculty or community members who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing whose primary mode of communication access is American Sign Language or other modes of sign language such as PSE or SEE. For those participants whose native language is English but would prefer to utilize American Sign Language, interpreters will not provide translation or interpretation unless the primary language of the course is American Sign Language. In such circumstances when the primary language source of the classroom is American Sign Language then the interpreters will voice for those who sign and sign for those who do not sign.
PROCEDURES The Office of Disability Services shall coordinate and provide reasonable accommodations for students and community members, upon request. All presentations, forms, and brochures shall be made available in alternate format upon request. | |
| REFERENCED OR RELATED POLICIES | |
| RELEVANT DOCUMENTS AND LINKS | |
| HISTORY | |
|
APPROVAL DATE:
EFFECTIVE DATE: LAST UPDATED: 08/11/2016 HISTORICAL DETAIL NOTES: N/A SOURCE: Previously Referred to as: VPSA-ODS-007 |
|
| FOR POLICY WEBSITE INPUT (public audience keyword search) | |
| interpreting, American Sign Language, ASL | |
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