Sign Language Interpreters at Disney

[littlebigdog]

Just wondering how many have seen the sign language interpreters at Disney? I haven't seen any of the shows interpreted but I have been told it is awesome to watch them!

 

[eeyore45]

Talking Hands keeps us informed, she posts on Disabilities board here -

I'm actually wondering if she got any resolution, or response from her last visit! She has told us that there is a set schedule for interpreted shows, and she was unable to get a seat at one show, as the wheelchair section was filled.. such misunderstanding with deaf and hard of hearing. (my dh and ds' are hard of hearing)

 

[tjkraz]

The live entertainment schedule that Steve Soares maintains lists the performances that have sign language interepreters:

http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/

I don't know a darn thing about it myself, but we were recently at a performance of Tarzan Rocks that was being signed, and I came away very impressed. They had both a man and a woman to sign the male and female vocals from the show, and they were both very animated.

 

[momsgoofy]

The live entertainment schedule that Steve Soares maintains lists the performances that have sign language interepreters:

http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/

I don't know a darn thing about it myself, but we were recently at a performance of Tarzan Rocks that was being signed, and I came away very impressed. They had both a man and a woman to sign the male and female vocals from the show, and they were both very animated.

Okay, I am NOT flaming you here...I am just making note of what you wrote, doing what my Deaf instructors taught me, to educate others about my profession. I am a sign language interpreter (for 10 years now).

The performance you saw was being "interpreted" not signed. To say the performance was being "signed" implies that it was a Deaf production in which the performance was being presented in sign language. When a performance is "interpreted" that means that is exactly what happens...interpreters take one language (in the case of the Tarzan Rocks show, English) and interprets it into another language (in this case, American Sign Language or at least a form of sign language).

I am very pleased to hear that WDW has these services available, because as recent as 5 year ago, I had heard many complaints from friends who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing that it was a real struggle to have equal access to the shows at WDW. I am glad that WDW recognizes the need to use both male and female interpreters for the show. (The field is typically female dominated, but is slowly increasing it's number of male interpreters.) It is also good to hear that the interpreters you saw were animated...which means (professionally speaking) that they were matching the affect of the source language (English used by the performers in Tarzan Rocks). I really dislike it when I attend a theatrical production where there are interpreters and the interpreters are expression-less while the chararcters on stage are highly animated. It is actually, one of the tenets in our code of ethics to "render the message faithfully."

Every time I head to WDW, I hope that I will get lucky and have the chance to observe a fellow interpreter working. When I worked in public education (K - 12), it was always handy to know the appropriate signs for their favorite hobbies...and so many kids love Mickey and the gang I've had to pick those up as I go.

So, again, I am NOT flaming you or anyone here, but rather sharing the knowledge I have. It's along the lines of "hearing impaired", many people who have a hearing loss do not like that term as it implies something is wrong or broken with them when in fact the perso is Deaf or Hard of Hearing...chalk it up to the political correctness in our society and the desire to be appropriately labeled by an individual.

Thank you all for the information. I will now go try to find a schedule of interpreted performances so I might catch one next week.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Last year I was fortunate enough to see a Candlelight Processional performance being signed (or I think, it would be called "interpretted"). The woman was really fantastic-I took as much video of her as anything else.

 

[momsgoofy]

Last year I was fortunate enough to see a Candlelight Processional performance being signed (or I think, it would be called "interpretted"). The woman was really fantastic-I took as much video of her as anything else.

I am really hoping that while we are at WDW for our Christmas trip that the narrarator is Marlee Matlin. She does this (from the schedules I've seen) every year and I would love to see her!! She is such an inspiration! I'm just curious if she voices or signs for herself and if she signs does she have her personal interpreter with her for the Candlelight Procession? If not Marlee Matlin, then I would be as thrilled with an interpreted performance.

 

[teacherforhi]

It's along the lines of "hearing impaired", many people who have a hearing loss do not like that term as it implies something is wrong or broken with them when in fact the perso is Deaf or Hard of Hearing...chalk it up to the political correctness in our society and the desire to be appropriately labeled by an individual.

