Sign Language Interpreter

A professional who facilitates communication between Deaf or hard of hearing individuals and hearing individuals by translating between a sign language and a spoken language. Interpreters must be fluent in both languages and understand the cultural norms of both communities. In videoconferencing, interpreters face particular challenges: their video tile must remain visible and large enough for sign language to be readable, they must manage turn-taking across hearing abilities, and they experience fatigue from sustained visual-spatial processing. The scarcity and cost of qualified interpreters is a significant barrier to communication access for many Deaf individuals.