Policies & Procedures for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
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At California State University, Stanislaus we strive to offer you the best interpreting services possible. It is hoped that these guidelines will benefit students, faculty, and interpreters to the fullest. Your full cooperation with the following guidelines will be greatly appreciated and will facilitate your needs as hearing impaired students. Interpreters/captioners are provided by Disability Resource Services office (DRS) only for academic related activities for registered students. These policies and procedures may be subject to change.
Requirements to Receive Services
Deaf and /or hearing impaired students registered with DRS must meet with the Disability Advisor each semester to obtain interpreting, captioning, and note-taking services. A student who is new to the campus or program must bring to the initial meeting an audiogram by a licensed audiologist or medical doctor verifying their hearing loss. New students to the program must register at this time. All students must sign a “statement of agreement” to confirm that they have read and understood the policies and procedures.
Real-time captioning services may be authorized for the deaf/hard of hearing students who are not proficient in sign language to keep pace with classroom lectures. These accommodations will be assigned on a case-by-case basis by a DRS advisor in accordance with policy and procedures.
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are available for loan to students each semester. Registered DRS students may check out the equipment and adhere to the guidelines pertaining to its usage.
Requesting an Interpreter & Captioner
Upon completion of WEB registration, submit a copy of your class schedule to the DRS office. It is important that you make your request for services as soon as possible, but with a minimum of 30 days prior to the start of the semester. If less than 30 days or if there are any changes to your schedule after submission to the DRS office it may cause a delay of an interpreter or possibly the inability to provide one for the semester.
- All requests for interpreting/captioning services must be made through the DRS office in writing.
- Interpreting/captioning services will be provided in the following priority: (a) classroom (earliest requests are given first priority) (b) classroom required activities (c) student/professor meetings (d) academic related activities.
- If you need an interpreter/captioner for an out of class academic related activities(s), (i.e. field trips.); please notify DRS of your need. We will do our best to provide an interpreter. At least three week's notice is required. If less than three weeks it may cause a delay in services being provided.
Guidelines for Students Working with Interpreters
- Do not ask interpreters/captioners for their help in your class. The Interpreter/captioner's job is to interpret what the professor and your class members say, and to voice your signing when appropriate. If you need help, ask the professor, or tutoring can be provided through the campus’ Tutoring Center.
- If you wish to speak with the professor after class, first ask the Interpreter if he/she can stay. If not, then make an appointment with the professor and request an interpreter from DRS.
- If you have a problem with your interpreter/captioner, please do not discuss it with other interpreters/captioners or students. Discuss the problem with your interpreter/captioner first. If the situation is not resolved, then bring it to the attention of DRS. This way it will be kept confidential.
- Plan ahead, if you are to make an oral presentation in class, it is important that you practice with the interpreter who will be voicing for you. It is your responsibility to bring in your script or typed speech to DRS to be photocopied for your interpreter.
- Before you make a change in your schedule, (adding and/or dropping a class), please notify the DRS office in writing. This will enable DRS to appropriately schedule interpreting/captioning services. Please note that making changes to your class schedule may result in a delay of interpreter services being provided.
- If you plan to be late for class, please notify the office so we can instruct the Interpreter to wait for you. The interpreters/captioners have been instructed to wait 20 minutes. If you do not arrive within the first 20 minutes, the interpreter/captioner will notify DRS of your absence and fill out a "no-show" form, which will be placed in your file.
- It is the student’s responsibility if there is a need for additional interpreters outside of the classroom, for example: study sessions, workshops, speech preparation, and class preparation to contact DRS and not your interpreter/captioner. DRS has the sole responsibility for scheduling and hiring of an interpreter/captioner.
- Real time captioners normally do not provide notes and/or transcriptions to students, unless approved by DRS.
- It is the student's responsibility to notify DRS to cancel interpreting/captioning services within a minimum of 24 hours if:
- You plan to miss class;
- You are canceling any other academic activity for which an interpreter was requested;
- You know you will be absent from class, notify the office immediately. If you are sick and do not know when you will be well enough to return, the office will cancel interpreting service until you are ready to return class.
- Students who need a note taker in class to compensate for the effects of their disability are strongly urged to fill out the Authorization for Release of Information (faculty liaison blue form) form each semester. A letter will be prepared on the student’s behalf, but will not disclose any confidential information, for each class. The letters can be mailed or hand delivered by the student each semester. It is the student's responsibility to:
- May recruit a note taker him/herself;
- The student must confirm with the instructor to make an announcement asking for a volunteer note taker. The professor will not disclose who the individual is during class, but will ask the volunteer note taker to stay after class to meet the individual;
- If the professor is unsuccessful after two (2) attempts, the student will notify DRS immediately to make arrangements in obtaining a note taker.
- The student may also ask the DRS staff to contact the instructor to make an appropriate announcement if the instructor has not made an attempt.
Free NCR (carbonless) paper will be provided by DRS. Please keep NCR (carbonless) paper with you for emergencies. The student in your class who volunteers to take notes for you may be absent. The person who agrees to substitute that day may not have time or be willing to go to DRS for the NCR carbonless paper.
No-Show Policy
Interpreters are required to wait 20 minutes for students.
If you miss a class or appointment without canceling service in advance, your interpreter will not return until you have notified DRS and request service be resumed. Please note that if you are a “no-show” for your first scheduled class/appointment you will not have services for the remainder of the day. To resume interpreting services you must contact DRS immediately.
After three “no shows”, interpreting/captioning services will be suspended. To reinstate the services, the student must arrange a meeting with a Disability Advisor to discuss the missed scheduled classes and the student’s intentions toward future services usage. The Director of Disability Resource Services will make the final decision regarding reinstatement of services.
The DRS staff is here to help you. As part of a team effort to provide support services to students, think of us as your resource. Please feel free to stop by the office or e-mail DRS with any problem or difficulty, before it grows too large. We would like to make sure that you have the tools you need to make your academic career a success.