Roles and responsibilities of sign language interpreters in Saudi deaf society

Abstract

This study addressed the role and responsibilities of sign language interpreters in the deaf society in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). We investigated the possible differences in the roles and responsibilities among certified and uncertified sign language interpreters for the Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) in the KSA, how the roles of the sign language interpreters are assigned, and where they provide their services. For these purposes, we used the cognitive model of interpreting by Stewart et al. (1998) and the self-sufficiency theory by Bandura (1986) as a theoretical foundation. Moreover, we conducted six (06) semi-structured interviews with sign language interpreters for the DHH active in the KSA and used the thematic analysis qualitative approach to analyze data. Findings indicate that the role of the interpreters is not limited to interpretation since it also includes among others teaching, class assistance, providing information about the hearing community, and taking care of hearing aids. We also found that these roles and whether the interpreter is certified or not depend on where they offered their services and that the interpreters in the KSA work in several fields that include educational settings, legal and criminal settings, healthcare settings, and other diverse settings. These findings provide a platform for future research on how to improve sign language services for the DHH in the Saudi context.