Introduction
American Sign Language (ASL) is described as a language that seeks to embrace the use of signs, facial expressions, as well as, body postures with the sole focus being towards communicating a given idea. The advancement in ASL as a language created the need for having to focus on introducing a new approach that would help towards interpreting the messages that were brought about as part of the communication process. The National Associated of the Deaf (NAD) has been on the forefront towards providing education to the interpreter of the ASL with the expectation that they would be able to effectively communicate the messages, as presented (Friedner, 2018). The focus of this report is to examine ASL interpreting concerning its overall levels of professionalism. Additionally, the report will also seek to investigate the importance of ASL interpreting and its value in other fields of study.
Definition of ASL Interpreting
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting refers to the use of signs to help in communicating or conveying a message to the hearing-impaired or deaf persons. The idea of using ASL interpreting ensures that these persons that have physical challenges in hearing are included as part of a given conversation or communication process. ASL interpreting may occur within multiple contexts considering that this may happen as part of a group or on a one-on-one basis. One of the notable factors to note about ASL interpreting is that it seeks to create a new front through which to ensure that enhance integrating for persons with hearing disabilities considering that they cannot engage in a conversation effectively. However, the use of the ASL language means that they are well positioned towards engaging with others as part of effective communication.
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The beginning of ASL Interpreting
Sign language interpreting has been noted as one of the key ways through which persons with hearing disabilities were able to communicate with others taking into account that they are not able to hear and understand specific words. However, the interpreters did not have formal training that would allow them to communicate with the persons with hearing disabilities. That created the need for having to come up with a bona fide language that would be recognized and used for purposes of communication. The outcome of research in the area of linguistics resulting in the development of the American Sign Language (ASL), which was first recognized as a language in the 1960s. The recognition of ASL as a language meant that interpreters would be trained on the effective use of this language to help improve their efficiency towards promoting communication.
William Stokoe became the first American to engage in the first linguistic study focusing on the use of the ASL in 1960 with the sole focus being towards examining how the purpose of this language would help build on effective communication. That paved the way for the development of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) in 1964, which a national professional organization that seeks to bring together interpreters using the ASL (Chuan, Regina, & Guardino, 2014). The organization helped in developing training programs that were described as Interpreter Training Programs (ITP) that would help in defining a compelling interpretation of the language. The training programs lasted for a period of between six to seven weeks for individual interpreters, which provided them with the basic associated with the ASL language.
Importance of ASL Interpreting
ASL interpreting is seen as being necessary as part of the American society for a wide array of reasons, which are essential to consider when discussing the overall extent to which this language is changing the American social system. Firstly, the importance of ASL interpreting can be seen from the perspective that it helps in ensuring that persons with hearing disabilities can navigate the hearing world effectively. When using ASL interpreting, it becomes much more comfortable for persons with hearing impairments or challenges to communicate or get involved in a communication. Compton & Compton (2014) argue that the ASL plays a critical role towards ensuring that persons with such disabilities are accorded equal access to disclosure as one of the ways through which to advance their abilities to communicate. The persons with disabilities can get involved as part of discussions on important issues occurring within the American social system.
Secondly, the importance of ASL interpreting can also be seen from the perspective that it helps in protecting individuals with hearing disabilities, which is part of their rights as indicated within the United States Constitution. The enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was seen as a critical step towards ensuring that Americans with disabilities are protected from any form of discrimination in areas such as employment and communication among others (Richardson, 2017). The adoption of this act meant that the Americans with disabilities were to be granted equal access to programs and services from the United States government. The adoption of ASL interpreting as a language has meant that communication has become much more comfortable when dealing with persons with hearing challenges or disabilities.
Lastly, ASL interpreting is seen as being essential towards ensuring that persons with hearing challenges or disabilities are accorded the same opportunities as those that do not have such limitations. Through ASL interpreting, it becomes much more comfortable for persons with understanding difficulties to get involved in the education system considering that this language provides them with an opportunity through which to get involved in discussions as part of the learning environment (Pollard Jr, Sutter, & Cerulli, 2014). In the education system, interpreters play a critical role in ensuring that the persons with hearing challenges or disabilities are involved in the education system effectively. Consequently, that means that it becomes much more comfortable for these persons to build an effective avenue through which to maximize on use of the language to aid in their active involvement in all matters associated with the communication. The continued use of this language is expected to help create a viable avenue through which to assist in promoting social equality for the persons with hearing challenges and disabilities.
Importance of Professionalism
Professionalism is essential in the career field of ASL interpreting, as it helps towards eliminating any critical issues or challenges that are likely to occur within this career field. The idea of adopting professionalism creates a structured approach through which to ensure that interpreters can undertake their set out responsibilities effectively. Professionalism ensures that each of the interpreters involved in ASL interpreting understands the importance of having to remain neutral in the conversation or communication (Dong, Leu, & Yin, 2015). One of the most notable challenges that persons with hearing disabilities or problems are likely to encounter revolve around a situation where an interpreter shows some form of bias while interpreting a given message or idea.
