Ideally, all students would experience direct, multidimensional communication in the K-12 setting. This experience is generally considered to be more efficient, effective, and empowering. Interpreted communication, because it involves a third party, tends to be more linear. This makes it critical that quality standards for interpreting services be in place when direct and multidimensional communication is not possible for all or part of the educational process for a deaf or hard of hearing student. A common assumption is that providing a deaf or hard of hearing student in grades K-12 with an interpreter is enough for that student to access his or her total school experience in interpreted programs. The reality is that innumerable factors have an impact on whether a student experiences success with an interpreted education. To address these factors, it is vital that an interactive and trained educational team carefully consider each child's individual needs, skills, and readiness for accessing through an interpreter. In this article, the author discusses how to determine a student's readiness to effectively use interpreting services. (Contains 3 figures.)