CRC utilizes Eaton Interpreting for most American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting needs. For non-DSPS-related events such as campus and community events, interpreting services should be requested directly through Eaton Interpreting.
All inquiries must be submitted with a minimum of one week's notice.
Eaton provides services for On-Site Interpreting, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), Deaf Interpreters (DI), DeafBlind Interpreting, Trilingual Services (English, Spanish, and ASL), and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART)
For more information on the different interpreting services, please visit Eaton Interpreting.
How to Request Interpreting Services
Requests can be made on the Eaton Interpreting website or by calling the office at (916) 721-3636.
Eaton contact information:
- Email: schedulers@eatoninterpreting.com
- Phone: (916) 721-3636
Phone hours are Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Interpreters can be scheduled outside of office hours, such as weekends, though any calls made after hours will not be answered until the following business day.
To request services, clients must provide:
- Appointment Details:
- Deaf client’s name
- Date of services needed
- Modality of appointment (for example: will this be a virtual appointment [VRI] or on-site?)
- Check-in time
- Start time of appointment or event
- End time
- Type of appointment (please provide as much detail as possible)
- Attendee Information:
- Deaf client’s name
- What is the Deaf client’s role in this appointment? (for example: are they presenting, an interviewer or interviewee, a parent, student, or teacher, etc.)
- Requested interpreter (if applicable)
- Organizer Information:
- On-site Contact Person(s): Name and mobile phone number available on the day of the event
- Location Details (On-site Only):
- Location name
- Location address
- Building, floor, suite, or station number
- Special parking instructions (for example: designated lot parking pass required, etc.)
- Event organizers should disclose in advance when Zoom captioning or interpreting services will be recorded so that interpreters and accommodation recipients are aware and can make informed decisions regarding participation
- Scheduling Flexibility:
- Are there alternate dates or times in case Eaton is unable to accommodate your initial requested time?
- If a request is for on-site, would you be willing to switch to a virtual appointment if no on-site interpreters are available
- Preparation Materials (As Needed):
- For meetings, trainings, or conferences, please attach: agenda, PowerPoint slides, or any other preparation materials
- For theatrical productions, performances, graduations, or ceremonies, please attach: run of show, and script(s)
- If any of the above items have not been completed at the time of your request, submit the information once it becomes available
What Happens After You Request
Eaton interpreting will respond with any questions and the names of the interpreters that have been assigned to your event.
Billing and Cost Information
Interpreting assignments one hour or longer in length with continuous interpreting, will require the use of a team of two interpreters. The teaming allows the interpreters to switch roles every 15 to 20 minutes.
Cost: Approximately $146 per hour for two interpreters. (Cost is as-of October 2026 and subject to change.)
Departments should also be prepared with billing information, such as the budget strand that will be billed (5100 account code). Remember to create a requisition or BPO prior to services rendered to prevent an “Unauthorized Purchase”.
Event Planning Best Practices
All campus departments and event organizers are responsible for ensuring accessibility for all participants. This includes making every reasonable effort to provide accessible and inclusive experiences across in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, so that all individuals can fully engage with event content and activities.
The best practices below are intended to support your efforts in creating collective access and fostering an inclusive environment for everyone.
Planning and Coordination
- Provide significant lead time: ASL-English interpretation is specifically listed as requiring substantial advance notice. As soon as you know you are planning an event that may need accommodations, please let us know.
- Request deadline: Recommend at least 10 business days in advance for accommodation requests
- Scripts/Agendas: An ASL Interpreter cannot interpret what they do not understand. In order to provide the best experience for an attendee, provide materials such as scripts, slides and/or background materials which can help provide knowledge of the content and context for the event. This should be handled by the accommodation point of contact for the event.
- Visibility: Whether in person or virtual, the presentation and ASL Interpreting and Captioning display need to be seen by the audience at all times. Consider their placement along with the objectives of the event to ensure they are compatible.
Interpreters will only be interpreting what they hear. If there are long text passages displayed on screen, consider allowing for ‘silent reading’ so that all attendees have the same experience. Conversely, should there be information displayed to review/view, describe where and/or what the object is, rather than saying “here” or “there”.
- Visual Aids: As ASL and Captioning are visual communication, they require time to produce. This means often, the message for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing attendees is three to seven seconds behind other participants. Additionally, the attendee cannot glance away for extended periods of time to view additional slides or visual aids and still follow the speaker. Knowing these services, the presenter can modify the presentation to give time for attendees to locate and process this visual information.
Event Advertisement and Communication
- Include an accommodations statement in all advertising: "To request reasonable accommodations, contact [Name] at [Phone/Email] by [Date]."
- Clear contact information: Include name, phone number, and email address for accommodation requests in all event advertisements, fliers, webpages etc.
- Accessible formats: Ensure all event advertisements meet accessibility standards (readable fonts, color contrast, descriptive text). See Accessible Writing and Content and Digital Accessibility Compliance.
Communication with Students
- Obtaining requested accommodations: Depending on the nature of the event and the accommodation request, additional time may be needed to discuss, clarify, and coordinate appropriate services. Event organizers or designated staff may contact the individual requesting accommodations to better understand their specific needs and ensure the most appropriate support is provided.
- Communicate with students: Ensure that students are aware that services will be provided.
You may use this text as a template:
Dear [Student Name],
I am writing to confirm that interpreting services have been successfully arranged for your upcoming classes.
Below are the details of the scheduled services:
- Course/Event: [Event Title]
- Date(s): [Date or Range of Dates]
- Time: [Start Time] to [End Time]
- Location: [Building and Room Number, or Online Link]
Your assigned interpreter(s) will meet you directly at the location listed above.
If there are any changes to your schedule, if a class is canceled, or if you will be absent, please notify our office as soon as possible so we can update the service schedule accordingly.
Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please feel free to reach out.
Best regards,
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs to request the interpreting services for non-DSPS events?
The department that is scheduling the event is responsible for contacting the interpreting service.
How soon in advance do requests need to be submitted?
It depends on the event, but it is recommended to request at least two weeks prior to the event.
How many interpreters are provided for events?
The number of interpreters provided for the event is determined by the interpreting service.
What information/documents should be provided to the interpreters?
Have an agenda of the event prepared for the interpreting staff. Include:
- Any necessary handouts
- Explanations of acronyms, abbreviations, and technical words
For some events, interpreting staff may request the script being used; this is often requested for graduation or ceremony events.
Should there be any closed captioning of videos?
This is not an option provided by the interpreting service.