Education - Auslan (Australian Sign Language) experts

Introduction

In Australia, the deaf community learn Australian Sign Language (Auslan) as their designated variant of sign language. It is related to British Sign Language but also has elements of NZ and American Sign Language, having developed organically over time with the first dictionary appearing in 1989. Soon after, Auslan began to emerge as a language of instruction for Deaf students in secondary schools through the provision of interpreters in mainstream (hearing) schools with deaf support units. Boosted by the 1992 enactment of the federal Disability Discrimination Act, sign language interpreters are also increasingly provided in tertiary education. Today, there are upwards of 12,000 AUSLAN signers throughout the country.

Today, there is a growing number of courses teaching Auslan as a second language, from an elective language subject offered by some secondary schools to a two-year full-time diploma at TAFE.

As with all sign languages, the grammar and vocabulary is substantially different from spoken English. For this reason, an expert in the language of Auslan would be largely helpful in interpretation of slang, emotional nuances, and subtleties that may be found within the Auslan language that may be misinterpreted by amateur or literal interpretation of the language. This evidence may prove to be integral to the circumstances of a case. The specific specialisation and background needed in your epidemiologist expert will be determined by the matter which requires examination.

At the bottom of this profile are brief details of a number of the experts that Expert Experts represents. Call our office to discuss your requirements and to obtain a recommendation that suits your needs and budget.

Expertise in Action

Experts in Auslan can assist translation and interpretation in court cases for the deaf. In cases that require translation, the benefit an expert could provide extends beyond the literal interpretation of one’s words. Actions, slang, and subtleties of expression may be misconstrued if not interpreted in a manner that reflects the true intention and emotions behind the speaker. For this reason, expert’s in Auslan would be able to provide this assessment to the court.

Sample Reports

For some fields of expertise we have some sample sections of de-identified reports. Please contact our office if you are interested in a sample.

Cost

The overall cost of expert opinion depends on the services required. Some of the key factors that affect the cost of advice include:

• The need for a view or inspection of a location
• The quantity of documentary material to be reviewed
• Whether there are reports of other experts to be reviewed and commented on in detail
• Whether there is a need for conferences with the expert either in person or by telephone/Skype

Relevant Articles Auslan interpreter shortage 'getting worse with NDIS rollout'

Deaf people in South Australia are reporting they are regularly forced to cancel medical appointments, delay court hearings or miss work meetings due to a dire shortage of Auslan interpreters. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was meant to improve access to interpreters by providing clients with an interpreting package for work, life and leisure; but instead, it has increased demand and made it more difficult.

The app putting Auslan in the hands of anyone who wants to learn

Telstra has been developing an application that effectively allows Australian citizens to learn Auslan easier than before. Their application allows learners to submit requests that range from short phrases to words and complex sentences, which is then responded to by those who are proficient in Auslan.

Sign of the times: Interpreters feel great responsibility during pandemic

This article examines the role of Auslan interpreters during COVID-19. This article shows that Auslan interpreters are attempting to communicate clearly the symptomology, risks, and policies which have arisen from the virus to the deaf community.

Relevant Cases Hurst and Devlin v Education Queensland [2005] FCA 405

The frequency that teachers employed Auslan was questioned in a case where deaf students claimed to be at a disadvantage as the school failed to provide AUSLAN-qualified teachers.

Attorney General for New South Wales v McGregor (Preliminary) [2021] NSWSC 638 (2 June 2021)

This case required an Auslan interpreter for the party in question.

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