TITLE III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) makes it illegal for any business, building or other place that is open to the public to discriminate against people with disabilities. Such places are called “public accommodations” and include restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors' offices, pharmacies, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, private schools, and day care centers. In order to provide equal access, a public accommodation must provide auxiliary aids and services for people who are deaf or hard of hearing when needed. Examples of auxiliary aids and services include qualified interpreters, note takers, and written materials. The type of auxiliary aid or service provided will depend on what is needed for a specific situation. Please see  ADA National Network  for more information.

Small businesses can get tax credits for the expense of an interpreter. A small business is one with 30 or fewer employees OR with $1 million or less in gross receipts for the preceding tax year.

Interpretion and translation are similar in process: delivering a message from one language to another. They differ in the medium through which they are expressed. Interpretation occurs between languages when they are spoken or signed. Translation occurs when one or both of the languages is written or otherwise in a documented form. During a live conversation, the spoken message is interpreted into ASL and then the signed response is interpreted into spoken English. When a written document needs to be conveyed in ASL, it could be translated into ASL and signed to the person, or it could be recorded in ASL on video. Typically, more time is available when translating as compared to interpreting, resulting in a more accurate and complete message.