Annual Day Access with One Interpreter
The student council of a higher secondary school in Assam is organizing a two-hour Annual Day with 14 performances in a 600-seat auditorium. Three Deaf students and one Deaf alumnus will attend. The only qualified ISL interpreter is available for 90 minutes. The programme includes a 25-minute speech by the chief guest, a 10-minute video with no captions, and a dance item in which the stage is lit only with dim blue light. The fire alarm is an audible bell only. A volunteer tells the Deaf students that he will sit beside them and 'shout the important parts' so they don't miss anything. The interpreter is currently scheduled to stand at the back of the auditorium near the control booth.
1. Given the 90-minute interpreter limit, how would you prioritise access across the two-hour programme?
Read the worked answer
Prioritise spoken content that carries information the audience must act on or understand, not atmosphere.
- Chief guest speech, 25 minutes: highest priority. It is long, spoken and central to the event. Book the interpreter for this block.
- Announcements, awards and instructions: also high priority, because names, results and safety instructions are missed if not interpreted.
- Video with no captions: add captions in advance or have the interpreter sign a prepared summary. Do not leave it as a gap.
- Dance item: if it has no spoken content, it does not need live interpreting. If it carries a song lyric, provide a written synopsis or captions, and do not waste scarce interpreter minutes on dimly lit stage time.
- Remaining performances: provide a printed programme with short descriptions and agree a visual cue for when interpreting resumes.
The 90 minutes should be published in the programme so Deaf attendees know which segments are interpreted. The long-term fix is to budget a full-event interpreter; the short-term fix is honest prioritisation, not pretending everything is covered.
2. How should the volunteer's offer be handled, and what should he be asked to do instead?
Read the worked answer
Thank him for wanting to help, but be direct: shouting the important parts is not access. It replaces the Deaf person's own choice of communication, makes them conspicuous, and filters information through a hearing person's judgement of what is important. It also competes with the interpreter and can make the interpreter's signing harder to see.
Ask him instead to:
- give the Deaf students a printed programme and a pen;
- show them the seating area with a clear sightline to the interpreter and stage;
- tell them where the accessible toilet and exit are;
- alert them, without shouting, when a section is about to start;
- ask them directly what they need rather than assuming.
The principle is autonomy: the Deaf attendees decide whether they want help, and the qualified interpreter, captions or written notes carry the information. A volunteer can be useful without becoming a self-appointed interpreter.
3. Identify the main accessibility barriers in the setup and propose a fix for each.
Read the worked answer
- Interpreter at the back near the control booth: poor sightline, dark, and far from the stage. Move the interpreter to the front side of the stage or the front corner, with a dedicated light, and check the sightline from the Deaf seating block.
- Only 90 minutes of interpreting: publish the interpreted segments and prioritise speech, awards and safety announcements.
- Dim blue stage lighting: if that segment needs interpretation or captioning, add a spotlight or side light; otherwise provide a written synopsis.
- Uncaptioned video: add captions before the event or prepare a signed summary. Do not rely on a volunteer.
- Audible-only fire alarm: agree a visual alert protocol - flashing house lights, a staff member positioned to signal the Deaf block, and a written instruction in the programme. Test it before the audience arrives.
- Seating: reserve front seats with a clear view of both stage and interpreter, and do not let late arrivals fill them.
The test is whether a Deaf attendee can follow the event and leave safely without asking a stranger to explain it.