That means that the persons with disabilities or those experiencing hearing challenges will not be able to get the ideas or messages being communicated. In cases of serious discussions, that means that the interpreter is much more likely to mislead the persons with hearing challenges or disabilities. On the other hand, professionalism is essential in this career field, as it helps towards ensuring that an interpreter does not only serve the purpose of interpreting (Dong, Leu, & Yin, 2015). Instead, the interpreter is expected to help the persons with hearing disabilities in their bid to navigating through the world in a much more effective manner. In other words, this means that the interpreter is expected to go beyond his or her role as an interpreter to help build some form of relationship with the persons involved.
ASL Ethics
To help in promoting professionalism in the career field of ASL interpreting, Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) has come up with several codes of ethics that each professional ASL interpreter is expected to follow. The code of ethics helps towards outlining the general role or perception associated with professional ASL interpreting to help build on efficiency in the career. The first tenet to note from the code of ethics is that an interpreter is expected to adhere to the set-out standards of confidential communication (Newman, Supalla, Fernandez, Newport, & Bavelier, 2015). During interpreting, an interpreter is much more likely to interpret information that is private and confidential. Consequently, this means that he or she may be required to adhere to his standards of confidential communication to avoid spreading of such information to third parties, which may have serious implications.
The second tenet associated with the professional code of ethics set out by RID is that an interpreter must possess the skills and knowledge that would be of value towards ensuring that he or she can engage in useful interpretation (Newman, Supalla, Fernandez, Newport, & Bavelier, 2015). In this tenet, the basic expectation is that an interpreter may focus much of his or her attention toward building his or her professional skills and knowledge. The outcome of this is that it creates a new approach through which to avoid interpretations that do not match the expected communication. Thirdly, interpreters are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that would be considered as being appropriate within a specific situation for positive interpretation. Proper conduct means that an interpreter is supposed to avoid any issues that may have unwarranted impacts on the overall process of interpretation.
Importance of ASL in Different Fields
The American Sign Language (ASL) is considered as being important in different fields of study including legal, medical, and educational fields. The first notable importance is that it helps towards facilitation of persons with hearing disabilities that intend to embark on careers in these fields of study (Donner, Marshall, & Mozrall, 2016). The idea of using the ASL is to help create an avenue through which persons with hearing disabilities or challenges can communicate effectively. ASL creates a perfect platform for career development with the sole focus being towards providing persons with hearing impairments or problems with equal opportunities to advance their careers. Consequently, that means that it would be much easier for these persons to undertake careers in different fields of study without fear of discrimination.
The second importance of ASL is that it helps in facilitating learning as one of the critical outcomes for students in the education field while maintaining towards creating a new approach through which to enhance overall professional development. The use of ASL as part of the education field of study means that students with hearing challenges or disabilities find themselves in a favorable position that allows them to enhance their capacities to meet their respective goals. The third importance of ASL, in the medical field, is that helps in aiding patient education focusing on different health matters (Donner, Marshall, & Mozrall, 2016). Patient education is essential, as it contributes to ensuring that patients can maintain their health and wellness at all times. Consequently, this means that the use of ASL plays a critical role in promoting patient education for patients with hearing disabilities or challenges.
Conclusion
In summary, the American Sign Language (ASL) is described as a language that seeks to embrace the use of signs, facial expressions, as well as, body postures with the sole focus being towards communicating a given idea. ASL interpreting refers to the use of symbols to help in communicating or conveying a message to the hearing-impaired or deaf persons. ASL was first recognized as a language in the 1960s; thus paving the way for the development of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) in 1964. The importance of ASL interpreting is that it helps in ensuring that persons with hearing disabilities can navigate the hearing world effectively. ASL interpreting also provides that persons with hearing challenges or disabilities are accorded the same opportunities as those that do not have such disabilities. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) has come up with several codes of ethics that each professional ASL interpreter is expected to follow.
References
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Compton, S., & Compton, S. (2014). American Sign Language as a heritage language. Handbook of heritage, community, and Native American languages in the United States , 272-283.
Dong, C., Leu, M. C., & Yin, Z. (2015). American sign language alphabet recognition using Microsoft Kinect. In Proceedings of the IEEE conference on computer vision and pattern recognition workshops (pp. 44-52).
Donner, A., Marshall, M., & Mozrall, J. (2016). Effects of Early Exposure to Sign Language on the Biomechanics of Interpreting. Journal of Interpretation , 25 (1), 4.
Friedner, M. (2018). Negotiating legitimacy in American Sign Language interpreting education: Uneasy belonging in a community of practice. Disability Studies Quarterly , 38 (1).
Newman, A. J., Supalla, T., Fernandez, N., Newport, E. L., & Bavelier, D. (2015). Neural systems are supporting linguistic structure, linguistic experience, and symbolic communication in sign language and gesture. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 112 (37), 11684-11689.
Pollard Jr, R. Q., Sutter, E., & Cerulli, C. (2014). Intimate partner violence reported by two samples of deaf adults via a computerized American Sign Language survey. Journal of interpersonal violence , 29 (5), 948-965.
Richardson, M. (2017). Sign Language Interpreting in Theatre: Using the Human Body to Create Pictures of the Human Soul. TranscUlturAl: A Journal of Translation and Cultural Studies , 9 (1), 45-62.
