Even though the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and hard of hearing people still face discrimination in different situations. To address these critical and important gaps, the NAD developed a series of advocacy letters for people from our community to use as a first step to resolve such situations. Note, these letters are not intended to provide legal advice – these letters are for you to educate yourself and others. The NAD hopes these letters help you avoid long legal battles because at the end of the day, providing no access is wrong and is considered discriminatory. If you use these letters and have success, please let us know!
These advocacy letters can help you advocate for your rights. These letters are not a promise of legal representation and using them does not mean that the NAD represents you. We encourage you to download advocacy tips when requesting ASL interpreters (or other accommodations).
Education
Courses and Examinations
Situation: You are a student who has spent a lot of time studying for an exam and now you’re ready to take it. You also contacted the testing center a few weeks ago and asked that they provide a sign language interpreter, but they declined. As you are waiting for the exam to begin, the proctor begins speaking. You don’t know what the proctor is saying and are worried the information is very important.
Results we want instead: When the testing center declines to provide an interpreter, you can share the advocacy letter with the testing center and explain that it is the center’s responsibility to provide and pay for a sign language interpreter for the exam. After reading the letter, the testing center should agree to arrange a qualified interpreter for the exam.
You may want to print and share this letter with places that offer courses and examinations.
Public and Charter Schools
Situation: You are a deaf parent of a hearing child who goes to a public school. Your child will be in a school play that is coming up soon and you’re excited to watch your child perform with their classmates! You asked the school to provide a sign language interpreter, but they declined. Naturally, you’re disappointed because you will still go watch your child, but you won’t understand anything.
Results we want instead: When the school declines to provide an interpreter, you can share the advocacy letter with the school and explain that it’s the school’s responsibility to provide an interpreter for the school play. After reading the letter, the school should agree to provide a qualified interpreter and, as the parent, you are able to enjoy your child’s performance.
This letter is for deaf or hard of hearing students or parents/guardians of a student attending a public or charter school. You may want to print and share this letter with your public or charter school.
Families Seeking Accessible K-12 Remote Education During COVID-19
Due to COVID-19, some schools may have closed their classrooms and switched to teaching students remotely. It is important that deaf and hard of hearing students have full access to their classes and education, even if it is remotely provided. It is also important for deaf and hard of hearing parents or families to have equal access to information from schools. This advocacy letter is to help families advocate for what they need during these times when their deaf or hard of hearing child receives remote K-12 education.
Tours
Guided Tours
Situation: You are visiting a town that has historical homes dating back to the Civil War. You learn that there is a company that provides tours by a knowledgeable guide who can take you on a tour, sharing fascinating history about the homes. You contact the company to book your tour and request a sign language interpreter. The company responds that you are responsible to bring your own interpreter.
Results we want instead: You share the advocacy letter with the tour company. After reading the letter, the tour company understands their responsibility and agrees to provide a qualified interpreter.
You may want to print and share this letter with places that offer guided tours.
Justice and Law Enforcement
Courts
Situation: You filed a lawsuit and need to go to court. You contacted the court a few weeks ago and requested an ASL interpreter. The court responded that they would look into it. When you show up in court, there’s no ASL interpreter.
Results we want instead: You or your lawyer should share the advocacy letter with the court and the court should agree to provide qualified sign language interpreters. The court proceedings may have to be postponed so that an interpreter can be there. It is important that you have access to all the information exchanged during court.
You may want to print and share this letter with state, county, municipal, administrative, and other courts. [ASL Translation available]
Attorneys or Lawyers
Situation: You were just denied accommodations by your employer, and you want to consult with an employment discrimination attorney about what happened. You find an attorney that you feel comfortable with and schedule a consultation. You also ask the attorney to provide a sign language interpreter and the attorney agrees but tells you that you have to pay for the interpreter.
Results we want instead: Once you share the advocacy letter with the attorney, the attorney agrees to cover the cost of interpreter services for all meetings with you.
You may want to print and share this letter with your lawyers or attorneys. You may have your lawyers or attorneys contact the NAD for more information about the rights of deaf and hard of hearing people.
Police
Situation: You have been the victim of a crime and need to go to the police station to file a report. You call the station and ask the police to provide an interpreter. The police agree, but when you arrive at the station you learn that the “interpreter” is really a police officer who only knows a few signs.
Results we want instead: You share the advocacy letter with the police, and they understand that they must provide a qualified professional sign language interpreter when it is necessary for effective communication. The police schedule a qualified professional sign language interpreter, and you are able to effectively communicate with the police to file the report.
You may want to print and share this letter with your local police department.
Parole and Probation Offices
Situation: You need to meet with your parole officer about your curfew. You make an appointment and request a sign language interpreter. The officer responds that they don’t provide interpreters, but that you may bring a family or friend with you to help interpret.
Results we want instead: You share the advocacy letter with the parole officer, and they agree to provide a qualified professional sign language interpreter for the meeting. You are able to understand important information about your curfew and avoid a parole violation.
You may wish to print and share this letter with your parole or probation office.
Camps, Events, and Entertainment
Camps
You may want to print and share this letter with the camp.
Festivals and Concerts
Situation: You saved up and bought tickets to see your favorite performer at a concert. This performer has not had a concert in years, so this is a big deal! You contact the venue and ask for an interpreter. The venue responds that they do not provide interpreters and refunds your ticket.
Results we want instead: You enjoy concerts and festivals as much as everyone else! When the venue refuses to provide an interpreter, you share the advocacy letter with the venue. The venue then understands their obligations and agrees to provide qualified sign language interpreters for the concert.
You may want to print and share this letter with hosts of events such as festivals and concerts.
Theaters and Concert Halls
Situation: Your favorite actor is going to star in one of your favorite plays. You coordinate with a friend and buy your tickets. You also contact the theater to ask them to provide captioning for the play. The theater responds that they don’t have a captioning device and refunds your ticket.
Results we want instead: When the theater declines to provide captioning, you send them the advocacy letter. The theater understands their obligations and agrees to contact a captioning service to ensure that captions are provided for you to enjoy the show with your friend.
You may want to print and share this letter with theaters, concert halls, or other places of entertainment.
Conferences, Conventions, Workshops
Situation: You are a deaf doctor and attend several conferences every year. These conferences are a great opportunity to learn more about your field and meet other doctors and professionals. You book your trip and contact the conference hosts to request interpreters. The conference hosts agree to provide an interpreter for a few workshops, but not for all workshops and nor for other conference events.
Results we want instead: After reading the advocacy letter that you shared, the conference host understands that they shouldn’t limit your participation in the conference by offering to provide sign language interpreters for just a few workshops. The conference host agrees to provide a qualified sign language interpreter for all workshops and any other events at the conference in which you wish to participate.
You may want to print and share this letter with hosts of conferences, conventions, and workshops.
Cruise Ships
Situation: Your family booked their first cruise trip and you’re all looking forward to this vacation. You find out that there will be many shows and events during the cruise, and evening drills to brief passengers on safety protocol. You know that you’ll need a sign language interpreter to understand everything. You contact the cruise company to request a sign language interpreter for the trip. The cruise company refuses to provide an interpreter and asks if any of your family members can interpret for you.
Results we want instead: When you share the advocacy letter with the cruise ship, they understand their responsibility and agree to provide a qualified sign language interpreter for the trip. You are able to enjoy and participate in all of the events during the trip and don’t miss out on important safety instructions.
You may want to print and share this letter with a passenger vessel such as a cruise ship.
Museums, Libraries, and Galleries
Situation: You are looking forward to a presentation and book signing by your favorite author at your local library. You ask the library to provide an ASL interpreter for this exciting event. The library responds that they do not provide interpreter services.
Situation: You are looking forward to a presentation and book signing by your favorite author at your local library. You ask the library to provide an ASL interpreter for this exciting event. The library responds that they do not provide interpreter services.
You may want to print and share this letter with museums, libraries, galleries, and other places of public display or collection.
Healthcare
COVID-19: Medical Communication Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
You may want to use these guidelines when faced with a medical situation during COVID-19.
COVID-19: Video-Based Telehealth Accessibility for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Patients
You may want to use these guidelines when you have a Telehealth appointment with your doctor during COVID-19.
Long-Term Care Facilities
Situation: Your deaf grandfather is in a nursing home. When you visit, he tells you that he struggles to communicate with the nurses and he has been unable to participate in the fun activities provided by the nursing home, such as bingo night. You contact the nursing home administrators and ask that they provide a sign language interpreter for your grandfather. They decline.
