This project focuses on improving the cultural competency that social workers have with Deaf1 clients. With few materials about the American Deaf community geared towards social workers, there may not be sufficient resources for social workers to develop the cultural
competency necessary to provide the best services. It is important to understand social workers’ perspectives towards and experience with Deaf people in order to assess the need for continuing education in the field. This study asks the question, what do social workers need to know in order to work with Deaf clients and interpreters?
The initial hypothesis was that social workers in Texas would have negative to neutral attitudes towards Deaf people, as a result of their lack of contact with that population. Social workers from Texas were recruited to participate in an online anonymous survey that included
the Attitudes to Deafness Scale developed by Cooper, Rose, and Mason (2004). The results of the survey showed that social workers in Texas actually have neutral to positive views of the Deaf community. While it was not possible to identify a definitive reason why this might be the
case, the overwhelming majority of social workers surveyed voiced a need for more training focusing on the American Deaf community. In response to the desire for increased knowledge of this population, a learning module for social workers was produced, which allows them to earn continuing education units.
There currently exists a limited body of knowledge on rural interpreters. What little research has been done has looked at rural interpreters based in educational settings. This study is an opening look at interpreters who maintain a community based practice in a rural county, and is an initial appraisal of the professional development needs of rural interpreters. I examine if current trainings are designed with rural interpreters in mind, and if rural interpreters are able to acquire new skills, techniques, and knowledge that are applicable to their communities. This study sought to answer the question: How can the implementation of a structured interprofessional learning community aid the professional development of a rural sign language interpreter? x I collected data on three categories: the general background of my participants, how rural sign language interpreters access and perceive current professional development opportunities, and the role of the rural interpreter in their local professional community. Looking at these three topics allowed me to consider if the current professional development system is meeting the needs of rural sign language interpreters and the communities they serve. Lastly, this study sought to examine if the implementation of an interprofessional learning community would be a viable option for rural communities.
Citation: Trimble, Erin, “The Rural Interpreter: Perspectives on Professional Development and Professional Partnerships” (2014). Master’s Theses. Paper 15.
This dissertation is a comprehensive analysis of three universities that have degree awarding American Sign Language programs. The overall theoretical approach was grounded in Freirean thought. For each of these programs, I collected various documents that allowed for an in-depth analysis of the structure, curriculum and program philosophies. A document review of the syllabi, course description, the courses required for graduation, and analysis of data collected through individual interviews with each program coordinator, helped answer research questions: (1) What are curricula designs and infrastructure of existing American Sign Language degree programs? (2) What are the philosophies within the American Sign Language degree programs? (3) How do program structures, philosophies and curricula serve to empower or oppress the linguistic and cultural aspects of ASL and the Deaf community? Two inquiry approaches were utilized to analyze data. Analytical inquiry was used to define the curriculum used at each of the universities. The process consisted of three stages, curriculum interpretation, curriculum development and identification of the structural model used in each program. Ampliative inquiry was used to identify program philosophies through itemizing implicit norms and assumptions then determining if those are appropriate which means that the iii program celebrates and strives to empower ASL linguistically and culturally. This allowed for targeting practices that empower ASL. Practices that oppress ASL are also noted to serve as cautions for others who want to implement degree based ASL programs elsewhere.
This autoethnography examines the journey from being a participant of supervision to a facilitator of supervision. The researcher documents his journey using journals to express his experiences facilitating supervision for a group of medical interpreters working in the hospital setting. The purpose of this study is to gather data that could guide future trainings for facilitators of supervision. The supervision group consisted of both American Sign Language/English and Spanish/English medical interpreters. As a newer interpreter to the field with limited medical interpreting experience, it was expected that the researcher might face difficulties successfully facilitating supervision sessions for that staff. It was found that limited experience in the setting and being a newer interpreter did not have any impact on the facilitating process. The findings from this study can be used as one potential guide for future individuals interested in becoming a supervision vii. facilitator and can also be used for those interested in developing materials to train facilitator.
Every night, on stages all over the world, curtains go up. Friends, families, and strangers gather together in theatres to be entertained, provoked, and engaged in a world of ideas and emotions. For many deaf people the experience of theatre is delivered through the use of a theatrical interpreter, who is charged with the task of rendering an equivalent interpretation for a dynamic theatrical performance in a different language. What are the demands theatrical interpreters encounter in this work and what are the subsequent strategies they employ to counter these demands? In this study, I explored how interpreters who work between English and American Sign Language (ASL) navigate script translation, musical aesthetics, and stage action during a single theatrical performance. To examine the demands and strategies in this setting, I analyzed twenty minutes of an interpreted Broadway musical and conducted two interviews with the theatrical interpreting team. Findings reveal that the team of interpreters primarily used meaning-based free translation and included the use of manipulated prosody, sign space, and facial expressions to parallel auditory information contained in the music. Further, they used various techniques both to throw focus to visual information taking place on stage and to share focus during the concurrent presentation of auditory and visual information. The results provide an in-depth examination of an under-researched domain of interpreting and offers insights into the linguistic and artistic devices employed by highly experienced theatrical interpreters. The techniques uncovered in this examination may serve as a guide for other interpreters who seek to work in this unique interpreting environment.
