education � standards � excellence

VVIIEEWWSSA MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE REGISTRY OF INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ JUNE 2007

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Topic of the Month:

Interpreting Culturally Sensitive Informationin VRS Settings

Mary Henry Lightfoot, CI and CT, Maryland

Continued on Page 17.

Technology, Distance andVideo Interpreting

Video relay service (VRS),

after seven years of use, is

becoming a mature form of

virtual communication. Interpreters now

interpret for deaf and hearing consumers

from many different parts of the country,

from rural and urban areas, and from

many different cultural groups. We are

attempting to open the dialogue about

specific cultural features of language,

effectiveness of interpreting and strate-

gies for enhancing the interpreting of

cultural components of language. With

VRS becoming a mature industry, we as

interpreting professionals need to

explore ways to better serve consumers,

including consumers of color, using the

service.

This spring, a session was held at the

Deaf People of Color Conference which

allowed deaf consumers of color, as well

as interpreters, to talk about cultural fea-

tures of language, attitudes toward inter-

pretation of information and approaches

to the task. In addition, a survey regard-

ing interpretation of cultural features of

language was sent via e-mail, as well as

disseminated as to participants at the

Deaf People of Color Conference. Both

deaf consumers and interpreters were the

target audiences.

DDeeaaff PPeeooppllee ooff CCoolloorrCCoonnffeerreennccee

The Deaf People of Color

Conference, held March 29 - April 1,

was a groundbreaking conference

“directed by and held for Deaf people of

all ethnic/racial backgrounds: African-

American, Latino, Asian, and (Native)

American Indian, biracial, multiracial.”

There were two full days of work-

shops about cultures of Deaf people of

color as well as a day long leadership

preconference workshop. Approximately

200 participants attended the conference.

Included with the workshops was a

session regarding interpreting: Video

Relay Service Interpreting: Tools for

Effective Dialogue with Culturally

Sensitive Content. The workshop

explored cultural competency issues with

VRS interpreting. Participants discussed

intercultural and intracultural situations

through a series of questions and scenar-

ios. In addition, video clips were fea-

tured with Deaf people of color, inter-

preters and experts talking about view-

points of interpreting culturally sensitive

information.

Rich discussions led to tools that we,

as interpreters, can use when working

with deaf consumers of color in VRS

settings.

Coalition for AccessibleTechnology Launched!

Karen Peltz Strauss, Legal Consultant to CSD

Developments in the Area ofVRS and 9 -1-1

Donna Platt and Richard Ray

With today’s expanding technology,people have various options for com-munication methods. People who aredeaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearingand individuals with a speech disabili-ty are following along with thesetrends and are rapidly migrating fromtraditional TTY to more advancedtelecommunications methods, both forpeer-to-peer communications and forrelay services. These newer Internet-based modalities include, but are notlimited to, internet relay, wirelessrelay, video relay service (VRS) andInternet-based captioned telephone.

Interpreters are getting their COATs on for equal access!

A brand new coalition of disabili-

ty organizations called the Coalition

of Organizations for Accessible

Technology (COAT) has just been

created to push for federal legislation

that will ensure full access by people

with disabilities to evolving high

speed broadband and other Internet

protocol (IP) technologies. Launched

this past March, COAT already con-

more

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more

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www.rid.org 17

FFrroomm DDeeaaff CCoonnssuummeerrss ooff CCoolloorr::*Note that the information below is

from the workshop and interviews. It isnot meant to represent viewpoints of allDeaf persons of color. � Interpret culturally sensitive infor-mation regardless of the interpreter’scomfort level with what is being said.Information is coming from the com-munication participants, not the inter-preter. Thus, if information is commu-nicated that the interpreter feels isoffensive, remember that the inter-preter is not initiating the communica-tion. Consumers do not want theinterpreter to filter information, dis-tilling the cultural components of lan-guage.�When the interpreter is not familiarwith information being discussed orsigns being used, ask for clarification.Do not eliminate this content or sub-stitute the information with anotherconcept. An example was given of adeaf person who uses American SignLanguage (ASL) but is calling a fami-ly member in Puerto Rico and uses alocal sign for BEACH.Miscommunication resulted when theinterpreter did not ask for clarifica-tion.� Do not assume that your culturalunderstanding of information is thesame as the participants. An examplewas given of the concept of family, lafamilia, in Latino cultures, which isdifferent than what is portrayed inU.S. mainstream culture. The mem-bers, attitudes and behaviors may bedifferent with concepts that we oftenhold as universal.� Become aware of cultural featuresof language so that interpretationincludes more than the words, butappropriately reflects the deaf partici-pant. �VRS interpreters should begiven training about cultures ofDeaf people of color and aboutinterpreting cross culturally.�VRS interpreters should seekout cultural information about

Deaf people of color through vari-ous forms of media: DVD materi-al, events held by Deaf people ofcolor such as the Deaf People ofColor Conference.�VRS interpreters should seekout cultural information abouthearing people of color throughvarious forms of media: booksincluding fiction and non-fiction,movies, television programming,radio stations and interpreters ofcolor interpreting organizations.

�With recognition of cultural fea-tures of communication, interpretersshould also continue to improve ASLreceptive skills as well as finger-spelling receptive skills. Consumersreported that some interpreters had toask for repetition many times andcould not understand their language.

FFrroomm IInntteerrpprreetteerrss ooff CCoolloorr::�Work on an attitudinal level.Heighten respect for the cultures ofDeaf people of color. Reflect on yourown view of Deaf people of colorand hearing people of color. If onedoes not have an understanding ofthe culture, do not try to mimic Deafpeople of color through improperword choice or inflection.

�When an interpreter is a person of

color and interpreting intraculturally,there can be transference of one’scultural experience with the commu-nication. Interpreters should be awarethat although the participants may beof the same cultural group, theirexperiences may be different.

FFrroomm aa DDiivveerrssiittyy EExxppeerrtt::�We need to open our understand-ing of interpreting from a bilingual –bicultural model to a multiculturalmodel, recognizing that Deaf peopleof color have their own respectivecultures.

CCoonncclluussiioonn::No matter where we, as interpreters,

reside or where the VRS center is locat-ed, we will work with Deaf people ofcolor in VRS settings. Glen Andersonstated, “The American Deaf communityis undergoing a demographic revolution.It is becoming more dynamic, and multi-cultural...” With this in mind, we willcontinue to see more Deaf people ofcolor in our VRS work life. I urge you,as fellow colleagues, to seek out ways toenhance understanding of the cultures ofDeaf people of color for provision ofculturally rich interpreting in VRS settings.�

Cultural Diversity continued from Page 1.