Deaf/ Blind Interpreting

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Brady lady
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I have no experience in deaf/blind interpreting, I am curious, if it takes two interpreters for each assignment due to the physical nature? What is your time duration of interpreting?

Maybe, some of our deaf/blind members can describe their interpreter experiences.

Thanks :)
 
It's funny, I observe so many CDI's and SSP's at Gallaudet with the deafblind people on campus, but I have no idea how that job works. I'll be looking forward to hearing the responses here too!
 
I have observed the job as well, wonder too. Most of the interpreters have seen are CDI or deaf person (non certified)doing the interpreting at certain events. I do know hearing people interpret as for deaf/blind . I am curious on the replies too.
 
Usually there is only one interpreter with a deafblind person unless the deafblind person needs a note taker in which case their are two.
Interpreters use a veriety of communication methods including the deafblind manual and hands on sign language.
 
What is deafblind manual? Never heard of it.
 
Oceanblue7 said:
I have no experience in deaf/blind interpreting, I am curious, if it takes two interpreters for each assignment due to the physical nature? What is your time duration of interpreting?

Maybe, some of our deaf/blind members can describe their interpreter experiences.

Thanks :)
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If a deafblind person needs a tactile interpreter for a long period of time, 2 terps are used. The first terp works for a certain number of minutes before the second terp takes over. (this is called "relief interpreting")

As far as a deafblind person who needs interpreting as well as notetaking, the only time someone can do both is if they are a captionist who also knows sign. My captionist is one of them. She writes notes for me during college lectures, but also signs to me if there is something I cannot hear or do not understand.
 
Tactile interpreters can also communicate with the deafblind by using a TeleBraille (Braille TTY), Teletouch (a device which has a QWERTY keyboard and a single Braille cell display), Screen Braille Communicator/SBC (similar to the Teletouch), Braille/raised print alphabet card or fingerbraille.
 
I had a Deaf interpreter when I attended an AADB convention in 1996. The only difficulty I had was that he communicated to me in ASL when I required PSE. I was just starting to learn ASL at the time which is why I needed PSE. I kept signing "English please," but he continued signing in ASL. My original tactile terp was in a rush and forgot to let him know that I used PSE instead of ASL and apologized repeatedly once I told her what happened.
 
In my area it depends upon the length of the time needed if there is a team assigned or just one interpreter.
 
The availability of tactile terps also depends on your location. We only have 3 tactile terps where I live.
 
HearAgain explained important things why I am going to college.

- the ratio of intervenors per client. [2 per client]

Each client is supposed to have 2 intervenors regardless of the appointment. The intervenors are not supposed to go under undue physical stress because tactiling is physically hard on the body after a long day. The client has their duty to make sure he/she does not put too much weight on the intervenor's hands.

It is hard sometimes because there are much older/elderly citizens like male elderly citizens and they will actually "rest" their hands on the intervenors' hands causing a lot of shoulders' stiffness. The intervenors will have to pull the client's thumb to make sure his/her hands does not fall off the intervenor's hands as well while signing.

I speak from personal experience while tactiling and intervening. I've had painful neck/shoulder and back movements while tactiling with older people that have not been taught the proper movements of tactiling.

There are workshops for the intervenors BUT there should be workshops for the clients too as well. Some clients should be made aware that they are not doing their body stance correctly thus causing undue body stress on their intervenors.

I do inform other DBs that they need to adjust their body stress because they cause me pain when tactiling. I won't flower my words because our world is dark and silent so we need to know the truth when others with vision and hearing don't tell us this.

I usually communicate my preference of ASL beforehand with intervenors. I also personally "screen" intervenors as I admit to being anal about intervenors because I prefer intervenors that know about Deaf Culture, ASL Lingustics/syntaxes because I don't want to miss out on conversations when I use a hearing intervenor that signs in ESL/PSE.

"Train gone by sorry" signed by PSE intervenor is totally different signed by an ASL intervenor. Get this gist? (winks!)
 
Mrs Bucket,

Excellent point about how physically demanding tactile sign is. After I started learning tactile sign, I experienced a great deal of upper arm and shoulder pain as a result. Even now when I have to use tactile sign (mainly to communicate with DB friends or I am unable to hear in background noise) I still have alot of pain. I also have severe CTS which affects my hands, so basically my entire body aches.
 
Maybe, some of our deaf/blind members can describe their interpreter experiences.
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I know many of the Deafblind have the same feelings as the Deaf in my area. There are several issues. Some that often come into play are gender preference, age range preference, signing style and form preference, and ,of course, comfort and trust.
 
I totally appreciate sharing your experiences and explaining the deaf/ blind interpreting process. I understand, the physical fatigue it can cause on the interpreter didn't realize it can also, affect the client as well.
 
Hear Again said:
As far as a deafblind person who needs interpreting as well as notetaking, the only time someone can do both is if they are a captionist who also knows sign. My captionist is one of them. She writes notes for me during college lectures, but also signs to me if there is something I cannot hear or do not understand.
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I am confused on the notes, are the notes later transcribed into Braille or just left as written notes?
 
Oceanblue7 said:
I am confused on the notes, are the notes later transcribed into Braille or just left as written notes?
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My captionist has provided notes in one of 2 ways for me. Before I received a BrailleNote (a PDA for the blind), she used to e-mail them. Now that I have the BrailleNote, I give her a memory card which she puts into her laptop and transfers my notes to. The memory card allows me to read her transcript on my BrailleNote. When I'm in class, I also have my BrailleNote connected to her laptop so I can read everything she types in real time.
 
Unfortunately, many deafblind people do not have the luxury of choosing who they want to act as their tactile terp given the severe shortage of them in the deafblind community. For example, in my area, there are only 3 terps to work with. The agency who provides terps allows me to choose who I'd like to work with, but this is dependent upon who is available on the day and date I need them. Deaf people have far more choices in regards to the terps they work with due to the fact that tactile interpreting is something many terps are not trained in nor feel comfortable doing.
 
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