Can a public entity use a staff member who signs “pretty well” as an interpreter for meetings with individuals who use sign language to communicate?
Signing and interpreting are not the same thing. Being able to sign does not mean that a person can process spoken communication into the proper signs, nor does it mean that he or she possesses the proper skills to observe someone signing and change their signed or fingerspelled communication into spoken words. The interpreter must be able to interpret both receptively and expressively.
Related Questions
- Can a public entity use a staff member who signs "pretty well" as an interpreter for meetings with individuals who use sign language to communicate?
- Can individuals, groups and businesses use the public spaces for private activities like meetings or family reunions?
- Must the public entity receive state level approval of the staff development to be offered?
