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Deaf Council

MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS: visits to doctors, specialists, community health centers and hospitals

LEGAL MATTERS: police arrests or interviews, meetings with attorneys, correctional facilities, court

EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS: schools, colleges, universities

FINANCIAL APPOINTMENTS: mortgage proceedings, investment advice, tax consultations, real estate transactions

EMPLOYMENT-RELATED SITUATIONS: job interviews, meetings, training opportunities, award ceremonies

SPECIAL OCCASIONS: religious ceremonies, social functions

PUBLIC FUNCTIONS: performances, conferences, public forums, community information seminars

BEFORE the assignment/meeting, provide deaf participants as well as interpreters with materials such as outlines, agendas, technical vocabulary and a list of all the key participants if possible. If it is a large meeting, it is helpful to have nametags or nameplates to aid the interpreter in identifying who is speaking to the deaf participant.

POSITION the interpreter next to hearing person having direct communication with the deaf person, or the person presenting most of the information, opposite the deaf person. This makes it easy for the deaf person to see the hearing person and the interpreter in one line of vision.

WINDOWS AND BACK LIGHTING create shadows on faces, and make it hard to read linguistic cues from faces and can render a distorted message. A mirrored background will also cause undue distraction. A solid or plain background or backdrop is recommended.

FOR GROUPS semi-circle seating arrangements are best for discussion formats. For large group situations, such as conferences or performances, be sure to reserve a seating area near the front for deaf participants. This allows the participants to clearly see the interpreter.

VISUAL AIDS always enhance communication with both hearing and deaf people. Pause before giving your explanation of any visual aids so that the deaf person has time to see it, look back at the interpreter and still keep up with the information being presented. Likewise, due to the time delay, it is suggested you use a permanent pointer (a computer cursor arrow works well).

SPEAK at your natural pace but be aware that the interpreter may wait to hear and understand a complete thought before beginning to interpret. The interpreter will let you know if you need to repeat or slow down.

LOOK at and speak directly to the deaf person. Do not say, "tell him..." or "tell her..." to the interpreter. The deaf person will be watching the interpreter and glancing back and forth.

TURN-TAKING, if handled properly, will ensure that the deaf participant has equal opportunity to not only offer comments or questions, but to also receive comments from all others. Please have everyone in the group speak or sign one at a time, devising an efficient way such as raising hands, so that communication is optimal for all parties. The interpreter is only able to relay comments from one person at any moment.

CLOSED CAPTIONING should be used whenever possible during videos. Captioning allows the deaf person to follow the action of the movie while still being able to read the words being spoken, all in the same visual space. When a deaf person must watch the interpretation of the movie through the interpreter, attention is divided between the two, increasing the chance of missed information. However, there are some deaf people who do prefer to see the American Sign Language, (ASL), rather than to read the English, or may ask for clarification of some of the written English in a caption by way of ASL. The Sign Language interpreter will remain attentive so as to provide such assistance.

TELEPHONE CONFERENCES provide an additional challenge. Often parties that know each other can tell who is speaking from the sound of his or her voice. The Sign Language interpreter may not be familiar with all of the participants, and may not be able to relay who is making the comment, creating confusion in the message. Ask each person to identify him/herself prior to each comment by saying, "This is So-and-So, and my comment is..." Likewise, the deaf person when making comments will say, "This is So-And-So speaking through the Sign Language interpreter, and I would like to say..."

MEDICAL APPOINTMENT discussions and explanations are greatly enhanced when anatomic models or charts are available.

BREAKS should be planned prior to the meeting. The interpreting process is very demanding. If only one Sign Language interpreter is assigned to a job of an hour and a half, one 15 minute break, or several short 5 minute breaks are required. This ensures optimal communication and less likelihood of error on the part of the interpreter.

TEAMING is when two Sign Language interpreters will be assigned to a job over 90 minutes or two hours in length, depending on the intensity. Interpreters working in a team allow communication to flow smoothly and thereby minimize distractions to the meeting process. One interpreter will actively interpret for approximately 20 minutes while the other provides back-up to the active interpreter. You may see the interpreters communicating with each other during the process as feeding and collaboration occur. The interpreters will switch at certain intervals, and will require a break after approximately one to two hours of interpreting, depending on the nature of the material.

SPECIAL TEAMING CONFIGURATIONS may be required for certain interpreting assignments and may not be configured on time alone. This would include specific court procedures, depositions, or highly technical interactions. The team may consist of two American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, or even more, depending on the intensity or duration of the assignment. Another type of team might consist of one ASL interpreter and a Certified Deaf interpreter (CDI) to assist someone who does not use ASL or a standard form of ASL. The CDI, usually being deaf and a native user of the language, specializes in various linguistic forms and subtleties of Sign Languages. This is extremely helpful when a deaf consumer is foreign-born or uses some idiosyncratic form of Sign Language. In some special situations, for example a trial with multiple deaf parties all having different communication needs, it is conceivable that there could be a Sign Language interpreter or two to assist in attorney/client communications at the table, as well several proceedings interpreters. In addition, if a deaf juror were selected, another team would be necessary to ensure the juror's American right and duty to participate.

QUESTIONS about deafness or Sign Language are best asked of the deaf person directly, not the interpreter. The Sign Language interpreter is present to facilitate communication between the parties. If there is a question about the interpretation itself as it relates to the discussion at the moment, please don't hesitate to ask rather than suffering a miscommunication. If, however, you have questions for the interpreter that are of a personal nature, or general questions regarding the process of Sign Language interpreting, it's best to ask him or her prior to or after the meeting or during breaks.

NO ADVICE or personal opinions will be given by the interpreter regarding context of the discussion.

STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY of all assignment-related information is highly regarded by the interpreter.