ASL interpreting and CART
If you are a deaf or hard-of-hearing student with an approved accommodation through the Office for Disability Equity (ODE), you can request an ASL interpreter or CART for your classes and related academic activities. Connect with ODE first, then share your schedule and requests with the contact list below.
What these services are
ASL interpreting suits students who use sign language. An interpreter convey spoken English in American Sign Language (ASL), and signs back into spoken English. ASL is a visual, gestural language with its own grammar and syntax.
Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) suits students who do not use sign language but cannot fully access spoken information. A CART writer types what is said into real-time text that you read on your own device. You receive a transcript of the session afterward. Transcripts are for your use only and not shared with other students.
ASL interpreters and CART writers
- ASL Interpreters have completed interpreter training programs.
- ASL Interpreters follow the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Code of Professional Conduct.
- CART writers are trained stenographers who produce real-time text.
How to request services
For courses
Email your course schedule to the contact below as early as possible each semester, and again whenever it changes.
For activities, meetings, reviews, or group sessions
Send the details to the contact below - what you need (ASL interpreting or CART), the date and time, the location, and a short description.
Request timelines
Give as much notice as you can. Services depends on provider availability, and earlier requests are easier to fill.
- Courses - send your schedule as early as possible each semester.
- One-time events or meeting - at least 2 days in advance.
- Recurring or multi-day events - at least 1 week in advance.
Your responsibilities
Keep the contact below informed so your services run smoothly. Let them know:
- Your finalized schedule as soon as it is available.
- Any schedule changes, including drops, adds, and withdrawal adjustments during the semester.
- If you will a class or session, if it is canceled, or if you no longer need the service. For CART services, notify both the contact below and your assigned CART writer.
What to expect
- ASL Interpreters wait 10 minutes for a 50-minute class and 20 minutes for any longer class, unless they are told otherwise.
- For CART, wait times are set by the provider's own agency. Confirm the wait-time policy with your CART writer.
- ODE may pause services if you miss three classes in a row without letting the contact below know.
- Sharing a CART sign-on link or transcript with anyone else violets the University of Montana Student Code of Conduct.
Contact
Brandy Reinhardt Assistant Director of Interpreting and Communication Accessibility
Email: brandy.reinhardt@mso.umt.edu
Phone: 406-243-5136