Welcome to the Judicial Council of California's Video Remote Interpreting Online Training. This module is intended to help California court interpreters understand when and how to use dual-channel configurations when providing video remote interpreting, or VRI. To provide VRI, courts may use various video conferencing platforms to connect participants via audio and video. Some of these platforms, such as Zoom and Cisco WebEx, have a simultaneous interpretation feature built in. This allows the court interpreter to provide simultaneous interpretation over a separate language channel in that same court hearing. Sometimes courts may use a platform that does not have this feature. Or they may use Zoom or WebEx but choose not to use the simultaneous interpretation feature. This may be because the limited English proficient or LEP court user is joining on a device that doesn't support the simultaneous feature. Or it may be for other reasons. However, in any of these scenarios, it is still possible to provide simultaneous interpretation. This is done by using what is called a dual-channel configuration. This training will help you learn what a dual-channel configuration is and how to use dual-channel to conduct simultaneous interpretation. It will also provide considerations to keep in mind when using this approach. A dual-channel configuration is using two connections to make simultaneous interpretation possible when providing VRI. One connection is to the video conferencing platform. This allows the interpreter and the LEP court user to see and be seen by all participants. It also lets them hear and speak to the English-speaking parties. The second connection is a separate line of communication, such as a phone call, between the interpreter and the LEP court user. This lets the interpreter provide simultaneous interpretation to the LEP court user, similar to how they would in court, using interpreting equipment. The separate connection allows the interpreter to listen and interpret without interrupting the hearing. In this configuration, the interpreter would connect to the main hearing with the court, including the judge and the attorneys on the video conferencing platform. The interpreter would keep their microphone muted on this device. The interpreter would then interpret what they hear in the court hearing simultaneously over the phone to the LEP court user. The LEP court user is also connected to the video conferencing platform with their microphone muted. This way, they can see and be seen by others in the hearing. With their phone muted, they can listen to the interpretation being provided through the phone. If the LEP court user needs to speak during the hearing, they can unmute their microphone on the video conferencing platform and address the court through the video conferencing platform. The interpreter would also unmute their microphone on the video conferencing platform, but mute their phone line and interpret consecutively in the video conferencing platform to the court, as they would do in person. Now that you have a better understanding of what a dual-channel configuration is, let's go over the equipment and technology requirements. First, you will need a computer, either a laptop or a desktop, for accessing the video conferencing platform. Note that tablets and smartphones are not ideal for providing VRI. You should also make sure that you have downloaded and installed the platform application onto your computer. Be sure you are familiar with the platform and its features. If you have previously installed the platform application, check for any recent updates to make sure it runs properly. You will also need a stable internet connection, a headset or headphones, a dedicated microphone, and a camera. For more information on equipment needed for VRI, be sure to watch the module, VRI Overview and Preparation. Next, make sure that you have the appropriate second connection device or software needed for the parallel interpretation line. As we'll go over next, there are several options for this, so be sure you have the right setup for the dual-channel configuration you will be using. For example, if using a phone as a second device, you may wish to use earbuds with a microphone to help you control your audio. Now let's look at some different ways to conduct simultaneous interpretation using a dual-channel configuration. There are a few different options to go about setting this up, and as an interpreter, you may have the freedom to make a variety of choices as to how you connect to the court hearing and to the LEP court user. Just keep in mind the basic principle of this method, which is that you will do consecutive interpretation through the virtual platform as needed and simultaneous interpretation through the phone connection to the LEP court user. You will control the flow of your interpretation by muting and unmuting microphones on these devices. Let's go over these connection options. The first option, as mentioned earlier, is a computer connection plus a phone line. In this configuration, you would log into the virtual hearing on your computer and mute your microphone in the hearing. With your camera on, the court and the LEP court user would also be able to see you. You would then place a phone call directly to the LEP court user. We recommend that you block your number by dialing star six seven followed by the LEP court user's phone number. This keeps your number private. The LEP court user would also be logged into the virtual hearing with their camera on and microphone muted. They would listen to your interpretation through the phone line, which would also remain muted. This way, they would have an audio and video connection to the court, as well as an audio connection to you. The main advantages of this option are that it is fairly easy to use and easy to set up. However, despite being simple, this method also has some drawbacks. First, a phone line may not always be stable. This means either you or the LEP court user could drop off the call during the hearing. If you or the LEP court user disconnect from the call, alert the court in the video platform immediately. There are also times when there are multiple LEP court users needing interpretation during a court hearing, and all of them must be on the call. In these scenarios, it is possible that one or more of the participants may lose signal and drop off the call. If this happens, it may not be apparent that this has occurred, or which of the participants has dropped. Furthermore, if you are the one who initiated the call, the dropped participant will not be able to simply dial back in to rejoin. If you become aware of a court user getting disconnected, alert the court right away, then follow the procedure the court lays out to address this issue. Another option is a computer connection plus a conference call line. Note that this configuration would have to be set up by the court in advance. In this configuration, the court would schedule a conference call at the same time as the virtual hearing. The conference call number would be given to you and the LEP court user and their counsel if they are represented. At the time of the hearing, you would simply need to connect to the virtual hearing on your computer, mute your computer microphone, and then place a call to the conference call line as your interpretation line. You would then wait for the hearing to begin, and then start interpreting simultaneously into the conference call line where the LEP court user will hear your interpretation. This method has some advantages. For example, a conference line promotes better call stability and protects your number. However, this method has a couple of drawbacks as well. First, not all courts have conference call capabilities. Additionally, as with direct calls, you may not be able to tell if one or more LEP users on the conference call have dropped off the call at any point. While they may still be able to call back into a conference call line, it may be difficult as the interpreter to track if there are any communication issues caused by a dropped call. Another option for connecting to the LEP court user is through a computer connection plus a virtual calling solution such as Skype or Google Voice. Some of these applications are free and can be accessed via browser, while others must first be downloaded. Access to these applications must be initiated by the interpreter or by court staff if the court already has an account. With this method, you would connect to the virtual hearing on your computer, open up the virtual calling application alongside the virtual hearing, and dial out to the LEP court user through the calling application. The advantage to this method is that you can access the software from the same computer as the one you use to access the virtual hearing. This reduces the need to have or juggle multiple devices. It also allows you to use the same headset for the call to the LEP court user as the one you are using for your connection with the court. Another advantage of using dial-in software is that you can monitor who is on the call. This can help you identify if someone has dropped. One possible challenge with this method is that you could receive sound from both the video conferencing platform and through the phone line. This could cause an echo, which can be extremely disruptive while trying to interpret. As a workaround, the LEP should be instructed to mute their microphone on the phone line. If you are using Windows, another possible solution for minimizing echo and feedback would be to use Windows Volume Mixer application. This allows you to control the volume of each application. Mac unfortunately does not have a native volume control application, but there are several third-party software applications for Mac that achieve the same result. This concludes this module. We hope that it has helped you become familiar with using dual-channel configurations in remote hearings. As a final note, make sure to practice these methods before trying them out in a court hearing. Test them out in advance and make sure you're comfortable using a dual-channel configuration. This will help make sure that everything goes smoothly on the day of the event. To learn more about interpreting in remote hearings, be sure to watch the additional modules in this series. These include VRI Overview and Preparation, Professional Standards and Ethical Considerations for VRI, ASL Interpretation on VRI, Using Zoom for Court Interpretation, and Using Cisco WebEx for Court Interpretation. Be sure to also refer to the resource sheet for more information. Thank you.

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