Schools offered interpreters via videoconference

Beverley Head
Friday, 26 February 2010 11:26

Business IT - Networking

A Melbourne based interpreting service has written to 1,000 NSW schools offering interpreters via videoconference, a service it says could be delivered through the schools' Connected Classrooms.

A NSW Government initiative is rolling out interactive whiteboards complete with videoconferencing capability to all Government schools, to establish a network of Connected Classrooms.

NSW is spending $66 million installing the whiteboards. As of this week that programme is 63 per cent completed.

In November last year it also signed a $280 million deal with Telstra to upgrade and supply all government schools with broadband network connection. The network upgrade is now 78 per cent complete according to the Department of Education.

While NSW already offers Government schools a free telephone based interpreter service, it does have limitations. Ismail Akinci, CEO of InterpreterLine said that for interpreters to work effectively, they had to be able to interject in a conversation and slow it down when their memories (for the words spoken) reached capacity.

Doing this over a telephone was harder than doing it face to face or by video conference. Telephone interpretation is also clearly unsuitable for Auslan interpreters to assist the hearing impaired.

Akinci said he had written to 1,000 NSW schools this term, and already received a handful of responses, although acknowledged that it was 'early days.'