SWEB 119: Localization

1. SWEB 119: Localization Adapting Your Statewide Website to Better Reach Non-English Speakers

2. Panelist Control Panel • Reduce Panel with GrabTab • View Full Screen Mode • MoveControl Panel (Put cursor on any textured area to drag) • Anchor Your Panel (or subpanels) with thumbtack • Question & Answers (goes to Organizers) • Chat (goes to all Panelists -- All of You) • Smiley Face, Presenter, Keyboard, Color of Your Pen!

3. Mute Yourself… Using GoToMeeting Phone: -- To MUTE: *6 -- To UNMUTE: *6

4. Today’s Training • Strategies for prioritizing content translation (with limited staff and resources), • Important considerations when reaching out to non-English speaking audience • Technical considerations surrounding multilingual content online • Review of best practices for creating and maintaining multilingual content

5. Creating multilingual content despite staffing and resource limitations • Setting Priorities for Translated Content • Review of the LSC requirements for native language services • Other data to review • Availability of translators and partner organizations

6. Review of the LSC requirements for native language services Tillie Lacayo – Legal Service Corporation • Review of the Federal law and regulations related to LEP services. • Key elements of an LEP outreach plan • Assessment of LEP efforts (TIG guidelines) • Introduction of LEP concepts for websites

7. The LAW The Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting national origin discrimination Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency”, signed by the President on August 11, 2000. • Requires Federal agencies to examine the services they provide • identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), • develop and implement a system to provide those services so that LEP persons can have meaningful access to them • Requires Federal agencies to work to ensure that recipients of Federal financial assistance provide meaningful access to their LEP applicants and beneficiaries Guidance for Executive Order 13166 - The U.S. Department of Justice policy guidance document, “Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – National Origin Discrimination Against Persons With Limited English Proficiency” • Sets the compliance standards that recipients of Federal financial assistance must follow to ensure that their programs and activities normally provided in English are accessible to LEP persons and thus do not discriminate on the basis of national origin

8. LSC Specifics • The LSC Act (42 U.S.C. §2996, et seq.) Section 1006(b)(6) of the LSC Act, provides that “[i]n areas where significant numbers of eligible clients speak a language other than English as their principal language, the Corporation shall, to the extent feasible, provide that their principal language is used in the provision of legal assistance to such clients under this title.” 42 U.S.C. §2996(e) (2004). • The LSC Grant Assurances – The applicable LSC Grant Assurance for the 2008 year provides that programs will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by law against: (1) any person applying for employment or employed by the Applicant; or (2) any person seeking or provided assistance from the Applicant or other program(s) supported in whole or in part by the grant. • LSC’s Strategic Directions - Objective 3, under Goal 2, of LSC’s Strategic Directions: 2006–2010, states that an LSC objective will be to “Work to improve support for hard to serve areas and populations, e.g., rural areas, migrants, Native Americans, limited English proficiency clients.” • “Technologies That Should Be in Place in a Legal Aid Office Today”, issued by the Legal Services Corporation in May 2008, contains the following expectation with regard to statewide websites: What should be in place - Web-based legal information and self help support - Needed capacities or functions: “A statewide website with the …[c]apacity to serve persons with limited English proficiency”

9. LSC Program Letter LSC Program Letter 04-2, “Services to Client Eligible Individuals with Limited English Proficiency” • Provides a context and guidance for LSC-funded programs with eligible individuals in their service area who are persons with limited English proficiency. • Aims to ensure access to justice for communities of potentially eligible clients who do not speak English proficiently A full copy of the letter is available in the resources section of the training online at: www.lsntap.org/SWEB119

10. What does a LEP policy include? • Assessment of Language Needs (of the client population) • Staffing • Training • Interpreters/Translators • Translation of Documents • Outreach • Oversight

