Interpreting Guidelines Interpreter Request Form Interpreters Schedule [Interpreters only - login and password required.]

The Office of Disability Services coordinates interpreting services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing students and formally registered with the office. Sign language interpreting is available for classroom and lab requirements and any other required class activity. Documentation of deafness or hearing impairment must be provided to the interpreter coordinator in the Office of Disability Services as well as completion of an initial interview, before interpreting services will be provided for any academic settings.

Students should continue to provide the Coordinator of Interpreting Services with each semester's schedule as soon as they have registered using the priority pre-registration system. This will ensure consistent services and contribute to each student's continuous academic success. If students adhere to all of the following guidelines, interpreting services can be consistently provided during enrollment in West Virginia University. All requests for an interpreter must be approved by the Coordinator of Interpreting Services in the Office of Disability Services.

All of West Virginia University interpreters are interviewed by the Coordinator of Interpreting Services and are selected based on an assessment of interpreter/transliterating skills and experience in a post-secondary setting. West Virginia University employs qualified interpreters both with and without certification however RID certification is always encouraged.

West Virginia University also has a Pilot Program implemented for interpreting services for University affiliated tutors. The Coordinator of Interpreting Services must also approve all requests for interpreters or transcribers under the pilot program. Until further notice the pilot program will operate as follows:

1. The Office of Disability Services will provide each student with one hour of interpreting or transcription services for a tutor per week, per three-hour class.
2. The tutor must be provided by the University or provided by the class instructor and open to all students.
3. It is the student's responsibility to request such interpreting/transcription services within 72 hours of the appointment.
4. All requests must be made by a formal request using the Interpreter Request Form provided by the Office of Disability Services.

Any Questions should be directed to the Coordinator of Interpreting Services in the Office of Disability Services.

Top of Page

Requesting an Interpreter for a WVU Event

West Virginia University's Office of Disability Services provides contracted services for sign language interpreters or transcription services as needed. If you are a faculty or staff member of West Virginia University and have a request for an interpreter or an auxiliary aid for a presentation, meeting, event, or social gathering you can schedule an interpreter/transcriber through the Office of Disability Services by calling (304) 293-6700 or by emailing: WVUTERP@mail.wvu.edu.

Requests for an interpreter are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis with a priority given to currently enrolled students. The need for interpreters for academic classes always takes priority over nonacademic activities, however the interpreting coordinator will make every effort to work with you to ensure that your interpreting needs are met. Various University departments are financially responsible for providing their own interpreter services for the general public, however they should be contracted through the West Virginia University Office of Disability Services. This includes nonacademic credit and/or fee-based programs, lectures, classes, workshops, conferences, and activities.

Currently, West Virginia University's has four qualified interpreters on staff all of whom are selected based on an assessment of their interpreter/transliterating skills, experience in a post-secondary setting, and the ability to handle discourse at this level. The Office of Disability Services employs certified and non-certified interpreters although Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf (RID) certification is encouraged. West Virginia University also employees qualified interpreters for substitute needs through Mountaineer Temporary Services, however all services are contracted through the Office of Disability Services.

West Virginia University interpreters are paid according to skill level varying from $7.50 an hour to $30.00 an hour. When scheduling an interpreter, you will want to discuss your needs with the interpreting coordinator to best determine the needed skill level of the interpreter as well as the number of interpreters needed. Again, you can schedule an interpreter for various needs by calling the Office of Disability Services at 304-293-6700 or by email at WVUTERP@mail.wvu.edu.

Top of Page

Guidelines for Receiving Interpreting Services

West Virginia University's auxiliary services are by the Office of Disability Services under the direction of the President's Office for Social Justice Office. Documentation of deafness or hearing impairment must be provided to your counselor or the interpreter coordinator in the Office of Disability Services. Students must complete an initial interview to review policies and procedures for accommodations before interpreting services will be provided for any academic setting. Students should continue to provide the Interpreting Coordinator with each semester's schedule as soon as they have registered using the priority pre-registration system. This will ensure consistent services and contribute to each student's continuous academic success. Students must adhere to all of the following guidelines so interpreting services can be consistently provided. Any questions should be directed to the interpreting coordinator in the Office of Disability Services.

• All students must register with the Office of Disability Services and provide appropriate documentation of their hearing loss.
  
• Each semester, students must meet with the Interpreting Coordinator to discuss specific interpreting needs with regard to classes and/or the pilot program for interpreting for tutoring sessions. The need for specific meetings or tutorial sessions will be a changing and ongoing process so students should express their needs to the interpreter coordinator as soon as possible to ensure services can be provided.
  
• In the event that interpreter services are needed to fulfill class requirements outside of the classroom, requests need to be made at least five working days in advance. Attempts will be made to honor requests made on shorter notice, with the understanding that interpreters may not be available on such notice. This is also true for requests for interpreter services in advisement situations etc.
  
• In order to achieve the highest level of success, students must provide the Office of Disability Services with their pre-registered class schedule as soon as possible. This will allow plenty of time for scheduling appropriate interpreters. The longer the delay in requesting services the greater the possibility that interpreters will be unavailable.
  
• When a student adds or drops classes in their previously confirmed schedule they need to notify the Interpreting Coordinator as soon as possible. Adherence to this practice will ensure consistent and appropriate services. This is especially true for any changes made to schedules during the first week of classes so that an interpreter can be scheduled as soon as possible.
  
• When a student would like to cancel interpreting services for any reason the student must inform the Interpreting Coordinator as soon as possible so the interpreter can be cancelled. If a student fails to notify the interpreter coordinator when services are not needed, after three such instances, services will not be provided for the scheduled time in question until a meeting with the Interpreting Coordinator is held.
  
• Students need to inform the Interpreting Coordinator when he/she will be arriving late for a scheduled time with an interpreter so that the interpreter(s) can be forewarned. In the event that the Interpreting Coordinator is not notified, the interpreter(s) will wait twenty (20) minutes before leaving.
  
• Interpreters are provided for interpreting services only and will not provide aid in any other capacity that does not meet the definition of interpreting services under the ethical standards of practice under the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. For example, interpreters should not be asked to retrieve notes for a student for a class which they missed.
  
• If a student encounters a conflict with an interpreter, the matter needs to be brought to the attention of the Interpreting Coordinator as soon as possible to ensure a resolution will be initiated and successfully concluded.
  
• If a student believes that an interpreter is not following ethical standards of practice or providing adequate services, the matter needs to be brought to the attention of the interpreter coordinator as soon as possible to ensure satisfactory and consistent services as well as ongoing academic success.

Please click here for a copy of these Guidelines. (Insert copy of Guidelines for Receiving Interpreting Services)

Schedules

This page and information is meant to be accessed only by Sign Language Interpreters employed by West Virginia University. The Office of Disability Services at West Virginia University provides confidentiality to all registered students with regard to disability and accommodations. No one should access or attempt to access the information on this page who is not permitted to do so.

© 2003 West Virginia University
Site Design by WVU Web Services

Last Modified: