Customer FAQ's
General FAQ's
Providing a sign language interpreter or transcriber allows clear, concise, and accurate communication to occur between Deaf, Hard of Hearing individuals and Hearing individuals and takes into account cultural nuances of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Providing equal access reduces confusion, liability, and frustration for all parties involved. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets the standard for providing auxiliary aids and services in support of public accommodation. For more information, please visit this resource from the National Association for the Deaf (NAD) website.
Hourly rates vary based on factors such as complexity, type of assignment, volume of hours, time of services requested as well as the timeliness of the request. In addition, hourly rates will vary depending on if the request is for onsite or our remote services. For information regarding our rates and policies, please contact us at Marketing@HISsign.com.
In support of the federal mandate for businesses to go “green”, all invoices will be submitted via email. You will typically receive an invoice 7 – 10 business days after the assignment occurs. Payments are due within 30 calendar days after receipt. You may remit a check or make an online payment via credit card at http://www.hissign.com/onlinepayment.html.
If your office has a stated cancellation fee for all clients that cancel in an untimely manner, you may be able to apply that to your patient as part of your office policy. However, the ADA law does not permit providers to charge Deaf or hard-of-hearing patients for auxiliary services. You may find this resource from the National Association of the Deaf that provides a Q&A for healthcare providers to be helpful. https://www.nad.org/resources/health-care-and-mental-health-services/health-care-providers/questions-and-answers-for-health-care-providers/
Please make sure you are logging in as the customer. There are three entities that access the system: Interpreters, Customers, and Administrators. When you put in your credentials, make sure it is Customer Access for the Customer Log-in. If you have any further issues, contact us at RequestInterpreter@HISsign.com and we can reset your password.
ASL FAQ's
Deaf individuals have the right to a qualified interpreter. Privacy, ethics, and comfortability of the Deaf individual are concerns that must be recognized, especially in emergency or highly emotional settings. In addition, businesses, and organizations risk liability issues if mistakes, errors, or omissions occur during the encounter. Such risks can negatively impact decisions resulting in serious illness or injury of the Deaf individual as well as fiscal liabilities to your organization. Writing notes does not constitute an effective means of working with a Deaf individual.
Sign language is not universal. American Sign Language (ASL) is the most common form of sign language used in the United States. Like accents in spoken language, regional variations also exist in ASL. In addition, there are several other methods of sign language that have been developed which follow a more English word order. Some of these sign methods are (or have been) called Manually Coded English (MCE), Pidgin Signed English (PSE), and Signed Exact English (SEE). If possible, please ask your Deaf client what mode of interpreting they prefer and include this information in your interpreter request. If you are unsure about the required services, feel free to contact us at RequestInterpreter@HISsign.com. We are here to help!
HIS Sign performs a rigorous screening and evaluation for all interpreters seeking to work with us and provide services to our customers. This screening includes a performance evaluation of signing and voicing skills in three different scenarios in addition to a review to assess ethical and critical thinking abilities. HIS Sign also conducts a comprehensive background check on all our interpreters. Most of our interpreters have obtained certifications at the state and national level. Our experienced Scheduling Department work diligently to match each assignment with the best possible interpreting fit.
Sign language interpreting engages the full body and can create a physical strain on interpreters. In addition to the physical demands, interpreting requires constant mental effort as interpreters constantly receive information, decipher its meaning while disseminating it into the target language. It is general industry practice to team assignments that are 90 minutes or longer, or more complex in nature. HIS Sign reserves the right to determine which assignments require a team. If a team cannot be confirmed, compensation will be rendered at a rate of time and a half for the single interpreter.
Interpreting services are usually billed on an hourly basis with a two-hour minimum and every half hour increment thereafter. Charges are billed per interpreter for teamed assignments. Hourly rates vary based on factors such as complexity, type of assignment, volume of hours, time of services requested, as well as the timeliness of the request. HIS Sign will send an electronic invoice, usually within 7-10 days after the assignment. For information regarding our rates and policies, please contact us at Marketing@HISsign.com.
For onsite requests, in consideration of travel time, preparation of content and scheduling, HIS Sign follows the established industry standard of a two-hour minimum regardless of whether less time is required for the requested appointment.
Virtual Interpreting Services (VIS) can be provided with a one-hour minimum and does not incur travel fees. VIS can be a cost-effective means of providing interpreting services.
Yes! Sign language interpreting services are available both onsite and virtually using our signature (VIS).
There is never too much notice! Interpreters are a scare resource, and often demand exceeds the supply. Although we would like as much notice as possible, we will do our best to try and accommodate any last-minute needs.
If there is a schedule change, you can email Requestinterpreter@hissign.com and our Scheduling Team will be happy to assist you. Please be sure to ask about our cancellation policy when requesting an interpreter. Generally, cancellations within 48 business hours are billable.
We strive to work with interpreters who strictly adhere to the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC). Interpreters must treat all information learned during the interpretation as confidential.
CART FAQ
CART stands for Communication Access Real-time Translation. The CART service is generally referred to as real-time captioning, and results in the display of everything that is being said, word for word on a computer, television, or projection screen. A transcript can also be made available following completion of services.
A trained captioner uses a device (court reporting stenography machine or computer with real-time captioning software) with an internet connection and types in everything that is said. Through the device or software, the captioner is allowed to type up to 260 words per minute with 98% accuracy.
CART can make your event, workshop, classroom, seminar, church service, or meeting accessible to not just those within the Deaf community but to all participants.
CART integrates into most current streaming platforms (MS Teams, Google Meet, Zoom) and devices via an iFrame, picture-in-picture, API Token, or separate browser. Our CART providers can also provide a captioning link for easy access to live-streamed text.
Yes! CART is available onsite and remotely. To receive CART services, you will need the following:
- A computer with an internet connection
- Compatible remote captioning software (provided free of charge).
- A high-quality microphone for use at the service location that connects to the computer or an audio feed from a sound system.
- Computer(s), television(s) or projection screen(s) to connect to the computer in order to allow the consumers to view the captioning.
CART has an onsite minimum of 3 hours and remote minimum of 1 hour. HIS Sign will send an electronic invoice, usually within 7-10 days after the assignment. For information regarding our rates and policies, please contact us at Marketing@HISsign.com.
CART integrates into most current streaming platforms (MS Teams, Google Meet, Zoom) and devices via an iFrame, picture-in-picture, API Token, or separate browser. Our CART providers can also provide a captioning link for easy access to live-streamed text.
Transcripts are included when you request a CART provider. Transcripts will be sent to you within two days after the completion of the assignment. Our CART providers do not edit their transcripts but would be happy to edit for an additional fee.
There is never too much notice! CART captioning is a specialized skill with a limited pool of providers. Although we would like as much notice as possible, we will do our best to try and accommodate any last-minute needs.
If there is a schedule change, you can email RequestInterpreter@HISsign.com and our Scheduling Team will be happy to assist you. Please be sure to ask about our cancellation policy when requesting an interpreter. Generally, cancellations within 48 business hours are billable.