The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced a new initiative to give deaf and hard-of-hearing entrepreneurs improved access to its services.

The agency will use videophone technology to connect staff fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) directly to the small business owners, SBA head Maria Contreras-Sweet said last week.

“More than 335,000 Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing already own their own business, and we believe even more members of this community have the right stuff to follow suit,” Contreras-Sweet said in a statement. “Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing are nearly twice as likely to become entrepreneurs when compared to the population at large, and we stand ready to ensure they have the direct access to make their dreams a reality.”

The SBA is the second federal agency to provide videophone services directly to the deaf and hard of hearing.