Looking for Interpreter Information?

For those not affiliated with the university looking for interpretation services in Philadelphia, please contact the Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre 

Providing American Sign Language and/or CART for University Events

The University of Pennsylvania is committed to creating an inclusive, welcoming environment for students, staff, faculty, alumni and all visitors to the campus. If you are planning an event, take the time to review the messaging of the event. The messaging should include a statement for attendees to reach out to your office if accommodations are needed.

PLEASE NOTE: The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs and the Weingarten Center are campus partners and can provide general information about ASL and CART (Communication Access Real Time) services; however, these offices are not responsible for handling requests or payments for these services for University events.

Here are resources for interpreting and CART services:

Below is an example of a statement recommended to be included in the event’s advertisement:

If you require accommodations based on a disability, please reach out to (insert event organizer’s email address) at least 5 days prior to the event.

If American Sign Language (ASL) is the request, contact Deaf-Hearing Communication Centre (https://dhcc.org/request-interpreter/)  to discuss arrangements for interpreters. It is strongly encouraged to submit the request as soon as it is received to ensure the availability of an appropriate interpreter. The cost of the interpreting is handled by the department and/or sponsoring organization for the event. It is our legal responsibility to honor this request. Interpreters take time to secure, so submit your request with DHCC as early as possible.

CART is another communication channel for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Karasch (https://www.karasch.com/cart-captioning/ ) specializes in providing this service.

Some deaf people need CART services and/or ASL interpretation, so please be aware that both options are possible.

More information about accommodation services for faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities or limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions is available through the Penn OAA EOP website. Penn students with disabilities may visit the Weingarten Center’s Getting Started Toolkit to submit an accessibility request and learn more about the accommodations process.

As of September 6, 2024