Webinar: VRS, VRI, VMI ? What are we doing?

Presenter: Dr. Robert Skinner.

We will look at some established terminology VRS/VRI/VMI/Remote interpreting and total communication. Then follow this by asking how these definitions help or hinder our practice.

There has been research where interpreters are not consulted or included in the development of VMI technologies. What this means for interpreters, when we don’t become involved in how technology shapes our practice we work within inconsistent and challenging contexts. In the UK, remote spoken language interpreters have been known to describe their experience as poor, because the technology creates the perception an interpreter can be switched on and off as and when needed. These are examples where interpreters hold no power to assert their needs.

VRS/VRI platforms are designed for remote signed language interactions. What impact our work is how funding models define our service. Research on VRS or interpreters who offer their service on-demand have to become better at offering a customer service approach to their practice, explaining not only how to interact via technology but the conditions of use.

What is less known is how individual interpreters migrate their face to face practice online, e.g. interpreters who now work online due to Covid-19.

Based on research, we need to become better at offer a customer service approach to our work to handle technical challenges and misinformed ideas about how we work. We need to become better at explaining what our needs are, how we work and how we communicate our needs prior to and during the assignment. We may also discuss AIIC’s guidelines, which looks at remote conference interpreting and co-working. Much of the advice could apply to seminars, educational settings and formal work meetings.