I’m Hearing. What do I do?

There is no need for you to do anything differently. Simply communicate as you would with a hearing person, maintaining eye contact. You do not need to address the interpreters at all.  If necessary, the interpreters will advise all participants on how best to work with the team. This may include:

• allowing more time for the interpreting process
• requiring the speaker to moderate the pace of his/her speech
• appropriate seating arrangements, etc.

How Deaf Interpretation Works

When a Deaf interpreter is used as part of the interpreting team, he or she translates what the hearing interpreter says, using an appropriate level of ASL, sign, gesture, or other communication strategies to convey the message to the Deaf consumer.

It looks like this:

Hearing Person → Interpreter → Deaf Interpreter → Deaf Person

Hearing Person ← Interpreter ← Deaf Interpreter ← Deaf Person

The Deaf and hearing interpreters may sometimes consult with each other in order to arrive at the best interpretation.