	Introduction

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a broad civil rights act prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Under title III of the ADA, discrimination against individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, including hospitals and doctor's offices, is prohibited. The Department of Justice (DOJ) promulgated regulations under title III requiring places of public accommodation to provide "auxiliary aids and services" to individuals with disabilities unless they are able to prove such services would be unduly burdensome. Auxiliary aids may include qualified interpreters as well as note takers, video remote interpreting (VRI) services, or real-time computer-aided transcription services. The new regulations issued under title III on July 26, 2010, address several issues including the application of rights to effective communication by companions who are individuals with disabilities, the use of video remote interpreting (VRI) services, and when an accompanying adult or child may be used as an interpreter. However, the use of technology must result in effective communication. Analysis and Conclusion

The ADA purposely adopted a flexible standard regarding nondiscrimination requirements.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a broad civil rights act prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits places of public accommodation, including hospitals and doctors' offices, from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The Department of Justice (DOJ) promulgated regulations under title III requiring the use of auxiliary aids, unless they would fundamentally alter the nature of the service or result in an undue burden. Auxiliary aids may include qualified interpreters as well as note takers, video remote interpreting (VRI) services, or real-time computer-aided transcription services. The new regulations issued under title III on July 26, 2010, address several issues including the application of rights to effective communication by companions who are individuals with disabilities, the use of video remote interpreting (VRI) services, and when an accompanying adult or child may be used as an interpreter.
Attempting to address the myriad of disabilities and public accommodations, the ADA purposely adopted a flexible standard concerning when its nondiscrimination requirements are met. The law and DOJ regulations, then, do not explicitly state when hospitals or doctors are required to provide interpreter services to patients with disabilities and, as is illustrated by the judicial decisions in the area, this issue is largely fact dependent.