11. LEP Plan Website Related Issues • Interpreters/Translators – • obtaining competent interpretation services for each of the major languages in the program’s service area • Translation of Documents – • translation of all “vital program documents” • What are vital documents? • In the LEP target languages for those groups constituting five percent of the client population • Outreach • strategies for disseminating information about the availability of bilingual staff or free interpreters and legal services • revising and translating a program’s community outreach materials into appropriate languages

12. How LSC assesses a program’s LEP/language access efforts • Competitive Grants Process: reviews of applications for funding from existing grant recipients and potential new grantees, using the Legal Services Corporation Performance Criteria as our guide. The Performance Criteria are located at www.lsc.gov • On-site program quality and program engagement visits • Ongoing periodic in-person contact and phone contact with program executive directors

13. Assessment of LEP for TIG • LSC requires all TIG recipients to consider the needs of LEP clients. TIG’s grant assurances on LEP provide as follows:  “In the development of any Web site, pro se materials, or other grant-supported product, the recipient shall consider the special needs of persons with limited literacy, limited English proficiency, limited experience with or knowledge of computer-related technologies, limited access to computers, or who have limited access to most Web-based or other computer-related systems for any reason.”

14. Introduction of LEP Website Concepts • Translated home page - Home page translation into the targeted language(s) • Basic Information about the legal service program: • Services available - Information in the targeted language(s) discussing the services - including legal assistance - provided by the program • Addresses and telephone numbers of the program’s office(s) • A “click here” button - A button on the home page, in the language of the target population, that indicates that persons who speak the particular language should “click here”. The visitor to the website is then directed to the website content in the appropriate language

15. Introduction of LEPWebsite Concepts 4. Resource information concerning interpretation services availablein the program’s service area for the target language group(s) 5. Community Education materials - Educational materials (brochures, etc.) in the targeted language(s) providing information in a variety of substantive law areas of interest to the client community. 6. Video presentations - Videos in the targeted language(s) to reach persons of limited English proficiency who are not literate in their native language 7. Links – Links to other websites with relevant legal information content in other languages

16. Other Resources • www.lep.gov – The website of the Federal Interagency Working Group on Limited English Proficiency. Acts as a clearinghouse, providing and linking to information, tools and technical assistance regarding limited English proficiency and language access services for federal agencies, recipients of federal funds, users of federal programs, and federally assisted programs, and other stakeholders. • www.lri.lsc.gov – The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Resource Information electronic library. Provides information about legal services management and delivery approaches and tools. Items posted are from both LSC-funded and non-LSC civil legal services providers and other law-related organizations and institutions. • www.healthlaw.org – The website of the National Health Law Program contains materials related to language access and health care • Both the “Diversity” and “Special Populations/Access Barriers” content areas contain L.E.P. resources and information • LEP section contains articles, information on intake systems, manuals, LEP policies, projects, reports, technology, LSC’s LEP activities, and links to additional sources of LEP information These are all available in the resources section for this training at www.lsntap.org/SWEB116

17. Contact Tillie • Tillie Lacayo – tillie[at]lsc.gov or lacayom@lsc.gov • Updates on LEP activities • New additions to multi-lingual website content • Other technology projects reaching LEP audience • Consultation or assistance developing an LEP plan of project.

18. Prioritizing Content: Assessment of Need Look at census, school or other recent data Suggested data sources: http://www.lep.gov/demog_data.html Local or specialized reports Assess what the particular community’s potential legal needs are (can be very different across ethnic and national groups)

20. Review Organization Data Review Case Management data for most needed languages and potential common issues by language. Talk to hotline and intake staff for up to date information about communities requesting assistance.

21. Work with Community Organizations Work with community organizations to understand issues affecting specific language groups: Will help ensure most relevant content is translated May provide partnership to assist with translation Provides support and partnership for outreach efforts

22. Prioritizing translation • Inventory existing high-quality resources • Develop new materials and prioritize translation around your assessments • Make sure to develop language materials to compliment the overall LEP goals or vision of the organization or statewide justice community.

