The American disability act (ADA) requires that all businesses provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. According to the National Association of the Deaf, Georgia is home to around 650,000 Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who rely on American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate.
As a business leader in Georgia, it is important for you to ensure that your services are accessible to all customers, including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing. One of the key ways to ensure accessibility is through the use of ASL services.
In this post, we’ll explore the role of nationwide ASL interpreting services in ensuring compliance for your Georgia business.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that allows people with disabilities to have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. It prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transportation, and access to goods and services. So it requires businesses to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities, including those who are Deaf or hard of hearing.
As per the ADA, businesses are required to provide “effective communication” to individuals with disabilities. This means that businesses must provide communication that is as effective as communication with individuals who do not have disabilities. For Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, this often means providing ASL interpreting services.
Benefits of ASL Interpreting Services
Providing ASL interpreting services has several benefits for your business.
- It makes sure that your services are available to all customers, regardless of their hearing ability. This can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, as Deaf and hard of hearing customers will feel valued and included.
- Providing ASL interpreting services will ensure your business complies with ADA. Failure to provide accessibility can result in legal action, including fines and lawsuits.
- Providing ASL interpreting services can help your business reach a wider audience. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals often share information about accessible businesses within their community, which can result in increased business and positive word-of-mouth advertising.
- By providing ASL interpreting services, you can demonstrate your commitment to customer service and inclusivity, which can lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
- By demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, your business can enhance its brand image and reputation, which can attract new customers and strengthen relationships with existing ones.
Nationwide ASL interpreting services
A national ASL interpreting service provides services across multiple locations across the country. These services are usually provided remotely or on-site by a team of qualified ASL interpreters, who facilitate communication between hard of hearing individuals and hearing individuals in a variety of settings.
Why Nationwide ASL interpreting services?
- They can ensure consistent compliance with ADA requirements across all locations and operations, regardless of where they are located in the country.
- They can provide Georgia-specific regulations. While the ADA is a federal law, there may be state-specific regulations that businesses in Georgia need to comply with. Nationwide ASL interpreting service providers typically have expertise in state-specific regulations and requirements, which can help your Georgia business navigate compliance issues more effectively.
- They can provide access to a large network of interpreters. Nationwide ASL interpreting service providers have a large network of interpreters across the country, which can provide businesses in Georgia with more flexibility in scheduling and access to qualified interpreters in different regions.
- Can reduce your administrative burden. By working with a nationwide ASL interpreting service provider, businesses in Georgia can reduce the administrative burden of managing multiple local contracts and relationships with interpreters. This can save time and resources and allow businesses to focus on their core operations.
- Can improve risk management, by ensuring consistent compliance with ADA requirements, businesses in Georgia can improve their risk management and reduce the potential for legal disputes and associated costs.
How to Choose a Nationwide ASL Interpreting Service for Your Business
Choosing the right nationwide ASL interpreting service for your business is important.
Here are some factors to consider when selecting a service:
- Certified and Trained
It’s important to ensure that the interpreting service you choose has certified
interpreters who have completed the necessary training and have the appropriate qualifications. This will help ensure that you are providing effective communication and complying with accessibility laws.
- Availability and Response Time
Having a service that is available on-demand and can respond fast to your requests is key. This will ensure that you can accommodate the needs of your customers who are deaf or hard of hearing without disrupting your business operations.
- Quality
Find a service that has a reputation for providing high-quality interpreting services. You can do this by reading reviews and asking for references from other businesses that have used the service.
- Cost
The cost of the service has to be one that fits within your budget. However, don’t sacrifice quality for cost. Providing effective communication is important for compliance and the customer experience, so it’s worth investing in a quality service that meets your needs.
- Technology
Discover the technology used by the service. The service should use the latest technology to ensure effective communication. This may include video remote interpreting (VRI) or other assistive technologies.
Conclusion
Nationwide ASL interpreting services play a crucial role for your business, an investment in it has many advantages such as inclusivity of all customers, ADA compliance, a wider customer base, commitment to great customer service, and a positive brand image and reputation.
As a Georgia business leader, it’s important to choose a service that provides high-quality interpreting and meets your specific needs.
By selecting a certified and well-respected nationwide ASL interpreting service which is cost effective and a good fit for your business, you can ensure that your customers who are deaf or hard of hearing feel valued and included.
One such nationwide interpreting service is Unspoken Language Services, which offers interpreting services to help bridge the communication gap between the deaf and hearing communities.
