Educating Deaf Students on Using Interpreters

1. Educating Deaf Students on Using Interpreters Keady Gundrum Olivia Krise Dr. Pamela Luft Kent State Univeristy

2. Need for Information • A deaf education teacher brought the need for this unit to our attention in the fall. • Across NE Ohio, 100% of interpreters surveyed indicated that the deaf youths they work with would benefit from instruction related to how to utilize interpreter services. Transition Services Preparation & Training

3. Incorporating Information within a Larger Unit • These lessons coincide with Ohio Academic Content Standards relating to Oral and Visual Communication. • In a variety of settings,these lessons could be used in conjunction with a larger unit. Ideas: • Provide students any opportunity to relay and acquire information through an interpreter in class, regarding any topic. • While planning a field trip, allow students to make a relay phone call to request interpreter services. Transition Services Preparation & Training

4. Empower Students by Teaching… • Why deaf students need interpreters • Interpreter Code of Ethics • Who are interpreters • Professionals, not family members • Right to Interpreter Services, ADA • How to arrange for interpreting services Transition Services Preparation & Training

5. Why Do People Need Interpreters? • 2 or more people who do not share a common language use interpreters to relay communication • Interpreters allow each person to understand each other, without relying on written communication or signing skills of friends and family. Transition Services Preparation & Training

6. Interpreter Code of Ethics • Interpreters are professionals who abide by a code of ethics, including: • Confidentiality • Information learned while interpreting is kept private • Possess knowledge and skills required to interpret information with accuracy • Use discretion when accepting assignments • do not provide personal opinions • Respect for consumers • Consider consumers requests regarding language preferences • For the complete NAD-RID Code of Professional conduct, visit www.rid.org Transition Services Preparation & Training

7. Who are interpreters? • Professional interpreters have experienced a high degree of training and practice. • Simply being fluent in sign language and ASL does not qualify someone to be an interpreter. • Interpreters should be neutral and non-biased. • Consumer’s family members should not be asked to interpret because of bias and consumer’s right to confidentiality. Transition Services Preparation & Training

8. Right to Interpreting Services • The Americans with Disabilities Act is a law that requires businesses and organizations to provide qualified sign language interpreters. • It is not the deaf person’s responsibility to find or compensate interpreters. • If you are deaf and a doctor’s office or business asks you to “bring an interpreter with you,” you may refer them to this law. Transition Services Preparation & Training

9. How to arrange for interpreting services • Doctor’s offices and businesses often do not have experience with securing interpreter services. • As the consumer, you may want to provide them with the name and phone number of local interpreting agencies, and perhaps the name of a specific interpreter that you would like to request. • Many cities have an agency under the listing “Community Services for the Deaf.” Transition Services Preparation & Training

10. What to do if you aren’t satisfied with interpreter services… • First, inform the interpreter of the problem. • If the interpreter is unable or unwilling to address the problem, contact the agency that sent the interpreter and file a complaint. • If the interpreter is nationally certified, and he/she violated the code of ethics, you may choose to file a complaint via RID’s Ethical Practices System. Transition Services Preparation & Training

11. Remember… • Utilizing interpreter services is a life skill. • Teaching deaf students how to use interpreters effectively is like teaching literacy: it opens up an information highway. Transition Services Preparation & Training

12. What’s To Come… • Unit is still under development- additions may include: • Guidelines specific to educational interpreting • Student-Directed Interpreting PowerPoint • available for schools to offer as an assessment of student’s understanding and further development To access the final unit (and others) please visit: http://www.educ.kent.edu/fundedprojects/TSPT/grant.htm Transition Services Preparation & Training