23. Tips for Translation Once you’ve decided what content to translate into certain languages: Don’t substitute quality for quantity. (Accurate translation is critical so prioritize limited translation if necessary to ensure it is well done.) Use pictures and images to provide explanation wherever possible. American Translators Association – Getting it Right Translate only relevant sections of existing documents or produce shorter documents in your own language and have those translated. American Translators Association – Getting it Right Consider video and audio translations for unwritten or difficult font languages.

24. Finding the Right Translator Whether professional or volunteer Get background information Experience and references Seek specialists in legal field. If a professional, seek someone with certification. Ask for “per page” or or “per word” quotes Establish the editorial process to ensure quality Independent editing by a second translator Proofing Some translation agencies will also test your translation with a focus group. If not, arrange your own community review.

25. Community Review Bilingual staff and/or community partners evaluate the translation for accessibility If translators and community reviewers disagree, ask this clarifying question: “Will the suggested changes improve the quality or accessibility of the translation without making a substantial departure from the source document?”

26. Examples of Certifications General certifications: American Translators Association (ATA) (www.atanet.org) UN: (www.un.org) Society of Translators & Interpreters of British Columbia (www.stibc.org) Court Certifications: California (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/courtinterpreters/) Washington (www.courts.wa.gov/programs_orgs/pos_interpret) National Center for State Courts (www.ncsconline.org) Federal Court Interpreter Certification (www.cps.ca.gov/FCICE-Spanish/aboutus.asp) Source: http://transcend.net/accreditation.htm

27. Other Considerations For Translation A Plain Language source makes translation easier and more effective A Plain Language document typically has 40% fewer words than the original. As translations are billed on a per word basis, translation costs will be lower. - Transcend.net Work with access partners to develop uniformity in translations of common terms e.g. “defendant” and “small claims”

28. Taking a Holistic Approach Challenges to serving LEP clients Language and cultural differences can be an added obstacle to accessing needed services Lack of familiarity with legal services Mistrust of entities perceived to be governmental agencies Differences in access to and use of technology

29. 2007 CA Conference on Self Represented Litigrants, Providing Services to Limited-English-Speaking Litigants http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/programs/equalaccess/2007Materials.html

30. Taking a Holistic Approach • Online resources should not exist in isolation as a delivery system • Will most benefit the target community when they are supported and promoted by an access-oriented delivery system • Cultivate broad partnership networks • Self-help centers - Health clinics • Law libraries - Law schools • Social service providers - Local media outlets

31. Resources • NCSC LEP Resource Guide Limited English Proficiency Guide (LEP) Resource Guide http://www.ncsconline.org/wc/CourTopics/ResourceGuide.asp?topic=CtInte&guide=179#1007 • Legal Glossaries in Arabic, Armenian, Hmong, Mien, Mong, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese by the Superior Court of California, Sacramento County Courts: http://www.saccourt.com/geninfo/legal_glossaries/legal_glossaries.asp • Empire Justice Center Language Access Resource Center (LARC) http://70.86.230.142/archive/larc/newsitedesign/LARC.htm

32. Technical Considerations Displaying Western European languages on the Web has never been a problem Problems arose with the creation and rendering of non-Latin alphabets Modern browsers have better support for them than in the past

33. Unicode Unicode is an international standard that includes most non-Latin characters and makes storage and retrieval of non-Latin characters on the Web much easier Many of the workarounds that programs used to display non-Latin languages on their site are no longer necessary

34. Multilingual Content and Your CMS Modern CMS’s feature strong multilingual content support Among open source platforms, Plone, Drupal, and new versions of Zope all have multilingual support that will meet most sites’ needs. Pro Bono Net also have very strong multilingual support

35. Machine Translation… Still not there • Translation tools have existed for years, but are still not capable of the type of accurate translation required for legal content • John C. Dvorack, PC Magazine: A few gizmos out there can say "Hello, where is the train station?" or "I have a blue pencil" in 40 different languages. But we're still yearning for a real translation system. Most written translations I see of memos, newspapers, books, and magazines are a joke. Sometimes it is a miracle if you can even get the gist of the text. PC Magazine, Computing’s Final Frontiers, February 08, 2008

36. The Mobile Web andMultiligual Content 84% of English-speaking Hispanics have a cellphone As programs begin to explore the Mobile Web and technologies like Short Message Service (SMS), it’s important to keep multilingual content development in mind.

