Gaze direction as framing for interaction in sign language-interpreted routine postnatal visits

This study aims to gain insight into participants' use of gaze in sign language-interpreted consultations in health centres for babies and toddlers in the Norwegian context. The study investigates how gaze direction and eye contact frame the interaction between participants comprising mothers who are deaf and health personnel who are hearing. The empirical material is based on five video recordings of interpreted health consultations, and multimodal interaction analysis is used to examine the participants' use of gaze in these interactions. The analysis demonstrates differences in eye contact that provide participants with access to different footings because of their language modalities and language knowledge. The mothers and the sign language interpreters take responsibility for the interaction when the health professional is unaware of the importance of a specific gaze in sign language. When taking responsibility, they shift between frontstage and backstage activity. In addition, the mothers do not have full access to the interaction, even with sign language interpreters present. The findings show that it is imperative that health personnel know how to communicate with deaf parents and how to work with sign language interpreters.