Question re:interpreters in college - urgent!

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Lost Kiwi

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Okay, I am asking for someone and I need an answer before a meeting tomorrow.

SOmeone is starting college classes next week and he requested an interpreter and they provided one, but it is someone he does not like, she does not have the skills for the job, he is majoring in something that is very technical and a lot of interpreters have had trouble interpreting that major.

He told the disability services woman that he did not want that specific interpreter because he has trouble with her, she tends to ask you to repeat yourself, etc. (I know the woman myself and have had trouble with her also)

The woman is refusing to fire the interpreter and hire someone else because "they have already hired her and don't want to fire her just to make him happy"

It does not work with me, it makes no sense, I thought he had every right to say that he does not want that interpreter and to get the one he wants. He has a meeting with the interpreter and the disability services woman tomorrow morning.

Can someone tell me, does he have the right to say no, I dont want that interpreter or is he stuck with her?
 
He does have a right to request a different interpreter. Some interpreters are better at interpreting technical stuff than others so it is perfectly reasonable to demand for a different interpreter.
 
The problem is, she is refusing to change interpreters, he requested a certain interpreter that is computer and technology literate and she said that she will hire him for an hour to teach this other interpreter the technical signs. Sheesh!
 
Your friend could ask to speak to that person's supervisor and explain that it is inappropriate.
 
An ethical terp should turn down the assignment if she knows her skill levels are not adequate, or if she and the client don't "click" together. It can be done in an ethical, professional, polite way. The terp should be honest and say, "That particular subject is beyond my skills, and I recommend Terp B to take that assignment." Or the terp can privately explain to the service coordinator that, "Student A and I are not comfortable with each other, so I recommend Terp B for this assignment. There is nothing wrong with Student A, he is a great guy, but we just don't mesh well in the classroom. I think he would be better served by Terp B."

Sometimes this kind of problem can be avoided by the college disabilities office making a contract with a private interpreting agency rather than trying to hire interpreters themselves. When they use an agency they have several terps to choose from. If one terp doesn't work out for a particular student, the agency can change assignments for the terps, not "fire" them.
 
Reba said:
An ethical terp should turn down the assignment if she knows her skill levels are not adequate, or if she and the client don't "click" together. It can be done in an ethical, professional, polite way. The terp should be honest and say, "That particular subject is beyond my skills, and I recommend Terp B to take that assignment." Or the terp can privately explain to the service coordinator that, "Student A and I are not comfortable with each other, so I recommend Terp B for this assignment. There is nothing wrong with Student A, he is a great guy, but we just don't mesh well in the classroom. I think he would be better served by Terp B."

Sometimes this kind of problem can be avoided by the college disabilities office making a contract with a private interpreting agency rather than trying to hire interpreters themselves. When they use an agency they have several terps to choose from. If one terp doesn't work out for a particular student, the agency can change assignments for the terps, not "fire" them.
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Sometimes, their skills are not adequate but satisfactory enough for the student. I have had several interpreters who weren't completely skilled, but it was enough to get me by.

In this case, the support department should be able to negotiate and change interpreters for this student. If there are no other students available, then I guess this guy is gonna have to learn to deal with it.
 
If there really are no other terps available, then I hope that terp will do as much as possible to improve her skills for that course. That is, ask the other more proficient terp to be available for mentoring, studying the course text book to become familiar with that subject, etc.
 
This reminds me of a case I done 5 yrs ago in the City of Glendale. Student wanted his friend to be his terp. Student gets combative with the terp and the terp coordinator for not hiring his friend to interpret in one of his class.

Administrative hearing caused student's removal.

Richard
 
There is a qualified interpreter in the area - he is very computer literate and is part of an agency, very professional. He interpreted for him in the past but the woman is not on good terms with the boss of the agency and decided not to hire anyone from there anymore.

This interpreter that they hired is a personal friend of the disability services woman, she has had a lot of complaints about her - she oversteps professional boundaries, ie, asks personal questions while working (I have had that experience with her myself and refuse to accept her as my interpreter), she is not very good at understanding the deaf person's signs, will often ask them to repeat themselves -she is not very competent, maybe for children yes, but for college level, no.

The meeting is happening this morning, so will find out.

He has been given advice from the Deaf services office as they are too aware of this woman and her problems - if they refuse to change interpreters, then the deaf services will help him file a complaint with the DOJ as advised by them.

Wish him luck.
 
You can request an interpreter you like.

Hi Lost Kwki,
Find interpreter that you like.
Don't use that woman if she doesn't have the skills.
Alot of interpreters are not cheap espeically in colleges.
They $25.00 an hour or more.
Being an interpreter myself I charge $10.00 an hr.
I don't believe the deaf should have to pay alot.
Hope you find one you like.
Margie
 
Margie said:
...Being an interpreter myself I charge $10.00 an hr.
I don't believe the deaf should have to pay alot....
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Our agency charges more than $10 per hour, but the Deaf students do not pay for the service. The college pays the terps.

You get what you pay for.
 
He has all the right to request a different interpreter. If they won't hire another interpreter, that is discrimination. Period. Since she can't do the job, they should find someone else.
 
Is this bad terp RID certified??!!! I don't know if NC has their own cert program or uses national one (RID - Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf).

TX has own cert program with 5 levels. If someone is interpreting technical subject in a college class, they should be Level 3 or more. I've always heard that the Deaf client's needs and comfort are the MOST important thing for hiring terp. If client can't understand terp, they are missing information and getting ALL the info is why schools and many other places have terps.

ADA passed years ago. Title 4 deals with terps and says that they must have skills including special vocabulary. The university should know all this.
 
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