Interpreting for the deafblind: Practical training (5cr)

Objective

Students
- can apply the interpreter’s professional ethics on problem solving and decision making
- can prepare for interpreting assignments in an appropriate manner
- can consider the impact of deafblindness and dual sensory impairment on linguistic accessibility, self-determination, self-initiative, and involvement when acting as an interpreter
- show consideration for the customer’s individual need and can provide the customers with different alternatives
- are proficient in interpreting for customers with deafblindness and dual sensory impairment
- are capable of multiprofessional cooperation with other persons related to the life of the customer with deafblindness / dual sensory impairment
- can realistically reflect on their own competences and actions and utilize the feedback received from others to develop their competences.

Content

Content
- Professional ethics, problem solving and decision making respecting the self-determination, linguistic accessibility and involvement of the customers with deafblindness/dual sensory impairment
- Preparing for interpreting assignments
- Encountering a deafblind person, recognizing and offering alternatives
- Customer-oriented work approach and showing consideration of the individual needs of the customers with deafblindness/dual sensory impairment supporting their agency/self-initiative
- Modifying working languages / methods to suit different situations
- Signed speech, interpreting for persons with limited visual field, tactile interpreting, AAC methods, speech-to-text interpreting, clarifying speech, sociohaptic communication, etc.
- Language care competence related to working languages and methods
- Interpreting for deafblind customers (guiding, environmental description and conveying linguistic information) in an ethically sustainable manner
- Considering the variations of the customer’s functional hearing and vision in different environments
- Multiprofessional cooperation with other persons, professionals and experts related to the life of the customer with deafblindness/dual sensory impairment
- Research-minded and exploratory work approach and reflection
- Final exam in interpreting for deafblind customers

Further information

Level: explorer

This is a practical training period which is carried out under the supervision of a professional interpreter (e.g., in an enterprise producing interpreting services, with a so-called mentor interpreter, in workplace communities). Students take, as a proficiency test, a final exam in interpreting for deafblind customers which includes community interpreting, self-assessment and an applied task. The final exam is assessed 0-5.

According to the requirements set by the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela) and the general practice, students must achieve at least grade 3 (on a scale 1–5) to become qualified to interpret for deafblind customers. In addition to this, students must have passed the final exam in either sign language interpreting, AAC interpreting, or speech-to-text interpreting