•  
  •  
 

Abstract

This article reports on a study exploring signed language interpreters’ perceptions of promotion on Facebook. Due to the global prevalence of Facebook, this study incorporated an international perspective by holding focus groups comprising 12 signed language interpreters from three nations: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. Facebook was perceived as a beneficial tool for promoting awareness and information about professional news and for implicit professional self-promotion. Specific strategies were reported for managing professional presentations of self on the social networking site. Interpreters promoting accessibility at events where their presence was requested was deemed acceptable, but further research is needed to conclusively determine common perspectives on an interpreter sharing information via Facebook about a public interpreting event after the fact. Participants in this study felt it was permissible for Deaf clients to post pictures or videos of working interpreters on Facebook but less so for the interpreters to post such media of themselves.

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.