Who makes the rules anyway? Reality and perception of guidelines in video relay service interpreting

American Sign Language-English interpreters employed in the video relay service (VRS) industry in the United States are subject to numerous guidelines for processing calls, which are mandated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or by independent VRS companies. Anecdotally, VRS interpreters report ambiguity about the guidelines and their impact on the quality of their interpretations. In this pilot study, I investigated the origin of VRS guidelines by reviewing public documents from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I then interviewed four experienced VRS interpreters regarding their perceptions of the origin and impact of the constraints placed on interpreters in VRS. Two themes emerged in the interview data: 1) interpreters are uncertain whether the constraints placed on their work are federally mandated or established by individual corporations, and 2) interpreters report a sense of responsibility for their work and have concerns regarding constraints on their professional autonomy. This study suggests that interpreters in the U.S. do not have sufficient knowledge about the system in which they work to make informed decisions when working in VRS.