Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Sign language interpreting and transcribing

Make a request

If you would like to request communication access providers such as ASL Interpreters or Transcribers for a PCC meeting or event please email cap@pcc.edu[opens in new window].

Communication accommodations such as sign language interpreting, TypeWell transcribing, and CART (Communication Access Real-Time) are available to students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing or who experience documented auditory processing disabilities.

  • Accessible Ed & Disability Resources sends a notification email to the instructor when communication access personnel are assigned to their class.
  • CART and TypeWell transcripts will be provided by the service provider to the student in a format agreed upon by both parties. Transcripts are for personal academic use only, and may not be shared or duplicated.

Student responsibilities

When requesting interpreting and transcribing services (ITS), it is the student’s responsibility to:

Meet request deadlines
  • Note that requests are prioritized by order of date received.
  • Class requests: Minimum of two weeks in advance of the first day of class.
  • Other requests: Minimum of three school days prior to event. The student may submit this request directly to the Interpreting and Transcribing Services Coordinator.
Notify AEDR of schedule changes
  • Note that requests are prioritized by the date the change is received by the ITS Coordinator.
  • Provide an Approved Academic Accommodations (AAA)  form to the instructor and discuss specific classroom or testing accommodations (typically during the first week of the term) then let us know if you won’t need an Interpreter for certain dates.
Be on time and Cancel in advance when absent
  • The service provider will wait fifteen minutes for the student to arrive. After that time, the provider will leave and the absence is considered a “no show.”
  • If the student is absent without advanced notice of 24 hours, it will be considered a “no show” for that class.
    • First no show: A warning notice is sent to the student’s PCC email address.
    • Second no show (same class): A temporary suspension notice is sent to the student’s and Accessible Ed & Disability Resources practitioner’s PCC email addresses.
  • If ITS services are suspended, meet with an Accessible Ed & Disability Resources counselor.
    • The student must meet with an Accessible Ed & Disability Resources counselor to request services be reinstated for the class.
    • If services are reinstated, any additional no shows in the class will immediately result in temporary re-suspension of services. The student must then meet with an Accessible Ed & Disability Resources counselor again.
    • If services are not reinstated, the student may appeal to the Accessible Ed & Disability Resources Director or to the Office of Equity and Inclusion.
Communicate concerns
  • If students want to take advantage of office  hours, or schedule meetings with other college personnel, we can arrange interpreters or transcribers for those meetings.
  • If students have concerns or questions about services or service providers, they should contact the Interpreting and Transcribing Services Coordinator as soon as possible.

When service providers are limited, a priority system is used to meet student requests. Service providers are assigned using the following prioritization criteria

  • The date the request was received
  • Availability of service providers
  • Student needs
  • Student preferences (when requested)