Effective communication is essential—even lifesaving. Without it, patients may not receive necessary medical treatment; victims of crimes and individuals facing criminal charges may not be able to access effective legal assistance, and children cannot benefit fully from the educational system. There are many potential obstacles to effective communication, including linguistic or aural challenges (issues speaking or hearing), limited English proficiency (LEP), and other mental or physical issues. When communicating with Deaf or hard of hearing (HoH) people working with a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) can be essential to effective communication.
What Is a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI)?
Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDIs) are Deaf people who have been trained and certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf to provide interpreting services to Deaf consumers who have additional communication and cultural needs. These added communication dynamics can impact comprehension and autonomy but working with a CDI can alleviate them. CDIs are native users of ASL and members of the Deaf community; their perspective and command of the language bring a level of access and cultural representation that hearing ASL interpreters are not able to provide.
A CDI typically works with a hearing ASL interpreter. The ASL interpreter interprets the original spoken message into ASL to the CDI who then interprets it with additional linguistic and cultural considerations to the Deaf participants. When the Deaf participant responds, they will communicate to the CDI who will then interpret what was signed back to the hearing interpreter who will voice the original signed message. While the hearing interpreter may understand what the Deaf person signed without the CDI interpreting it, the cultural and linguistic dynamics being first interpreted by the CDI ensures that the final message is properly interpreted.
In What Situations Might a CDI Be Useful?
It can be beneficial for a CDI to facilitate communication with individuals who have linguistic challenges that prevent effective communication when working with only a hearing interpreter. CDIs can be extremely helpful in situations involving mental health issues, sexual abuse, or trauma. They are an excellent resource for communicating with individuals who are not fluent in ASL, children with developing language ability, foreign-born deaf individuals, people who communicate via home signs, and those with under developed language skills.. Additionally, the use of a CDI can create a communication encounter where the Deaf person feels culturally understood and properly represented. In scenarios where the Deaf person feels their linguistic and cultural minority status may not give them full autonomy, a CDI can help balance power and representation. Since CDIs have a native level command of the language, their work at press conferences and during critical communication allows for maximum reach to a diverse Deaf community.
What Is the Importance of Working with a Certified Deaf Interpreter?
Working with an individual certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf as a Certified Deaf Interpreter ensures the CDI has gone through extensive training and testing. CDIs also have extensive knowledge and understanding of deafness, the Deaf community, Deaf culture, and how to deliver an interpretation that is faithful to the message while balancing cultural considerations.
Working with a CDI can facilitate understanding in difficult interpretation situations. Ensuring that you can effectively communicate with patients, clients, and community members can dramatically enhance the quality of care and services you provide. A professional full-service language provider can be an excellent resource, enabling your organization to access Certified Deaf Interpreters.