37. Multilingual Content & Document Assembly A2J supports the creation of Spanish language interviews Interviews have a Spanish interface but deliver an English legal document In the future, NPADO will feature a Spanish interface

38. Idaho - Formas Interactivas

39. Guidelines for Website Language Projects Create a Content Management Plan: Suggestion: • 1 point person to manage content translation and maintenance • Tracking translation process • Use project management software • Use naming conventions for documents • eg “Eviction 2007 SP draft 1”

40. Maintaining Multilingual Content • Tickler system to remind you when English versions are updated • Northwest Justice Project has advocates “adopt” specific publications or subject areas. • Periodic review • Advocate edits the English version with “track changes” • Point person forwards those notes to translator

41. Community Examples: Legal Aid Society of New York Received funding to create new community legal education materials in Spanish and French • Used outside translators • Client legal aid materials available at Law Help New York: http://www.lawhelp.org/NY/index.cfm/language/39/state/NY. Process • Phase 1: translation with outside vendor and initial revisions • Phase 2: review with second outside vendor, develop style guide and glossary

42. Community Examples: Legal Aid Services of Oregon • Developed Spanish and English language websites at the same time • Used existing translations and then “filled in the gaps” • Availability and importance of Spanish language materials helped focus content efforts on both sites • Final product: http://www.OregonLawHelp.org/index.cfm/language/39/state/OR

43. Community Examples: Northwest Justice Project • Ongoing project outsourcing the translation of self-help documents into Spanish and Russian • Consults hotline staff and advocates and evaluates outside content requests to prioritize translations • Critical subjects: public benefit termination and denials, help with eviction, domestic violence information and farm worker rights. • Washington LawHelp: http://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/WA/index.cfm

44. Tips from “Mile Markers Along the Road Across the Linguistic Divide” Share financial and planning resources with other organizations Take advantage of technical assistance available through professional associations Develop a uniform working manual on interpreting and translating services The full document is available on the NTAP website: http://lsntap.org/sites/lsntap.org/files/MileMarkers.pdf

45. Additional Resources • www.lep.gov – The website of the Federal Interagency Working Group on Limited English Proficiency. Acts as a clearinghouse, providing and linking to information, tools and technical assistance regarding limited English proficiency and language access services for federal agencies, recipients of federal funds, users of federal programs, and federally assisted programs, and other stakeholders. • www.lri.lsc.gov – The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) Resource Information electronic library. Provides information about legal services management and delivery approaches and tools. Items posted are from both LSC-funded and non-LSC civil legal services providers and other law-related organizations and institutions. • www.healthlaw.org – The website of the National Health Law Program contains materials related to language access and health care • Both the “Diversity” and “Special Populations/Access Barriers” content areas contain L.E.P. resources and information • LEP section contains articles, information on intake systems, manuals, LEP policies, projects, reports, technology, LSC’s LEP activities, and links to additional sources of LEP information

46. Additional Resources • Serving Non English Speakers in US Public Libraries (2008 report with good statistics):http://www.ala.org/ala/olos/nonenglishspeakers/docs/Linguistic_Isolation_Report-2007.pdf • Serving Non-English Speakers in the Virginia Court Systemhttp://www.courts.state.va.us/interpreters/guidelines.pdf • Public Management and MultiLingual Resourceshttp://www.managementpartners.com/successstories/6-1-07ICMA-PM-ManagingDiverseCommunities.pdf • Article about new Language Line Service with Some Interesting Statisticshttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2007_Sept_17/ai_n19521598 • TechSoup on Multilingual Web Sites http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/webbuilding/page5379.cfm