Choosing Accommodations: Signed Language Interpreting and the Absence of Choice

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Linguistics
• Ethics

Background:

• Explores the landscape of disability accommodations, comparing signed language interpreting services to other forms.
• Highlights the unique aspects of signed language interpreting within broader disability support frameworks.

Purpose of the Study:

• Addresses the ethical imperative of including Deaf consumers' input in selecting sign language interpreter accommodations.
• Advocates for a shift towards Deaf-centered practices in accommodation provision.

Main Methods:

• Analyzes the process of requesting and institutionalizing signed language interpreter services.
• Incorporates a personal narrative from a Deaf academic detailing exclusion from interpreter selection.
• Examines privacy and autonomy concerns from the perspective of Deaf consumers.

Main Results:

• Exclusion from the interpreter selection process can result in significant harm to Deaf consumers.
• Current institutionalized processes for selecting interpreters may not adequately consider consumer preferences or needs.

Conclusions:

• Recommends concrete strategies for developing a more inclusive and Deaf-centered process for choosing interpreter accommodations.
• Emphasizes the ethical necessity of empowering Deaf consumers in decisions regarding their interpreting services.