All you need is a high speed internet connection. A wired connection will give you faster speeds and better video quality, but great video quality is also attainable through wifi.
2) A computer with a webcam
You can use either a desktop or a laptop computer with a webcam. Choose Mac, PC, or Linux. Our system works on any computer. When you login, our system will automatically recognize your webcam if it is insalled correctly. If you're connected properly, you will see a green camera icon next to your username. If you need to purchase a webcam, we recommend the Logitech Pro 9000, which can be found here. If you don't have a laptop available, we can provide one for you at the cost of $450.
For multiple deaf clients/students, clients can share a single laptop or each have their own.
On-Site Interpreting
How it works
1) Request an interpreter
Request an interpreter on the REQUEST page or call us at 1-877-4MY-TERP (1-877-469-8377). We will find an available interpreter in your area and let you know when we have scheduled the interpreter for your appointment. In order to find an available interpreter, we recommend you make your request at least 7 days in advance. Interpreters are typically booked out months in advance.
2) The interpreter shows up at your location and interprets for your deaf client.
The interpreter will show up at your location at the scheduled appointment time. There is a 2-hour minimum charge for the interpreting services. A 2-hour minimum is standard industry practice and all interpreting agencies charge this 2-hour minimum fee for on-site interpreting services. In addition, if the job is longer than 30 minutes, 2 interpreters are typically required (medical jobs are usually an exception.) Pricing varies by region. To see a list of prices by region, visit the PRICING page.
CART Remote Captioning
What is remote C.A.R.T.?
1) Communication Access Real-time Translation
C.A.R.T. is the system used to translate speech into text. A trained operator uses a keyboard or stenography methods to transcribe spoken speech into written text. Remote C.A.R.T. allows the operator to be located anywhere in the country. The captioning is then viewable on a computer connected to the internet.
2) What is needed for remote C.A.R.T. and is it reliable?
A laptop with a webcam is all that is needed to enable a remote C.A.R.T. connection. The microphone in the computer's webcam works excellent and allows the captioner to hear the speaker very well from up to 20 feet away. We issue you a username and password and you login to our website where a connection with the captioner is made. It's that simple!
Americans with Disabilities Act
What is the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a Federal civil rights law. It gives Federal civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in State and local government services, public accommodations, employment, transportation, and telecommunications.
Title I- Employment
Title I requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment-related opportunities available to others. For example, it prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of employment. It restricts questions that can be asked about an applicant's disability before a job offer is made, and it requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship. Religious entities with 15 or more employees are covered under title I.
Title III- Public Accomodations
Title III covers businesses and nonprofit service providers that are public accommodations, privately operated entities offering certain types of courses and examinations, privately operated transportation, and commercial facilities. Public accommodations are private entities who own, lease, lease to, or operate facilities such as restaurants, retail stores, hotels, movie theaters, private schools, convention centers, doctors' offices, homeless shelters, transportation depots, zoos, funeral homes, day care centers, and recreation facilities including sports stadiums and fitness clubs. Transportation services provided by private entities are also covered by title III.
Public accommodations must comply with basic nondiscrimination requirements that prohibit exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment. They also must comply with specific requirements related to architectural standards for new and altered buildings; reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures; effective communication with people with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities; and other access requirements. Additionally, public accommodations must remove barriers in existing buildings where it is easy to do so without much difficulty or expense, given the public accommodation's resources.
Courses and examinations related to professional, educational, or trade-related applications, licensing, certifications, or credentialing must be provided in a place and manner accessible to people with disabilities, or alternative accessible arrangements must be offered.
