Uploaded March 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Arkansas, 55 +
Grateful acknowledgment to the Spencer Foundation and the National Science Foundation for their support of the Black ASL Project.
https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/Books/T/The-Hidden-Treasure-of-Black-ASL
***This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the Black ASL Project.***
Arkansas, 55 +
Grateful acknowledgment to the Spencer Foundation and the National Science Foundation for their support of the Black ASL Project.
https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/Books/T/The-Hidden-Treasure-of-Black-ASL
***This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the Black ASL Project.***










![7. Response: Doing the Right Thing Revisited
Hoza, Jack, & Shaffer, Laurie B. (2022). Response: Doing the Right Thing Revisited. In Laurie Swabey & Rachel E. Herring (Eds.), SIGNED LANGUAGE INTERPRETING PEDAGOGY: INSIGHTS AND INNOVATIONS FROM THE CONFERENCE OF INTERPRETER TRAINERS (pp. 125-145). Gallaudet University Press.
https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/Books/S/Signed-Language-Interpreting-Pedagogy
****This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the signer and the chapter author.****
This chapter was co-written by Laurie Shaffer and myself, Jack Hoza. (The authors’ name signs are presented on the video.)
I gave a presentation at the CIT conference back in 1990 and the paper was published in the conference proceedings that year. The Bilingual-Bicultural Model was gaining traction in 1990, which included the recognition of oppression, the concept of ally, and the need to differentiate between both the relevant languages and cultures in one’s interpreting work. The interpreting field was starting to explore the implications of this new view of the interpreting process and so, for the CIT conference that year, I wanted to discuss the impact and implications of this view on teaching ethics in interpreting.
I proposed different activities to help teach ethical decision-making. The topics included, for example, oppression, diversity, becoming more aware and sensitive to context, and using critical thinking and one’s best judgment in an expanded view of ethical decision-making. The 1979 version of the Code of Ethics was in effect in 1990 and was largely rule-based in nature, and my goal was to recommend ways in which to aid students in applying this new approach to ethical decision-making.
Many areas have certainly changed since that time. First, the interpreting field has greater awareness of different approaches to the interpreting process. These include the following: (a) the cognitive processes involved in interpreting, (b) discourse analysis, (c) the interpreter as part of the interaction and dynamics of the interpreting environment, and (d) Demand Control Schema. Each of these represents a different view of the interpreting process, so the approach an interpreter uses can affect the interpreter’s thinking, decision-making, and possibly their ethical decisions. For example, if an interpreter follows one approach, the interpreter may well overlook a feature that is covered by another approach. Thus, interpreters are best served by being aware of the range of approaches to the interpreting process and broadening their understanding of the various approaches.
Second, interpreters’ ethical guidelines have changed as well. The Code of Professional Conduct (CPC) covers a wider range of professional and ethical concerns and is based on value statements rather than blanket rules. The CPC encourages interpreters to apply critical thinking skills and to use their best professional judgment.
Third, the Deaf community itself has changed. There used to be more Deaf Clubs and schools for deaf students across the country, but many of those have been scaled back or have folded altogether. Also, most deaf students currently graduate from mainstream programs. Furthermore, with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) many years ago, there are many more deaf professionals, so in addition to grassroots deaf people, interpreters now work with deaf professionals in greater numbers, adding to the range of deaf people that interpreters encounter. Also, the Deaf community is more aware of issues of identity and diversity. For example, there is a greater awareness of people of color (POC), “big-D” Deaf and “little d” deaf, and so on.
Fourth, interpreters used to work more on a freelance basis, and now they usually contract with an interpreter referral agency, and the referral agency typically has contracts with hospitals and other entities. Interpreters, then, are obligated to follow the policies of such entities. So, the question is, if an interpreter has a professional or ethical dilemma, does the interpreter follow the policy of the job site or the interpreter’s ethical guidelines? In addition, there is the perspective of the Deaf community and, furthermore, it depends on which deaf person one encounters, as there can be quite a range of expectations within the Deaf community. These factors represent the new context in which interpreters find themselves.
[Summary continues in the comments] 7. Response: Doing the Right Thing Revisited](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ef393uePCFk/mqdefault.jpg)