Communication Access Accommodations

The DAC works with HandDancer Interpreter Services and a VRI vendor to provide American Sign Language interpretation. ASL services can be requested for classes, meetings, campus events, etc.  

One or two interpreters may be assigned to each class/meeting.  The interpreters will take turns standing near the front of the room or near the speaker to interpret what is being said.  Service providers will not participate in any way and follow strict codes of professional conduct to keep all information confidential. 

To request an interpreter, please reach out to our Communication Access Manager at drscc@wwu.edu. Advanced noticed is sometimes needed to arrange for interpreting services.

Reminders

Please email the Communication Access Manager as far in advance as possible if you will be absent, more than 15 minutes late, or are no longer in need of services for a class/event.  Should there be a pattern of frequent absences without prior communication with the Communication Access Manager, the DAC may request a meeting to discuss effective use of this accommodation.   

Live captioning services can be requested for classes, meetings, events, and other campus-affiliated activities.  Depending on the student’s needs and the environment, the DAC may hire TypeWell transcriptionists, who produce meaning-for-meaning transcripts, or CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation), which produces a verbatim or word-for-word transcript. In either case, the transcriptionist will attend the class or event virtually or in person to allow students to visually access auditory information. 

Generally, 1-2 service providers will be assigned to each class/ event and will do their best to set up on the side of the classroom to avoid interfering.  The service providers will type what is being said into their abbreviation software which the student can access real-time through a unique URL created specifically for them.  Service providers will not participate in any way and follow strict codes of professional conduct to keep all information confidential.  

To request live captioning services, please email drscc@wwu.edu.  Advanced notice is sometimes needed to arrange these services. 

Reminders

Please email the Communication Access Manager as far in advance as possible if you will be absent, more than 15 minutes late, or are no longer in need of services for a class/event.  Should there be a pattern of frequent absences without prior communication with the Communication Access Manager, the DAC may request a meeting to discuss effective use of this accommodation. 

Using a team of in-house transcriptionists and outsourced services, DAC provides closed captioning and audio description services. Closed captions provide a much higher level of accuracy than automated captions and fully convey the meaning presented. When a student receives and utilizes closed captioning accommodations, a notification is sent to the instructor requesting that all content be captioned or sent to the DAC so that it can be captioned in advance. 

The DAC usually has a three-to-five-day turnaround for processing closed captioning requests, but requests should be submitted as soon as possible to ensure timely access.  

All closed captioning requests can be emailed to drscc@wwu.edu. 

The DAC lends FM systems to DAC students who request them. FM systems use radio waves to pass sound from a microphone worn by the speaker to a receiver, which the student can listen through. FM systems helps to reduce background noise, providing clearer audio, which may make it easier for the student to hear.