Hello, welcome to the module on Team Interpreting. This module is part of a training series for ASL hearing and Deaf interpreters working in the California courts. This training is designed to provide interpreters with information for working in teams. This module is divided into two parts. The first part, you will learn more about team interpreting when working in court. Specifically, this overview will include information on how team interpreters can support one another by monitoring their partner's output and providing corrections, the role of certified Deaf interpreters or Deaf interpreters working in conjunction with hearing interpreters to support effective communication with Deaf court users, and working with interpreters for DeafBlind court users. In the second part of this module, we'll cover tips and strategies for supporting team interpreting in real-life situations, including handling challenging situations, the need for clear communication about roles, and how to effectively manage an interpreted event as a team. First though, let's take a moment to review the different types of team interpreting that can occur in a courtroom setting. Then we'll go over the specific team configurations outlined in this overview. Interpreting in teams helps to ensure accuracy and minimize the risk of errors due to mental or physical fatigue. Team interpreting includes working with two or more interpreters to ensure the best interpretation for the Deaf or hard-of-hearing client or clients. Team interpreting can be used for many reasons. For example, an interpreting team may be assigned due to the length or complexity of an event. Typically, ASL interpreters should only be working alone if all of the following three conditions are met. The proceeding is 30 minutes or less. The proceeding does not include any evidentiary materials. The proceeding is not contested. An interpreter's skill can begin to decline when interpreting for an extended length of time. ASL interpreters can face both cognitive strain, such as the mental fatigue from interpreting, as well as physical fatigue, which can come from continual signing. It's a standard practice for the court to ensure that ASL interpreters can switch off every 20 to 30 minutes or take a break if only one ASL interpreter is assigned. Therefore, if an ASL interpreter has an assignment that will last longer than 30 minutes, it would be standard practice to have another interpreter assigned to support team interpreting. In terms of complexity, two or more interpreters may be needed based on the dynamics of the interaction and the number of participants involved. As noted in a previous module, some proceedings may require both a table interpreter and one or more proceedings interpreters. The table interpreter is providing interpretation to the deaf or hard-of-hearing litigant at the counsel's table, while the proceeding interpreter is providing interpretation of the overall proceeding, including the judge's words, witness testimony, etc. Although information sharing between table interpreters and proceedings interpreters is structurally limited, the table interpreter and proceedings interpreters should be considered a team in that they are all there to ensure the accuracy of the message. Another reason team interpreting might be used is if there are multiple deaf or hard-of-hearing court users. In this case, each may require their own interpreter. Finally, courts may appoint interpreting teams that will help support special communication needs of the court user. This takes us to our next topic of team configurations that a certified deaf interpreter or deaf interpreter and a hearing interpreter. The California Judicial Council's Recommended Guidelines for the Use of Deaf Intermediary Interpreters is a comprehensive document that provides guidance for court interpreters working with deaf interpreters. According to these guidelines, an intermediary interpreter is by practice, if not by definition, deaf or hard-of-hearing. These guidelines relate only to intermediary interpreters who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and the term intermediary interpreter is used interchangeably with deaf interpreter or DI. Deaf interpreters function as part of a team with a certified ASL hearing court interpreter who is enrolled with the California Judicial Council and appears on the Judicial Council's master's list of certified and registered court interpreters. In this training, the terms certified deaf interpreter and deaf interpreter will be used. A certified deaf interpreter, or CDI, is the common term used for deaf interpreters with RID certification and deaf interpreter or DI is the common term for a deaf interpreter who may or may not be RID certified. In order to facilitate effective communication, the guidelines outline that a court will need a certified deaf interpreter or deaf interpreter when any of the following situations occur. The deaf or hard-of-hearing person uses idiosyncratic non-standard signs or gestures, commonly referred to as home signs, that are unique to a family, uses a foreign sign language or an ASL variant not mastered by the hearing or non-native ASL interpreter or user, uses signs particular to a given region, ethnicity, or age group, relies on uniquely deaf experiences that are unfamiliar to the hearing interpreter, or has no language foundation because of no or inadequate education. In addition, a certified deaf interpreter or deaf interpreter is presumed needed when a deaf or hard-of-hearing person is dealing with mental health issues or is a juvenile. Deaf interpreters are used in all civil and criminal actions that require their services for effective communication and involve deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. In addition to juvenile court proceedings and hearings to determine mental competency, these actions can include traffic or other infractions, small claims court proceedings, family court proceedings, and court-provided services, including alternative dispute resolutions, mediation, and arbitration. Deaf interpreters have life experience in common with the deaf participant, such that even a very fluent and culturally aware non-native ASL hearing interpreter will never have. A deaf interpreter who is a native ASL user can mitigate communication issues for the deaf participant. Both certified deaf interpreters and deaf interpreters and hearing court interpreters are encouraged to work together to ensure that all deaf court visitors have access. Forming a CDI and hearing interpreting team is crucial. The choice of the hearing interpreter should comply with the CDI needs for creating an effective team. The following is an overview outlined in the guidelines of how a team made of a hearing interpreter and a deaf interpreter may work. The hearing interpreter takes the spoken