Miss-Delectable
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News for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa
With more deaf students than interpreters, Aberdeen Central High School has been struggling to serve deaf students. The administration hasn't been able to find additional interpreters in the area, so they are getting help from technology.
If ever there's been such a thing as educational TV, this is it.
"Well because here at school, we have three deaf students, but only have two interpreters," Joseph Hagen said.
So interpreters more than 300 miles away do the job for Joseph Hagen's English class. The teacher and students speak into a mic and Hagen can understand by watching it all interpreted on the screen in front of him.
That’s a little different from his other classes.
"With a real interpreter you get more help. The person is closer and maybe you can understand a little better, but on line it's a little more far away. You have to watch. It's kind of like watching television," Hagen said.
This isn't the school's first choice. They searched for another interpreter to work here but couldn't find one, so they fell back on this plan.
"Well I feel more with a real interpreter, more connected because you can talk with them at different times and communicate better, but on line, well a little more distant you know," Hagen said.
With few available interpreters to sub if one is gone, Hagen knows all to well how class can be like without one.
"It's better than not having an interpreter. It's really helpful. It's a lot of support for the Deaf person," Hagen said.
And for a teenager, watching TV in class isn't the worst thing either.
The school started using the on-line interpreters this week. Administration says it hasn't been perfect but has worked well considering it's a back-up plan.
With more deaf students than interpreters, Aberdeen Central High School has been struggling to serve deaf students. The administration hasn't been able to find additional interpreters in the area, so they are getting help from technology.
If ever there's been such a thing as educational TV, this is it.
"Well because here at school, we have three deaf students, but only have two interpreters," Joseph Hagen said.
So interpreters more than 300 miles away do the job for Joseph Hagen's English class. The teacher and students speak into a mic and Hagen can understand by watching it all interpreted on the screen in front of him.
That’s a little different from his other classes.
"With a real interpreter you get more help. The person is closer and maybe you can understand a little better, but on line it's a little more far away. You have to watch. It's kind of like watching television," Hagen said.
This isn't the school's first choice. They searched for another interpreter to work here but couldn't find one, so they fell back on this plan.
"Well I feel more with a real interpreter, more connected because you can talk with them at different times and communicate better, but on line, well a little more distant you know," Hagen said.
With few available interpreters to sub if one is gone, Hagen knows all to well how class can be like without one.
"It's better than not having an interpreter. It's really helpful. It's a lot of support for the Deaf person," Hagen said.
And for a teenager, watching TV in class isn't the worst thing either.
The school started using the on-line interpreters this week. Administration says it hasn't been perfect but has worked well considering it's a back-up plan.