Evaluation of a primer used to orient students and instructors to the role of a sign language interpreter in the classroom: a focus group study

Abstract

The Center for Special Needs at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) provides interpreting services to deaf and hard-of-hearing students enrolling in a wide range of classes and programs across the institution. A primer entitled An Interpreter in the Classroom was devised to clearly delineate the roles and responsibilities of students, interpreters, and instructors in a classroom interpreting situation. The manual was printed and found to have numerous errors and shortcomings. The purpose of this study was to develop recommendations for the revision of the primer. Fifteen potential users of the manual were recruited from MATC to attend the focus group sessions. The objectives of these focus groups were to: identify information in the current primer that was incorrect or outdated; develop suggestions for incorporating specific changes in the field of interpreting (or education as a whole) into an updated