English information and interprets it into standard ASL for the deaf interpreter. This process is done using either consecutive or simultaneous modes of interpretation. The deaf interpreter interprets the message further for the deaf, deaf-blind, deaf-disabled, hard of hearing, or late-deafened person meeting them at their language foundation for optimal language access and communication access. This is usually done in the consecutive mode of interpretation. When the deaf or hard-of-hearing person is communicating, the deaf interpreter takes the information expressed by the unique communication method of that person and interprets it to the hearing interpreter in standard ASL. This is done in the consecutive mode. The hearing interpreter translates the deaf interpreter's standard ASL into spoken English. This is done using either the consecutive or simultaneous mode of interpretation. The deaf interpreter may do sight translations directly from the printed source or through the relay process with a hearing interpreter. Each deaf interpreter or hearing interpreter team determines the best approach in the given situation. The deaf interpreter sits or stands facing the deaf or hard-of-hearing person. The hearing interpreter sits or stands facing the deaf interpreter. In addition to deaf or hard-of-hearing parties, there are individuals who may require interpreters who have been trained and have experience in interpreting for deaf-blind consumers. The level of hearing or vision loss varies with each individual, and the interpretation services provided should be based on each user's needs. Interpreting for deaf-blind parties including a wide range of solutions and or modes of communication. Depending on the level of combined hearing and vision loss, a deaf-blind individual may use various modes of communication, including but not limited to sign language presented at a close visual range or at a greater visual range, tactile sign language received by sense of touch, and or fingerspelling received by sense of touch. Interpreters require special training to do pro-tactile, tactile, tracking, or low-vision work. ASL deaf and hearing interpreters without this training should let the court know immediately if they encounter a deaf-blind participant and the interpreter does not have the skill to do the work. This may include informing the court that you are not the appropriate interpreter for the assignment because you do not have the necessary skills to ensure the deaf-blind person can be linguistically present. If a hearing interpreter is working in a team with another interpreter providing interpretation services to a deaf-blind participant, the hearing interpreter should support the process and time for the interpretation to be completed and may do so by letting the court know if more time is needed. This can be accomplished by stating, your honor, one moment for the interpretation to be completed. Now that we've taken a closer look at different possible ASL interpreting team configurations, let's go over some tips, strategies, and best practices for team interpreting and teamwork. When you work as part of an interpreting team, a pre-meeting with your interpreting partner or partners can be very beneficial. During this meeting, you can establish how you want to work together. For example, you should discuss when and how you will switch off, generally after how much time, and how you want to cue each other for the switch. The team may also decide to use an open process method of interpreting where both interpreters are on and working together to produce the interpretation. This sometimes includes tasks dividing, such as one person working into signed ASL while the other works into spoken English, or assigning roles to each interpreter, such as the judge, opposing counsel, or witnesses for clarity of the message. If working in rotation on the same task, you will also want to determine which member of your team will be responsible for timekeeping and how you signal to each other when the time is up. You can also discuss what is helpful to each other from a team member, including how you prefer to receive corrections and how you would like information to be conveyed to you while you are working. This is critical to agree on especially if the interpreting team elects not to use the open process. If helpful, you can determine a signal, such as an open hand gesture, to indicate that you need assistance. Remember, the goal of team interpreting is to provide the best possible communication for the deaf or hard of hearing court user. While you may switch off the role of primary interpreter, you will still be engaged in the interpretation, including monitoring your partner's output, assisting with note-taking, providing terminology suggestions as needed, and monitoring the use of signs so that you can maintain continuity in communication. A second interpreter processes the message alongside the working primary interpreter to assist in providing any information that is dropped, added, or misinterpreted. For interpreter teams consisting of a certified deaf interpreter or deaf interpreter and hearing interpreter, it is also good to review how the deaf interpreter prefers receiving the source message, such as an ASL or in an English-based structure, preferred approaches to signaling a change in speaker to the deaf interpreter, and the preferred methods for sharing feedback and correcting each other. You should also have a practice session ahead of time to ensure that there is good communication matched between the deaf interpreter and the hearing interpreter. Finally, for all interpreters, it is important to examine any internal or implicit biases that may impact your teamwork and effective communication. It's important for interpreters to actively seek teammates with skills beyond their own so that the team can draw on a diversity of background information to provide the best work product possible. Some considerations that you should continue to monitor as you work in teams include your familiarity with variants of ASL, such as BASL, and recognizing the appropriate use of such variants. Your familiarity with other language influence in signing, such as Spanish-language influence. Your familiarity working with deaf, deaf-blind, deaf-disabled, hard-of-hearing, or late-deafened individuals who live with language deprivation that adversely affects their ability to access the proceedings. It's important to recommend other signers who may have more experience to appropriately communicate with the court user if needed. Thank you for taking the time to watch this module on team interpreting. In addition to the content covered in this module, make sure to review the resources provided in the complimentary materials.

Team Interpreting

ASL

Deaf Interpreters

California Courts

Communication Accuracy