This is off-topic, but I've always wondered about this. When I got my degree, we were always told to use DHH, but when I started teaching, my students referred to themselves as hearing impaired or deaf. When I asked them about it, I was told that "Old people are hard of hearing!" Since then, I've never said DHH and never had a student correct me. So is it just that my teenagers are weird?

 

[momsgoofy]

This is off-topic, but I've always wondered about this. When I got my degree, we were always told to use DHH, but when I started teaching, my students referred to themselves as hearing impaired or deaf. When I asked them about it, I was told that "Old people are hard of hearing!" Since then, I've never said DHH and never had a student correct me. So is it just that my teenagers are weird?

I understand your point...everyone of the kids I worked with in the public school referred to themselves as "hearing impaired". In the school system I worked it was very understandable...the school was called "The School for Hearing Impaired" as it is still today. Also, of all the teachers, administrators, and staff only ONE had a hearing loss that physiloligcally labeled him/her as Deaf or Hard of Hearing and that individual grew up in a hearing family, mainstreamed without interpreters. So, it's up to the individual as to what they prefer. I always say Deaf and Hard of Hearing...unless I am referring to my former employer. When I interpret and someone uses the term "hearing impaired" I sign it as such and allow the Deaf or Hard of Hearing individual the opportunity to do any correcting if they desire because while I'm working I am not there to add my two cents...only bridge the communication and cultural gaps.

 

[Alice Sr.]

On our Disney cruise last year the interpreter stole the show, my DD and I could not stop watching him, he was fabulous. Off the OP a bit, but where can I get the hearing devices for the shows? I'm completely deaf in my right ear and I can never make out what they are saying. TIA

 

[eeyore45]

I wish they had the info at a sticky on the Disability board, I will try and find my post and "bump" it on the Disability board!

DH and DS love the 'reflective" captioning you are given a mirror device and sit where it can 'reflect' the words at the back of the shows (they have a list on the maps in the park,and allearsnet also has a great list!) In its tough to be a bug, the CM didnt realize we couldnt sit with the "wheelchairs" as the captions cant be seen from there! So we saw that show twice! In Epcot, Honey, I shrunk the audience, the CM saved our seats, and as a lady came in from the standard entrance she fumed, and yelled at us for "cheating" Dh of course didnt "hear" her insult, and I politely said we're using reflective captioning, she didnt understand until the mirror came, and she turned a brilliant shade of red!! I told her it was all right, unfortunately we got that a few times!

At MGM we used the hand held captioning, but it didnt get updated, and was very heavy to carry - you go to Guest relations and reserve it for $100 and then that $100 is returned when you give the device back...


off to the Disablity thread to bump...

(PS I also interpret at school, I'm a substitute teacher, but learned signing exact english, since my son was hoh, it helped him get the 'sounds' down, esp endings "s", "ing", "ed"... every now and then we're invited to a "signed" performance)

 

[Alice Sr.]

Thanks very much I will check out those 2 sources.

 

[jaysmom4285]

Momsgoofy, we attended the Candlelight Processional last year when Marlee Matlin was the narrator. She signed/interpreted (whichever is the correct word) the narration, while her personal interpreter spoke the words. I wasn't sure how it would be, but I found it to be incredibly moving. There was also another interpreter off to the side who just interpreted the songs that were being performed. I would assume that, for the other speaking narrators, this interpreter would do the entire performance. Marlee spoke briefly at the end of the performance.

 

[momsgoofy]

Momsgoofy, we attended the Candlelight Processional last year when Marlee Matlin was the narrator. She signed/interpreted (whichever is the correct word) the narration, while her personal interpreter spoke the words. I wasn't sure how it would be, but I found it to be incredibly moving. There was also another interpreter off to the side who just interpreted the songs that were being performed. I would assume that, for the other speaking narrators, this interpreter would do the entire performance. Marlee spoke briefly at the end of the performance.

I will keep an eye open for the schedule! I love any chance to see a working interpreter...it's good to see other styles and Marlee Matlin has a personal interpreter so he can get the subtleness of her signing style and match the affect so well. On the few occasions I've caught her in an interview, the camera naturally stays on the star and not the interpreter so live and in person would be awesome.

Thanks so much for the info! I really appreciate it!!