The goal of the situational studies is to enlighten and educate interpreters and interpreting students (and possibly even Deaf and hearing participants) about how to approach various areas of interpretation. Unfortunately, there is not much available specific written documentation regarding all the various situations an interpreter might face. The work presented here will hopefully fill the void for interpreters and students unfamiliar with certain areas of interpretation.
Brief synopses of each available resources are provided (or will be soon), and listed in alphabetical order by the title. If you, or anyone else for that matter, have written any essays or researched this topic and would like to have your work posted here, please contact me.
AA (and other 12-step) Meetings, by Kayla E.J. Kirkpatrick. This situational study examines and analyzes Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Meetings for a sign language interpreter. First, it considers the typical setting of an AA meeting with all hearing participants, and then examines how the environment may or may not change when an interpreter and Deaf participant becomes involved. The study covers the different "values, specialized language, text materials, and goals" of AA.
Deaf-Blind Settings, by Justin Goujon. This paper discusses the author's personal experiences, as well as an overview of the Deaf-Blind community, strategies for working with Deaf-Blind people, and how to get involved in this area.
Interpreting an Annual Eye Exam, by Dina Preis. This paper considers the setting of an eye examination as a place for possible interpretation; the author looks at how a eye examine may be performed without an interpreter, how it may be performed with an interpreter, and includes a short glossary of medical terms.
Interpreting for Award Ceremonies and Banquets, by Jennifer Hawkins. This situational study examines and describes how a successful interpretation may be realized in awards ceremony and banquet settings. The author recommends the stages and steps that should be taken after accepting such an assignment from beginning to end.
Miranda Warnings, by Glenn J. Sheprow. The following is a brief history behind the use of the Miranda Warning and the necessity for qualified interpreters during a police interrogation. It is geared toward the aspiring interpreter who may be under the misconception that interpreting is the same in every setting. It will also pertain to those interpreters who are interested in working in the legal setting.
Rape & RAD: Rape Aggression Defense Systems, by Greta Glielmi and Bethaney Long. This paper explains the technical aspects of rape, what the Rape Agression Defense System program is like and how interpreters and Deaf participants fit into a hearing group program. The authors both attended an RAD class and provide excellent background knowledge for an interpreter entering an assignment that revolves around the issues of rape.
Telephone Interpreting, by Damon Timm. The goal of this project is to come to a better understanding of the telephone interpreting process, enabling interpreters to become more prepared for telephone interpreting situations and ultimately become better telephone interpreters. This project will also comparatively examine the TTY Relay service as an alternative to telephone interpreting (and vise versa), and provide role play scenarios and feedback conducted at an Interpreter Training Program (ITP).