Hiring interpreters for individuals who are deaf-blind - Deaf-Blindness

American Rehabilitation, Summer, 1995 by Kathryn L. Raistrick

Emily, who is deaf-blind, went for an interview to rent an apartment. She contacted the landlord before the meeting to request an interpreter, but none was provided. A friend who accompanied her interpreted and, because the friend inappropriately added her own opinions and asked her own questions, Emily was rejected for the apartment. It took legal action for her to finally get approval.

Sara was in the hospital for 5 days and had major surgery It was not until the recovery period that a qualified interpreter was provided to her. Because of her vision and hearing impairments, and because her friends could not adequately interpret for her, she had no idea why the doctor had "cut" her, why she was in pain, or what she could do to help herself get well.

As rehabilitation professionals, we must be sensitive to the communication needs of our consumers and espescially to the needs of those persons with the most difficult communication problem - those who are deaf-blind. For the rehabilitation process to be most effective, the professional and the consumer must communicate directly. Under both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, rehabilitation professionals are responsible for ensuring effective communication for consumers with disabilities. Since few professionals have the skills to communicate directly with people who are deaf-blind, interpreters provide the link to enable real communication to occur. Qualified interpreters - those who have not only interpreting skills but also skills in working with people who are deaf-blind - are a workable solution. The use of qualified interpreters gives some assurance that we are providing the most appropriate services.

Why use an interpreter? There are two main issues pertaining to obtaining interpreters for consumers. The first is the communication itself; the second is confidentiality.

Communication

ADA requires agencies to provide reasonable accommodations so that n person with a disability is treated differently than others because of the absence of "auxiliary aids and services." Auxiliary aids and services would include qualified interpreters for people who are deaf-blind.

It is not unusual for a consumer to come to the office accompanied by a friend or family member, and it is most tempting for the service provider to use that person as an interpreter. After all, the friend may already know how to communicate with the consumer. The service provider may think, "Why not use that skill rather than go through the trouble of finding and paying for an interpreter?"

As responsible service providers, we must offer to the consumer the option of a qualified professional interpreter. It may, indeed, be the consumer's choice to use the friend as an interpreter. However, it is the consumer's right and the agency's responsibility to provide an appropriate accommodation. Unless the friend is a certified interpreter, there is no assurance that the friend has the necessary basic skills, much less the specialized skills needed. According to the regulations for ADA, the interpreter must be able to "interpret effectively, accurately and impartially both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary."(1) The best way to assure this is to use a qualified professional interpreter.

Confidentiality

When working with consumers in rehabilitation, confidentiality is of major importance. As it is for people who are deaf, using friends or unqualified interpreters for persons who are deaf-blind is not guaranteed confidentiality. Too often, nonprofessional interpreters have shared with others private information disclosed in an interpreting situation against the wishes of the consumer. The consumer has the right to confidentiality, and using nonprofessional interpreters cannot guarantee confidentiality.

A professional interpreter is bound by a code of ethics to maintain strict confidentiality. As a safeguard, it is advisable for the rehabilitation professional to discuss confidentiality with the interpreter before hiring; this will further ensure that all information or events happening in the interpreting situation will be kept confidential.

What to Look for in an

Interpreter

Interpreters translate speech to the consumer's language or mode of communication, which could be American Sign Language, tactile fingerspelling, or any combination of modes. They also change the consumer's language or mode of communication into spoken language.

The National Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf, Inc. (RID) provides an interpreter certification program. RID certification entails a testing procedure which assures a high level of interpreting skill with people who are deaf, as well as knowledge of interpreting and interpreter ethics. However, there is no specific certification for interpreters for people who are deaf-blind. Hiring someone certified by RID does not guarantee that the interpreter has the specific skills needed to interpret for those who are deaf-blind.