Clarity ASL Interpreting Patrick Hoarty · NIC

Resources

ASL and phone relay for hearing family and friends

Plain help if you are hearing and want to communicate better with a Deaf family member or friend. This is not about hiring me for a job. It is about tools you can use yourself.

What you can do at home when you are together

When you are in the same room, free VRS is not the tool (see the FCC rules below). These options work well at home:

  • Learn ASL together. In-person classes with Deaf instructors are best when you can find them. Online courses help too. See where to look below.
  • Write it down. Use paper, a notepad, or a whiteboard.
  • Text or type on a phone. Text each other, or type on one shared phone and pass it back and forth.
  • Use an app you both agree on. Pick it together. Do not push an app the Deaf person does not want.
  • Book a paid interpreter for important family talks. For a medical decision, a school meeting, or a hard conversation, an interpreter in person or by video (VRI) gives everyone clear access.

Full info: MCDHH: Selecting a Sign Language class · FCC consumer guide: Video Relay Services

Can I learn ASL?

  • Yes. Learning ASL yourself is often the best long-term way to talk with a Deaf family member day to day.
  • Prefer in-person classes when you can, especially with a Deaf instructor. Many Deaf people say learning from a Deaf teacher is best.
  • Online courses are fine when that is what fits your schedule. They work best alongside real practice with Deaf people.
  • Taking a few classes does not make you an interpreter. Fluency takes years, and real contact with the Deaf community matters.

Where to look (New England)

Full info: MCDHH: Resources for ASL classes · MCDHH: Selecting a Sign Language class · Gallaudet ASL Connect · RICDHH Information & Referral

What is Video Relay Service (VRS)?

  • VRS is a free phone service. A Deaf person who uses ASL connects by video to an interpreter. The interpreter then makes or takes a voice telephone call for them.
  • Hearing people can also place a VRS call to reach a Deaf person who has a VRS (videophone) number.
  • Calls are free to you. Providers are paid from a federal fund the FCC oversees.
  • VRS is available 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

Full info: FCC consumer guide: Video Relay Services

When can we use VRS? (FCC rules, plain words)

The FCC treats VRS as telephone access, not as a free in-home interpreter.

  • Same place / same room: No. If you and a Deaf child, spouse, or parent are together in the same room and need an interpreter, VRS may not be used. The FCC says VRS is not a stand-in for an in-person or video interpreter when people are together.
  • Not together: If you are not in the same place — for example, different rooms of a house, or different locations — a normal VRS phone call is allowed, the same way any other phone call would be.
  • Do not game the rule. Do not send someone to another room just to use free VRS when you are really trying to talk face to face in the same place. That is not what VRS is for. Learn ASL, use notes or text, or book an interpreter for important talks.

Full info: FCC consumer guide: Video Relay Services

How is VRI different?

  • Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) is when the Deaf person and the hearing person are in the same place, and an interpreter joins by video.
  • VRI is a paid interpreting service. It is not the free FCC phone service.
  • Doctors' offices and other businesses sometimes use VRI. Families can also book a remote interpreter for a meeting or event when that fits.
  • I offer remote interpreting (VRI) as part of my interpreting work when the assignment calls for it. That is separate from free VRS through FCC-certified providers.

Full info: FCC consumer guide: Video Relay Services · ADA.gov: Effective Communication

Where do I get free VRS?

Full info: FCC: Video Relay Service (VRS) Providers

Book Clarity ASL Interpreting

I provide on-site and remote ASL interpreting in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. If you need an interpreter for an appointment, meeting, or other assignment, I am happy to help plan ahead.

Book an interpreter: 978-437-7326 [email protected] Request form

In Rhode Island? You can also request me through RICDHH: RICDHH interpreter request form

Sources

This page is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed October 2026.