Examining Sign Language Interpreter Support for Students with Hearing Loos in Vocational Courses

The purpose of this study is to examine the process of sign language interpreter support provided in vocational courses to students at the School for the Handicapped, a special education institution in Turkiye where all of the students have hearing loss. Eight freshmen students in the Architectural Drafting Associate Degree program of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at School for the Handicapped participated in the study. The study, conducted as action research, revealed that the interpreter support provided increases the motivation of the students and positively affects their success. However, several factors such as the used sign language not meeting a standard, professional terms not having equivalents in SL, and the frameworks for the roles and responsibilities of the educational sign language interpreter not being determined resulted in problems in the research process. The translation modes were arranged according to the flow of the course, taking into account the characteristics of the students and the course, and were carried out with a dynamic equivalent and literal interpretations. It has been determined that there is a need for standardization of Turkish sign language, development of professional terminology in sign language, research and legal regulations regarding the training and employment of interpreters under national conditions. This study provides a new framework for collaborative practices in vocational courses with students with hearing loss and educational sign language interpreters.