Department of Access Services

Department of Access Services (DAS) provides interpreting, notetaking, and real-time captioning services to the RIT community. Our goal is to provide the highest possible quality of access to communication.

Access services enable more than 650 deaf and hard-of-hearing RIT students to register and fully participate in roughly 23,000 credit hours annually in more than 200 highly competitive academic programs. Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students alike use access services to communicate with each other in a variety of extra-curricular activities associated with student clubs and organizations, entertainment and sports events, and RIT programs and services.

What We Do

Interpreting Services

RIT has the largest staff of professional sign language interpreters in all of higher education. Last year, RIT provided more than 131,000 hours of interpreting services. In addition to classroom interpreters, students, faculty and staff also may request interpreting services for non-academic activities such as athletic events, religious services, student government meetings, guest presentations and other student life activities.

Real Time Captioning Services

This service uses real-time captionists to provide a thorough English text display of classroom lectures and discussion. Students read this text during class and receive access to review or print it as permanent class transcripts.

Notetaking Services

Trained student notetakers record information during class or laboratory lectures, discussions and multimedia presentations. Class notes then are placed on the Web for access. Last year, RIT provided more than 77,000 hours of notetaking services for students.

Requesting Access Services

Learn more about making access service requests

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Access Services (DAS) is to promote and facilitate access to communication between the Deaf, deaf-blind, hard-of hearing and hearing individuals who work, learn and interact in the RIT community. As a team of dedicated professionals, we strive for excellence in our work. We value confidentiality, integrity, professional growth, respect for cultural and linguistic diversity, and an open and ongoing collaboration with each other and those whom we serve.

Diversity Statement

The Department of Access Services (DAS) recognizes and values diversity as an integral part of our mission. We are committed to the equitable treatment of and respect for all of our staff and the diverse community we serve. To that end, we commit to continuing education that incorporates principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, community, and belonging. We also endeavor to seek out and hire a diverse staff in alignment with the university’s strategic plan, Greatness Through Difference.

Randleman Program

The Randleman Program is a two-year preceptorship that focuses on intersectionality and inclusion. It aims to equip interpreters of color that have recently entered the field for the demands of interpreting in a postsecondary environment, while simultaneously increasing diversity representation. Protégés are assigned a preceptor and an individually designed curriculum. Protégés work 40 hours a week, which includes hours of interpreting, language development, professional development with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, and leadership development activities.

Learn more

Group of Randleman students

Diversity Outreach Committee

Diversity Outreach Committee’s (DOC) mission is to bridge the gap between the Interpreting & NTID’s Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing/Deaf-Blind AALANA communities. We aim to provide educational opportunities that incorporate principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and community. We also strive to create a space where AALANA community members can freely express their feelings, develop their identities, and ultimately cultivate a sense of belonging.

Learn More

Grid of portraits of the four DOC members

Learn with Us

DAS also provides options for learning with us. For more information about the Apprentice Program, contact Emily Call at excdis@rit.edu. Regarding Student Interpreting, please contact Jean Rodman at jmrdis@rit.edu, or Kip Webster by phone at 585-475-2887 or email wkwdis@rit.edu.

Go to the Learn with Us page to read more about these opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Department of Access Services (DAS) has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions from students, faculty, staff, and prospective students about access services at RIT/NTID.

All Frequently Asked Questions below are shown in both text and video format. Videos may also show steps on how to perform specific actions on the DAS portal, myaccess.rit.edu. The term “service provider” refers to someone who is providing sign language interpreting, real-time captioning, or notetaking services.

All NTID-supported students are required to request interpreting, captioning, and notetaking services for classes if they need it. You do this by going to the myaccess.rit.edu web site. Type your user name and password and click Sign In. You may only select one real-time service, either interpreting or captioning, per course. To request services, click on the Click to Request button.  

Video with Step-by-Step Instructions: https://youtu.be/nRGurTD3vKs

You can submit a Special Request.  After logging on myaccess.rit.edu, click on Add New SR to create a new Special Request. Type in a request title, and select the specific service. Add date, start time, end time, and location. Select event type, add a description to your request, and click Submit.

Video with Step-by-Step Instructions: https://youtu.be/VZnm1Og_FeQ
 

For interpreters, contact the Scheduling Office by texting 585-204-6856, calling 585-475-6281, or emailing daschd@rit.edu. This information can be found at myaccess.rit.edu.

For captionists, email  RTCfyi@rit.edu or call Wendy Wheeler at 585-475-6001.  You may also contact Sue Stella at sasnes@rit.edu or Ann Marie Kuntz at amknes@rit.edu.

Video: https://youtu.be/FRyK43IDVEc

Log on to myaccess.rit.edu, and find the date you will miss and click Cancel. This will inform the DAS coordinator, who will reassign your interpreter, captionist, and/or note taker. After logging on myaccess.rit.edu, select the current semester, select your course, find the date, and click Cancel.

Video with Step-by-Step Instructions: https://youtu.be/kQRG3bNdcnw

Contact the coordinator that’s assigned to your academic area to assist you with a solution. You can find this information in myaccess.rit.edu. After logging on, open the current semester, and click the blue icon to the left of the course name. The contact info will be listed in the pop-up window.

Video with Step-by-Step Instructions: https://youtu.be/WfpeoxZK08I

Access service requests should be submitted as soon as possible after you register for classes in SIS.

Video: https://youtu.be/ZkxcXWDvVmQ

Yes, you can email your coordinator and request a specific service provider. Every effort will be made to accommodate provider requests, but we cannot guarantee your request will be fulfilled. You can also do this while requesting access services for classes. After logging on myaccess.rit.edu, find the course of interest and click Additional Info. Enter the preferred service provider’s name, and click on Save Changes.

Video with Step-by-Step Instructions: https://youtu.be/1FGPqxBiKYQ

No. DAS does not have enough resources to provide both interpreting and captioning for the same student. NTID recognizes that Interpreting and Real-Time Captioning are both real-time services, and each student can only request one real-time service per class.

Video: https://youtu.be/NxJIwymbtu4

You can submit a Problem Report. Go to myaccess.rit.edu and log on. On the right side of the screen, there’s a Problem Report panel. This is where you can report issues with your class notes, or issues with your interpreter or captionist. These Problem Reports are routed to the correct person to respond.

Video with Step-by-Step Instructions: https://youtu.be/RRWOsuw4un8

No. You’d need to submit a Special Request for your scheduled final exam. After logging on myaccess.rit.edu, click Add New SR. Type in a Request Title, and select the related class. Select the service, and add date, start time, end time, and location. Select the event type, and enter details of the request. Click Submit.

Video with Step-by-Step Instructions: https://youtu.be/-SWCjhmGRDs