Video Sign Language Interpreter: How to Get One and Make the Video Work

The short answer

A video sign language interpreter is a qualified interpreter who joins a conversation over a live video link instead of in person. In the US, the interpreter usually works between American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English. What you need to do next depends on which kind of service fits your situation, because two different services are often both called video interpreting.

Service | When it is used | Who usually arranges it

Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) | The Deaf or hard-of-hearing person and the hearing person are in the same place, such as a clinic, office or classroom, and the interpreter appears on a screen | The business, agency or provider hosting the meeting, as one way of meeting its effective-communication duty under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Video Relay Service (VRS) | The two people are in different places and would otherwise talk by phone; the interpreter relays the call between a video connection and a voice line | The Deaf or hard-of-hearing user, through a registered VRS provider under Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules

If you searched for remote video interpreting for an appointment or meeting, you almost certainly need VRI. If you want to place or receive phone calls in sign language, you need VRS.

How to get video remote interpreting for an appointment

• Tell the business or provider in advance that you need a sign language interpreter, and say which language you use, such as ASL.
• Ask whether they plan to use a remote video interpreter or an on-site interpreter. You can say which you prefer and why; the entity should consider your request when choosing how to communicate effectively.
• If video will not work for you, explain the reason. VRI can be a poor fit when someone cannot see a screen well, cannot hold a position facing the camera, has limited vision, or needs a Deaf interpreter working alongside a hearing interpreter.
• Ask who will set up the equipment and whether staff know how to run it.
• At the start of the session, check that you can see the interpreter clearly and that the interpreter confirms they can see you. If the picture or sound is not good enough to communicate, say so right away and ask for a fix or another arrangement.

How to get video relay service for phone calls

• Choose a VRS provider and register with it. Registration typically includes identity verification and gives you a phone number that hearing callers can dial.
• Install the provider's app or use a videophone, then grant the app access to your camera.
• Place a call. An interpreter appears on your screen and voices your signing to the hearing person, then signs their reply to you.
• If you are hearing and calling a Deaf person who uses VRS, dial their number as you would any phone number. An interpreter will join the call.

What a usable VRI setup has to provide

US Department of Justice ADA regulations set performance standards for entities that use VRI. In plain terms, the video must be live, real-time and full-motion, without lags, choppy or blurry images, or irregular pauses. It must run over a dedicated high-speed connection with enough bandwidth. The image must be sharp and large enough to show the interpreter's face, arms, hands and fingers, and the Deaf person's face, arms, hands and fingers, whatever their body position. Voices must come through clearly. Staff must be trained to set up and operate the system quickly. If these conditions are not met, the session is not providing effective communication, even if the equipment technically turns on.

Setting up your camera for signing

Sign language depends on handshape, movement, facial expression and the space in front of the body. A camera that works for a talking-head call can still fail for signing.

• Framing: show the full signing space, roughly from just above your head to your waist, with room on both sides for your elbows and hands.
• Distance: sit far enough back that your hands do not leave the frame when you sign.
• Lighting: light your face and hands from the front. A window or lamp behind you turns you into a silhouette and hides your expressions.
• Stability: put the phone, tablet or laptop on a stand rather than holding it, so both hands are free and the picture does not shake.
• Clothing: plain clothing that contrasts with your skin makes handshapes easier to read than busy patterns.

Choosing a background

A plain physical background that contrasts with your skin and clothing gives the clearest result. Virtual call effects, meaning background blur or replacement applied by the video app, try to separate you from the scene in software. Fast-moving hands and fingers can be blurred, clipped or partly erased by these effects, so it is safer to turn them off for interpreted calls. If you need privacy, a plain wall, curtain or screen behind you works better than a digital effect.

Checking camera, microphone and connection before the session

Each check below confirms something different. Passing one does not mean the next one will pass too.

• Camera access: the browser or app has permission to use the camera in both the app and the operating system privacy settings. Access only means the camera is allowed to turn on.
• Video capture: your own preview shows a live, moving, correctly framed image of you, not a black or frozen frame.
• Call quality: the interpreter or the other participant confirms they can read your signing without blur, freezing or delay. Only the other side can confirm this.
• Microphone detection: the device lists the correct microphone. This matters most for the hearing participant, whose speech the interpreter needs to hear.
• Input activity: the app's level meter moves when the hearing person speaks.
• Intelligible sound: the interpreter confirms they can understand the speech clearly. A moving meter does not guarantee words are understandable if there is echo, background noise or a distant mic.
• Connection: use a stable network, close other heavy uploads or streams, and choose a wired or strong Wi-Fi connection where possible.

If something is not working

• No video: check camera permissions in both the app and the operating system, and close other apps that may be using the camera.
• The interpreter cannot read your signs: move back, improve front lighting, turn off background effects and steady the device.
• The interpreter cannot hear the hearing participant: move the microphone closer to the speaker, reduce room noise and check that the correct input device is selected.
• The video keeps freezing: switch networks or reduce other traffic. In a VRI appointment, ask staff to fix the connection or arrange an alternative. Repeated freezing means the setup is not meeting the standard described above.

What this guide cannot confirm

No verified information was available about specific interpreting providers, their prices, booking lead times, hours, contact details or apps. Check those directly with the business arranging VRI or with a registered VRS provider. For questions about your rights in a particular setting, such as a hospital, court or school, check the rules that apply to that setting or ask a disability rights organization, because the details can vary.