Unfortunately, the agency is perceived by the government and business community as an advocate for consumers, and such a value-laden statement gives others carte blanche to opt out of it. No one would dare to suggest the equivalent, of training a few volunteers in fingerspelling and sending them out instead of sign language interpreters, yet the agency expends considerable effort advocating laptop-word processing to the many institutions serving consumers who need print interpreting. By providing mostly notetaking, the agency also prevents consumers from becoming aware of real-time reporting. If consumers have never seen real-time reporting, they might well be pleased to see computerized notetaking, because they have no idea what they are missing. Most of their consumers of Print Interpreting are Vocational Rehabilitation clients, young adults growing up hard of hearing or oral deaf.
Most assignments are for classroom settings.
Few deafened adults make it onto their client roster. Our own behaviour contributes to our ignorance of the possibilities. As long as the demand for Print Interpreting by real-time reporting is suppressed, few court reporters will acquire the unique skills required for interpreting. Recognizing the chicken and egg dilemma, the State undertook to provide accelerated training, and maintains a roster of reporters who are certified in this skill. These are the core of those who will, I hope, be the Certified Print Interpreters of the future.