Results we want instead: After reading the advocacy letter that you shared, the nursing home understands their responsibility and provides qualified sign language interpreters for their residents who need them. Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and hard of hearing residents must be able to communicate with their nurses, doctors, and other staff at the nursing home and be able to participate in all events and activities provided by the facility.
You may want to print and share this letter with long-term care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and other similar facilities.
Healthcare Providers
Situation: You schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor and email the office to request a sign language interpreter. The office confirms that they will provide an interpreter. A few hours before your appointment, you had a family emergency – you call the office to reschedule your appointment. Later, you receive a bill from the office for the interpreter’s cancellation fee.
Results we want instead: You share the advocacy letter with the doctor’s office, and they understand that they cannot charge you for any of the interpreter’s fees including the cancellation fee. They waive the bill.
You may want to print and share this letter with your healthcare providers, including clinics, doctor’s offices, and hospitals.
Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) in Healthcare Settings
Situation: You scheduled a doctor’s appointment and asked for an interpreter. The doctor agrees to provide an interpreter but when you arrive at your appointment you realize that they set up a Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) monitor for your appointment. The office tells you that they will not provide in-person interpreters anymore. You agree to try using VRI, but it does not work well, the image is choppy, the interpreter has a hard time understanding the doctor as their audio is not clear, and the doctor and the interpreter struggle to understand each other. You are unable to communicate with your doctor.
Results we want instead: Only when qualified on-site interpreters are unavailable in urgent matters should providers consider VRI services to “fill the gap”, sometimes even temporarily until an on-site interpreter is available. If VRI services are not effective and you are not able to understand or they cannot understand you, healthcare providers must furnish an on-site interpreter promptly.
You may want to print and share this letter about best practices in the use of VRI with your healthcare providers, including clinics, doctor’s offices, and hospitals.
Download your VRI wallet card!
Businesses
Remote Employment During COVID-19
By law, your boss must still accommodate you even if you work from home. You may want to use these guidelines when working remotely during COVID-19.
Real Estate Professionals and Entities
Situation: You and your partner are searching for a new home for your growing family. You see that there is a realtor service with listings that interest you. You make an appointment to meet with the realtor and ask them to provide a sign language interpreter. The realtor responds that they do not have access to an interpreter.
Results we want instead: When the realtor declines to provide interpreter services, you share the advocacy letter along with a list of local interpreters and agencies. After reading the letter, the realtor understands their responsibility and agrees to provide a qualified interpreter for the meeting.
You may want to print and share this letter with your real estate agents, brokers, realtors, new home sales companies, mortgage lenders, settlement companies, and all other real estate professionals and entities.
Televisions in Public Places
Situation: You walk into a bar with friends to watch a game. There are many TV screens showing different games, but none of them have captions turned on. You call over the bartender and ask them to turn on the captioning on all the TVs. The bartender calls over the manager who tells you that they can’t turn on the captioning because it is too distracting for their hearing customers.
Results we want instead: When the manager declines to turn on the captioning, you share the advocacy letter with the manager. After reading the letter, the manager understands and turns on the captions for the TVs. You and your friends can enjoy any games on the TVs and continue cheering for your favorite teams.
You may want to print and share this letter with businesses such as bars, restaurants, gyms, hotels, and sports venues to request that they turn on the closed captioning on any television that is in use during regular hours in any public area.
Relay Services
Businesses and other Places of Public Accommodation: Accepting calls placed through Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)
Situation: You call your local salon via Video Relay Services (VRS) on your videophone to make an appointment for a haircut. Every time you call, the salon staff think that your call is a scam and hang up on you.
Results we want instead: You share the advocacy letter with the salon and educate the salon staff on the use of relay services. Salon staff understand and accept all relay calls and no longer hang up on you.
You may want to print and share this letter with a business or other place of public accommodation to help them understand their responsibility to accept your relay calls.
Message to Businesses: Don’t Hang Up!
Banks and Lending Institutions: Accepting calls placed through Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS)
Situation: You need to call your bank to ask about your account. You use your videophone to call through Video Relay Services (VRS). When you connect with a bank representative, the representative tells you that they cannot proceed with the call because of the relay interpreter and the bank’s policy does not permit third parties in the call.
Results we want instead: You share the advocacy letter with the bank and the bank understands that they must accept the call with the relay interpreter. The deaf person is able to successfully and securely communicate with the bank representative about their account.
You may want to print and share this letter with your bank or lending institution to help them understand their responsibility to accept your relay calls. [ASL Video]