Citation: Ganz Horwitz, Miriam (2014) “Demands and Strategies of Interpreting a Theatrical Performance into American Sign Language,” Journal of Interpretation: Vol. 23: Iss. 1, Article 4. Available at: http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/joi/vol23/iss1/4
The work of American Sign Language (ASL)/English interpreters is filled with complex interpersonal, linguistic, and cultural challenges. “Interpreting is a discourse process in which interpreters are active participants who need to… understand interactional behavior as well as explicit ways in which languages and cultures use language… interpreters make intentional, informed choices from a range of possibilities. The decisions and ethical dilemmas interpreters face on a daily basis are countless and the potential for disagreement regarding those decisions is great. Technology Mediated Dispute Resolution (TMDR) processes can be particularly helpful when misunderstandings and conflicts arise. Conversely, the communication skills that the Deaf Community and interpreters employ routinely can provide valuable insights for everyone who uses new technologies to communicate and resolve disputes. […]
Larson, David Allen and Mickelson, Paula Gajewski (2009) “Technology Mediated Dispute Resolution and the Deaf Community,” Health Law and Policy Brief: Vol. 3 : Iss. 1 , Article 4.
The purpose of this professional project was to identify what current practicum students of Interpreter Training Programs know and understand about the Mentorship process. This study aimed to collect information regarding their current knowledge of the terms Mentorship, Mentor, and Mentee, and what their experiences with mentorship were like. The larger and overarching question that led to this research study was, Would a training session on Mentorship be beneficial for our students prior to beginning a mentored relationship? An online survey was sent to two ITPs and had a total of 21 participants. The findings show that students receive little to no training about the mentorship process, and the majority of participants do believe that prior training would have been helpful. The findings also show that mentorship is viewed as a relationship between the mentor (experienced interpreter) and the mentee (less experienced interpreter, student). Embedded in the data are a variety of factors that promote and hinder the success of the mentorship. This research was then used to develop a training seminar designed specifically for interpreting students about to enter their practicum or internship courses. Mentorship is a way to bridge the gap between student and professional status, and ease the transition into the interpreting field (RID, 2007). The goal of this training is that with a full understanding of what and how the relationship between mentor and mentee is developed and fostered, both the student and the professional interpreter are able to engage in the mentorship process effectively.
Citation:
Paradise, Samantha J., “What’s Missing? Mentee Training Seminars for Students of Interpreter Training Programs” (2013). Master’s Theses. Paper 12.
In this study, changes in the amount and type of student contact with the Deaf community outside of classroom hours were examined at three bachelor-level degree programs for American Sign Language (ASL)/English interpreting. Research was conducted in three phases: by survey, examination of program syllabi, and interviews. Institutional demographics from a sample comprising 40% of the 40 bachelor-level ASL/English interpreter programs in the United States were gathered by survey in the first phase. From that initial sample, a smaller sample of three institutions (7.5% of the total initial population of 40) was established for the next two phases of research. Requirements for both virtual and in-person contact with the Deaf community were documented in course syllabi from three programs for the academic years 2002/2003 –2011/2012 and examined for evidence of change. Interviews with program faculty expanded on data found in syllabi. Findings show that requirements for students’ association with the Deaf community, in person, at Deaf events, have declined over a ten-year period. An increase in virtual modes of contact between programs and Deaf community, as well as an increasing use of technology in programs generally, was documented. Indications of fewer opportunities for inperson community contact and a change in approach by programs for facilitating community contact and opportunities to gain cultural competence for their students were identified. Findings are presented to encourage further research and to inform ASL/English interpreter educators seeking to promote cultural and communicative competence among their students.
Signed and spoken language interpretation involves many intricate components. A signed language interpreter who is working simultaneously must hear and comprehend a spoken language while producing the equivalent message with his/her hands in the appropriate signed language. While there are many factors that affect the interpreter, experience and education are two key qualities of successful interpreters. Both interpreter education and the experience of putting that education into practice are vital for future interpreters while they are still students. Experiential learning activities provide this opportunity for interpreting students. According to educational theorist David A. Kolb, “Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience”(1984, p. 41). This type of learning involves exercises where students participate in authentic working situations in a safe environment while allowing them the opportunity to openly reflect on those experiences. Experiential learning in the field of signed language interpreting education may include role-playing scenarios, mock interpreting exercises, one-on-one mentorships, and internship participation. These learning activities can provide interpreting students with vital practice and experience before they enter the work force. The goal of this professional project is to design a course in signed language interpreter education based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. This course incorporates experience, reflection and application on critical components of the interpreting profession while gradually exposing students to various problems that they may face in their professional career. The proposed course titled “Experience Interpreting” will allow students to fully experience a variety of interpreting scenarios and equip them with resources for their future work in the interpreting field.
The field of signed language interpreting is a young profession. Professionally recognized in the 1960s, American Sign Language/English interpretation has been through much change and growth over the years. At the beginning of the profession and still to this day, the most prevalent settings where interpreters work are in the community and educational systems, as well as the medical field and performing arts, to name a few. Interpreters often work alone, although sometimes interpreters are placed with another interpreter during certain assignments. This is called teaming or team interpreting. Since the early 2000s, there has been fast growth in technology and a new means of communication has launched for the deaf community to use American Sign Language (ASL) in communicating with hearing people through a professional signed language interpreter. This innovation is called Video Relay Service (VRS). VRS facilitates the communication of a deaf and a hearing person to communicate over the phone via a professional ASL/English interpreter. Communication between the two parties is possible with a webcam or videophone using American Sign Language and a phone line using spoken English. The Video Interpreter (VI) has the complex task of processing calls between persons with two languages and cultures, as well as operating the technological demands and interpreting, all at the same time. Often the VI does not have any idea what the call will be about, or the goal of the conversation. Now imagine putting a second interpreter into this situation. Teaming in VRS compared to working in the community looks very different. In this study, the following questions are asked: “Do teaming practices exist within VRS?” and, if so, “What are current teaming practices within VRS?
