Effective Communication

Publications

• Self-Advocacy Tips for Effective Communications –  Information on advocating to get an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters.
• Self-Advocacy Tips for Effective Communications: ASL VIDEO –  Information on advocating to get an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters in ASL.
• Effective Communication in Medical Settings –  Resource describing the rights of people who are deaf in a medical setting and the responsibilities of physicians and other medical professionals.
• Effective Communications in Business and Government Settings – Resource describing the rights and responsibilities of people who are deaf and require interpreter’s services in a business setting.
• Communicating with Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) – Information on VRI, federal guidelines, and more.
• Factsheet for Attorneys working with Deaf Clients – Resource describing attorneys’ obligations to clients who are deaf under the ADA.
• Department of Justice  (DOJ) ADA Requirements on Effective Communication–DOJ publication updated in 2014 covering effective communication requirements under title II and title III for people who have vision, hearing or speech disabilities.
• Disability Sensitivity and Effective Communication Training – PowerPoint presentation providing information for service providers and community members about appropriate, sensitive, and effective communications with individuals with disabilities.
• Communicating with Patients who are Deaf – Article about physicians’ provision of effective communication.
• DRT Client Story: Sam – Sam, who is deaf, was in his last year in high school and in the fifth year of his wrestling career. He was looking forward to his last high school wrestling season until the athletic association threw him for a loop by changing their rules.
• DRT Client Story: Ivy – When Ivy was four years old, her family was told she couldn’t go to a school for deaf people, even though she is hard of hearing. However, The ADA and other laws make sure children with disabilities can also go to school and learn.
• DRT Client Story: Natasha – Natasha needed a sign language interpreter to communicate with her doctor. However, the staff told her that she would have to pay for an interpreter by herself.
• DRT Client Story: James – James is a single dad who is deaf. When he went into cardiac arrest, the hospital did not provide him an interpreter. He was shut out and isolated, unsure of what would happen next.

Helpful Links

Services

• ADA Court Coordinator – If you have questions about ADA issues, you may contact the Local Judicial Program ADA Coordinator for the county or the specific court in which your case is scheduled to be heard. To find the ADA coordinator in your area, select your county from the menu.
• Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Library Services for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing is a statewide special library dedicated to meeting the information and accessibility needs of the deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind communities.

CHATTANOOGA

• Partnership for Families, Children, and Adults – Provides Chattanooga and surrounding areas interpreting services, job placement and retention services to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and American Sign Language classes.
• Chattanooga Interpreting, LLC – Provides sign language interpreting services in the Chattanooga area. Contact at 423-834-8884.
• Interpreting Associates, LLC – Provides sign language interpreting services in the Chattanooga area. Contact at 1-844-427-5496.

JACKSON

• Jackson Center for Independent Living – Deaf and hard of hearing services provided to west Tennessee counties include interpretation, workshops/seminars, and client assistance/advocacy/referrals. Contact at (voice) 731-668-2211; (video phone) 731-256-7026

JOHNSON CITY

• Communication Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Johnson City) – Provides people who are deaf or hard of hearing in the Johnson City area with interpreting services, education, and client assistance/referrals/technical assistance. Contact at (voice) 423-434-0447; (video phone) 423-218-1215.
• Language Link – Provides sign language interpretation in the Northwest Tennessee and Southwest Virginia areas. Contact at 423-915-6170.

KNOXVILLE

• Knoxville Center of the Deaf – Provides Knoxville and surrounding areas with interpreting services, job placement and retention services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and American Sign Language classes. Contact at (voice) 865-579-0832; (video phone) 865-978-6051.

MEMPHIS

• Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (WEST) – Provides people who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind in West Tennessee with interpreting services, education and outreach, and case management/advocacy/referral sources. Contact at (voice) 901-701-6800; (video phone) 901-612-3416 .
• Deaf Connect of the Mid-south, Inc. (Memphis) – Provides Fayette, Haywood, Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton residents sign-language interpreting, sign language classes, training for interpreters, and advocacy and assistance in various areas. Contact at 901-278-9307.

NASHVILLE

• Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Nashville) – Provides people who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind in Middle Tennessee with interpreting services, education and outreach, and case management/advocacy/referral sources. Contact at (voice) 615-248-8828; (video phone) 615-290-5147 .
• Gate Communications – A nonprofit organization providing sign language interpretation, community events, education, and outreach to the deaf, hard of hearing, and interpreting communities. Contact at (voice) 615-435-8929; (video phone) 615-224-8058.

Information

• Effective Communications Regulations – The Department of Justice’s revised final effective communications regulations for implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for title II (State and local government services) and title III (public accommodations and commercial facilities).
•  Frequently Asked Questions on Effective Communication for Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools – Information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (Title II), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and  their obligations of public schools, including charter schools, to meet the communication needs of students with disabilities.
• Effective Communications for People with Disabilities: Before, During, and After Emergencies – The National Council on Disability developed a report identifying barriers, facilitators, and successful practices to providing effective emergency-related communications, as well as information on the experiences and perceptions of people with disabilities as they relate to emergency-related communications.
• Disability Resources for Effective Communication – Information from the Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights about effective communications in medical settings.
• Communicating Effectively with Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Health Care Settings – A toolkit for primary care providers from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.