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| Health Care Providers
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Trade Shows, Marketing Events
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Concern: We want to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment of our Deaf patients. We want to avoid any unnecessary or potentially dangerous mistakes from occurring.
Response: The health concerns of an individual may be accessed with ease when you speak the right language. For most Deaf individuals, the language is American Sign Language (ASL). Through the use of professional sign language interpreters skilled in the interpretation of English and ASL, Deaf and hearing people can ask questions, express more concerns and receive more information this enables accurate and quality healthcare, avoiding the frustration that can come with miscommunication. The Deaf patient then has the ability to participate in their healthcare treatment and to make decisions that affect their treatment.
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all health care providers to remove barriers to communication and to provide auxiliary aids to enable a person with disabilities to communicate effectively. This means providing visual fire alarms in buildings, TTY's where there are phones, and interpreters for communication between health care professionals and Deaf patients or family members. Failure to establish effective communication may expose health care providers to liability for medical malpractice.
Sign Language Interpreting Professionals can be the auxiliary aid that enables effective communication to be established.
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Concern: We are not reaching a potential group of consumers who may be interested in the product and/or services we have to offer.
Response: Deaf individuals are customers, they own businesses, they belong to organizations and they spend money.
Trade Shows, Exhibitions, and Marketing Events are designed to attract customers and patrons with a common interest in areas such as automobiles, RV's, gardening, crafts, cultures, or careers. At these events, consumers, businesses, and organizations communicate about themselves, their products and services. Informational workshops or demonstrations may be conducted and announcements may be broadcast using a public address system.
The ADA requires private businesses and organizations to provide auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication with Deaf or hard of hearing attendees so they may enjoy an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from those events.
Sign Language Interpreting Professionals can be the auxiliary aid that ensures effective communication so equal participation and benefit is available to Deaf consumers and patrons.
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| Attorneys
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Employers |
Concern: I have been contacted by a potential client who is Deaf. Without effective communication, I will be unable to provide zealous representation with maximum results.
Response: The Constitution of the United States guarantees all citizens, hearing and Deaf, the right to due process. The interaction/communication between a client and attorney are an important part of that process. With the exchange of clear and accurate information, through the use of skilled/highly trained professional sign language interpreters, effective communication can occur. This allows the Deaf client to participate in and make decisions regarding their legal matters.
An attorney who fails to communicate effectively with a client not only opens his practice to legal liability, but also fails to meet his/her duty of competent and zealous representation under the Canons of Ethics.
Sign Language Interpreting Professionals contribute to the statutory duty to provide effective communication to Deaf clients.
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Concern: We want to ensure that our employee is able to participate fully in our staff meetings and trainings. We want to avoid miscommunication that can cause frustration while at work.
Response: The full potential, energy, creativity, and dedication of any employee may be accessed when the employee is allowed to feel completely included. Staff meetings and trainings are full of communicated information that allows employees to actively and completely be involved in their employment. Access to this communication affords those employees who are Deaf the ability to fully participate in all aspects of their job. Avoiding frustration that can come with miscommunication, Deaf and hearing co-workers can successfully work together for the good of the company.
Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires companies with 15 or more employees to not discriminate on the basis of a disability but to provide the necessary accommodations to those individuals so that they may equally gain employment.
Sign Language Interpreting Professionals can be considered an accommodation so that Deaf employees can participate equally in employment opportunities.
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