Translation Workgroup (TWG)

 

The Deaf Health Community Committee (DHCC) and the National Center for Deaf Health Research (NCDHR) at the University of Rochester worked together to develop a health survey in Sign Language.

In the photo above is Patrick Graybill signing questions in ASL for the survey. Robyn Dean, along with
Julianna Aggas and Susan Demers Postlethwait in the background, watching and coaching him
during the filming at a studio at RIT.

The above are members of the NCDHR's Translation Workgroup (TWG) along with Betsy Finigan, M.D. and
Robert Pollard, Ph.D. (See Translation Workgroup Team below:)

(from left: Patrick Graybill, Julia Aggas, Susan Demers Postlethwait, Robyn Dean, Betsy Finigan, Robert Pollard)

The TWG worked for months translating written English questions from national health surveys used for hearing people, into American Sign Language. The Deaf Health Survey is "user-friendly." No computer skills are needed to complete the survey on a touch-screen computer kiosk.

Another team of translators worked to develop an English-based sign interpretation of
the same questions. One of these translators was Patrick Sullivan of the DHCC.

These translations allowed deaf people to choose one of the six sign models -- selecting the most comfortable way for them to take the survey. All survey questions and answers were shown in American Sign Language or English-based signing through videos and captions, if desired. The photo below shows what the Deaf Health Survey looks like.

The TWG has now begun their task of translating English to ASL for development of the CAHPS Survey
(Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems). CAHPS collects patients’ experiences
(both positive and negative) with doctors’ offices, hospitals, etc, through surveys.
For more information about CAHPS, click here.