Here or there? An assessment of video remote signed language interpreter-mediated interaction in court

At present, the use of audiovisual link in NSW courts is informed by the Evidence, Audio and Audiovisual Link Act (1990). At present, an average of 3 out of 5 matters in NSW courts which involve inmates in Correctional Facilities are heard via audiovisual link (50% in Local courts, 43% in the Supreme or District courts), and the goal of the Department of Corrective Services is to increase this figure to 75%.

This paper reports on an interdisciplinary research project conducted to investigate the effectiveness of remote sign language interpreting services provided through video remote facilities in the New South Wales legal system. The project was commissioned by the NSW Department of Justice and Attorney General, with a view to informing policy about the provision of sign language interpreters in court remotely via video. Remote access to sign language interpreting was tested across five key venues and six scenarios involving deaf people and signed language interpreters. The aim of the project was to assess the impact of using video remote facilities on the quality of the interpretations when interpreters or deaf people are in different locations, and the stakeholder perceptions of interpreted interactions experienced remotely.