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 WHEN
WOULD I NEED AN INTERPRETER?
You
may find yourself in situations where you and a deaf person need to communicate,
and the deaf person requests an interpreter. Here are a few settings that
may call for a sign language interpreter:
-
Conferences
Meetings
-
Educational
settings
-
Medical
settings
-
Job
interviews
-
Legal
issues
HOW IS MY
INTERPRETER CHOSEN?
We
analyze your specific needs and compare them with the skills, preferences and
schedules of our interpreters. To make this the best possible match, think
about possible circumstances within your setting:
-
Is
technical jargon used?
-
Is
the content highly personal or emotionally charged?
-
Are
you using overheads or videos? Are they captioned?
LAW AND
INTERPRETERS
The
Americans with Disabilities Act requires access to effective means of
communication. For many deaf people, this means the use of qualified
interpreters. State of Illinois law requires that interpreters register their
credentials with the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission. By using CHS,
you can be sure that our interpreters meet these requirements.
CODE OF
ETHICS
Chicago Hearing Society interpreters and office staff adhere to a strict code of
ethics, which requires confidentiality. Interpreters must exercise full
discretion in accepting assignments regarding level of skill and other
appropriate behavior. Interpreters must remain neutral. It is important for all
parties—hearing and deaf—to understand that the interpreter is there to
facilitate communication between people, not to take sides, advise, support, or
do anyone else's job.
HOW DO I
REQUEST AN INTERPRETER?
As
soon as you know you need an interpreter, call Chicago Hearing Society
Interpreter Services at: 773-248-9121
ext. 311 or 312 (Voice) or 773-248-9174 (TTY) or email us at
chsinterp@anixter.org. Outside the
Chicago metro area call toll-free 877-247-4600 (Voice). Information you'll need to
provide us includes:
-
Date
and time of event
-
Exact
location of event
-
Name
and phone number of contact person
-
Names
of deaf participants
-
Detailed
description of event
-
Billing
information
-
Printed
material used at the event
Or,
click here to access forms and
applications online.
EMERGENCIES
/ AFTER HOURS
After business hours and on weekends, our Emergency Coordinator can take
requests through the voicemail paging system: 312-939-8999 (Voice) or
chsinterp@tmail.com. Outside the
Chicago metro area, call toll-free 877-247-4600 (Voice).
POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES
Minimum
Billing: Two hours for all assignments. Team Interpreting: Depending on the
nature and length of the assignment, you may need two or more interpreters.
Cancellations: Cancellations made less than 48 hours before the assignment are
billable in full. Cancellations must be made during business hours.
OTHER
RELATED CHS SERVICES
Chicago
Hearing Society can also arrange for the following related services:
-
Computer-assisted,
real-time captioning
-
Oral
interpreting
-
Deaf-Blind
tactile interpreting
-
Relay
interpreting
-
Trilingual
interpreting
-
Special
services for conferences
-
Consulting
TIPS ON
WORKING WITH AN INTERPRETER
When
working with an interpreter, you should:
-
Ask
the interpreter how you can best accommodate his or her needs.
-
Speak
directly to the deaf person or the presenter. Never say to the
interpreter, “Tell him ...” or “Tell her ...”
-
Speak
at a normal pace and in a tone appropriate to the situation.
-
Ensure
that only one person is talking at a time.
-
Make
sure deaf participants face the interpreter and have an unobstructed line
of view.
-
If
you have printed materials to distribute, provide an extra copy for the
interpreter.
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Interpreter Referral Service page 1
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