The accessibility approach to sign language interpreting makes reference to several theoretical frameworks that aim to promote inclusion, communication and equality for people with hearing disabilities, but the biopsychosocial model is the defining one. In this context, in the process of accessibility, the role of the sign language interpreter is to accurately facilitate access to information, promote effective communication and reduce linguistic and cultural differences.

In the current context, Romanian sign language is officially recognized as a language in its own right, composed of manual signs combined with gestures, facial expressions, words spoken without sounds and with its own structure, lexicon and grammar rules, used by deaf communities in Romania and represents a tool for communication, thinking, learning, as well as a tool for building identity (L 27/2020, art.2, paragraph h.). Recognizing sign languages as legitimate languages on an equal footing with spoken languages is essential to understanding the need for qualified interpreters, and approaches such as sign language linguistics (Stokoe, 1978) explain the morphological and syntactic features that directly influence interpreting and the importance of interpreters respecting the linguistic and cultural identity of the deaf community.

Interpreters are currently working primarily within the framework created by the bilingual-bicultural-bimodal perspective and this is a direct result of the recognition of sign language as an official language and the changes in the context of deaf culture. This bilingual-bicultural-bimodal (bi-bi-bi) approach to interpreting emerged in an effort to strike a balance between the two extremes of over-involvement (the interpreter as helper) and invisibility (the interpreter as a channel for mechanical translations). In the bilingual-bicultural philosophy, interpreters are sensitive to aspects of physical communication, indicate who is speaking, position themselves appropriately and are also aware of the inherent differences between languages, cultures, norms of social interaction and the particularities of the people who use interpreting services. Effective interpreting from this perspective requires cultural and linguistic mediation, while at the same time fulfilling the speakers’ goals and maintaining dynamic equivalence. This requires the use of cultural and linguistic extensions and reductions. If languages and cultures are mediated correctly, the level of information comprehension of the disabled person is significantly higher (Humphrey & Alcorn, 2001). This is why more and more sign language and deafblind-specific language interpreters today adopt the bilingual-bicultural-bimodal frame of reference.

The role of a sign language interpreter in ensuring accessibility is crucial in diverse environments, in ensuring effective communication and in promoting inclusion by: facilitating communication because interpreters are linguistic and cultural mediators, ensuring accuracy of the message, adhering to ethical standards with an emphasis on confidentiality, impartiality and professionalism. In the context of the complex interpreting process, Wheatley and de Wit (2014) emphasized the importance of cooperation, highlighted the importance of training and specialization of sign language interpreters, and the need for standards to ensure high quality interpreting services.

From the chapter:
Tufar, I. (2024) The use of sign language in inclusive contexts from the perspective of the Romanian sign language interpreter, in the volume: therapies and psycho-pedagogical interventions for people with special needs (Editors: Alois Gherguț and Adrian Roșan), Polirom Publishing House: Iași.

Bibliography
Humphrey, J. H., & Alcorn, B. J. (2001). So you want to be an interpreter?: An introduction to sign language interpreting. Amarillo, TX: H & H Publishers.
L. 27 (2020) LAW No. 27 of March 27, 2020 on Romanian sign language, available online at https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocumentAfis/224473 (22.11.2024)
Stokoe, W. C. (1978) Sign language structure the first linguistic analysis of American sign language. Silver Spring, MD: Linstok Press.
Wheatley, M., & de Wit, M. (2014). Joint cooperation: The only way forward. In B. Costello, M. Thumann, & R. Shaw (Eds.), WASLI 2011 Conference Proceedings. pp. 119-128.