Remote Interpreting: Platform Testing in a University Setting (2021)

Abstract: This work is based on the testing of a remote interpreting (RI) delivery platform conducted a year before the disruptive COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, and aimed at assessing the use and experience of such systems in a university setting. A survey was administered to the different groups of users (interpreters, audience, and speakers) involved in two tests to collect their responses and remarks, and assess trends and perceptions in their experience. According to emerging findings of the research project, RI was already considered to be an indisputable yet burgeoning resource for conference settings with potential convenience and benefits for each group of users. However, participants’ remarks early suggested that all the parties involved in the industry need to collaborate to effectively improve and enhance such services. Specific training on RI modalities would also appear to be increasingly necessary for interpreters to adapt to new raising working conditions and meet a thriving demand—and training institutions would ever more have to offer adequate solutions, while this technological shift also requires receptiveness and adaptability to an abruptly diversifying and evolving profession.

## introduction as in almost any professional field and communication setting, technology has taken a leading role in interpreting too. over the last few years, remote interpreting (ri) specifically has become an ever-increasing modality being used in conference interpreting @xcite -and in the time of global movement restrictions imposed by the covid-19 pandemic, even the only modality enabling working continuity for professionals worldwide. this work tests an ri delivery platform and aims at assessing the use and experience of such systems in a university setting-before their widespread use for teaching purposes following the coronavirus outbreak. after using the ri platform for two tests held at unint university in rome, italy, in april 2019, a survey was administered to the different groups of users involved in the proceedings (interpreters, audience, and speakers) to collect their responses and remarks, and thus assess their experience with the use of such tools in an academic environment. ## findings due to the impossibility of presenting here the full report of the data collected from the surveys administered to the three groups of users, the respondents' most significant answers (and the remarks they added in the available blank spaces) will be analyzed and discussed to observe the scenario offered by the surveys, assess the results of this test, and outline general trends emerging from the users' experience. ## conclusion the objective of this research was to investigate the use and observe the experience of a remote simultaneous interpreting platform in a university setting. this study did not aim at evaluating the platform itself nor expressing an ultimate judgment on the implementation of remote interpreting as an accomplished working modality. the purpose of the project was rather to collect the users' perceptions and remarks and assess trends in their experience, by testing a professional platform on a limited but representative sample of participants, composed of interpreting students, professional and non-specialized audience, and speakers.