Education and Training of Deaf Sign Language Interpreters

"<< Background >>The 15 out of 10,000 European citizens are deaf people who use sign language. In Lithuania and Croatia sign language is recognized as mother tongue of the Deaf, which is an independent language with its own grammar. According to the UNCRPD, ""Persons with disabilities shall be entitled, on an equal basis with others, to recognition and support of their specific cultural and linguistic identity, including sign languages and deaf culture."" but also ""Recognizing and promoting the use of sign languages."" The activities implemented in this project are based on the UN CRPD and promote the rights of the Deaf. It is mandatory for the Deaf, sign language users, to have the access to sign language interpreter (SLI) so they are included in to the society. To have inclusive society, the Deaf have to have qualified and educated SLI which have to be part of lifelong learning process. It is common to have hearing SLI which is the bridge between deaf and hearing world. Together with hearing SLIs, there are Deaf SLIs that are bridge between Deaf and hearing SLIs. Deaf SLIs are needed in cases when the communication mode of a deaf person is so unique that it cannot be adequately accessed by hearing SLIs.<< Objectives >>Hrvatski savez gluhih i nagluhih (HSGN) and the Lietuvos kurciuju draugija (LKD) are the national Deaf associations in Croatia and Lithuania that gather more than 17000 deaf and hard of hearing persons. With this project we (HSGN and LKD) wanted to make positive impact both on our organizational scope (project and training management) but also on their educational scope (improving skills and knowledge and acquiring new ones). Also, it was meant to improve collaboration with institutions, sign language interpreters, entities that promote the rights of persons with disability and international partners.The objectives achieved:- Inclusion: deaf people have a more effective sign language interpreting system and service, as well as the same opportunities and rights both personally and professionally as hearing people, including the ability to act as sign language interpreters.- Implemented accessible digital tools for the deaf community, such as educational modules in video format.- Raised the quality of educational material for the training of deaf sign language interpreters.- Reduced disparities between deaf and hearing sign language interpreters.- Increased social and institutional awareness.<< Implementation >>The DeafSLI project directly addressed the needs and objectives identified by Croatian and Lithuanian Deaf associations, aligning these activities with the project's overall goals. These activities encompassed several key components:- Comprehensive Training Module Development: A cornerstone of the project was the creation of a training module specifically designed for both deaf and hearing sign language interpreters. This module fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange between these two interpreter groups, drawing on their unique strengths and perspectives. - Targeted Training in Croatia and Lithuania: Following the development of the training module, the project facilitated its implementation in both Croatia and Lithuania. - Accessible Learning Resources in Video Format: Recognizing the visual learning preferences of the deaf community, the project undertook the significant task of converting the entire training module into video format.- Dissemination and Sustainability: The project's impact wasn't limited to training sessions. A dedicated project website and a comprehensive dissemination plan were developed to ensure widespread awareness of the project's resources and achievements.<< Results >>This strengthens interpreting teams, empowers deaf interpreters, & ultimately bridges communication between deaf & hearing communities. The DeafSLI project aimed to strengthen the capacities of sign language interpreting teams, both deaf and hearing, by providing information about teams with diverse backgrounds and experiences in interpreting. DeafSLI boosted collaboration and skills for deaf & hearing sign language interpreters.- A training module & guide (now public) equipped participants & fostered knowledge exchange. Deaf & hearing interpreters collaborated on curriculum development.- Training addressed specific roles & ethics for each interpreter type, leveraging strengths of both perspectives.- Exercises facilitated discussions on interpreting & fostered a respectful, inclusive environment.- All training modules were converted to video for the deaf community's visual learning preference. These public videos benefit both deaf & hearing interpreters, & serve as a resource for sign language programs.- A project website & dissemination plan promote the project & its resources through social media, partner websites, & media channels."