Producing your survey in sign languages

Surveys in sign language(s) are important to allow the Deaf community to respond in their language

Summary

Surveys in sign language(s) are important for the Deaf community to respond in their language. Deaf people report it makes a big difference for them to access a survey with signed videos.

When preparing a survey in sign language, make sure that you:

• Select the right online survey tool

• Ensure the quality of signed videos, with recording by a professional interpreter

• Record separate videos for each question

• Pause each video at the end for 60 seconds or more. When the video is hosted on youtube, this ensures that the video doesn't immediately cut away to the default youtube end screen

• Ask the recording studio to have another signer to test the recording to make sure it is clear

Why make a survey available in Sign Language?

"I understood the questions, and it gave me confidence in answering. Sometimes if it’s in English, I’m not always sure. Whereas with ASL (American Sign Language) based multiple choice options, I felt very confident and clear with my answers because ASL is my first language." (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, ASL Education Centre)

It is not appropriate to assume that all deaf people can read and respond using written languages.

Deaf people consistently report a preference for websites that incorporate signed languages, regardless of their level of fluency with print languages.

Some deaf people are bilingual or multilingual signers, with excellent command of one or more signed and written languages (e.g. American Sign Language and English or International Sign). Other deaf people have much stronger fluency in their national sign language. Finally, many deaf people living in the Global South do not have access to written language and education, while they may have some comprehension in their national sign language.

Survey tools are typically designed for written text, and therefore miss a lot of deaf respondents.

Choice of sign language(s)

There are over 300 sign languages used in the world, so you should choose the one(s) that are most commonly used by your survey audience. For example, use the national sign language of the country in which you will disseminate your survey.

If you run a global survey, you may want to use International Sign, recording your videos with a signer accredited by the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI). You can also decide to use American Sign Language (ASL) or British Sign Language (BSL) which are the most known sign languages. French Sign Language (LSF) and Australian Sign Language (Auslan) are also used a lot in certain regions.

Top tips

Ensure quality of the videos

The first thing to do is to connect with a qualified interpreter who has a studio to record signed videos of professional quality. To facilitate the process, make sure that you communicate your requirements clearly in advance. This includes:

• Best practices for signed video recording

• Accreditation of the professional interpreter in the relevant sign language(s)

• Clear instructions on recording of videos, including single or multiple clips, captioning

• Quality check for example through back translation

• Timeline to complete the work (linked to the launch date of your survey)

Signers recording the questions and response options in video format should enforce best practices for video production. These include landscape framing, eye contact, proper lighting, a plain background, solid clothing, etc.

The signer’s proficiency level in the concerned signed language and knowledge of the Deaf culture and community is important to avoid confusion and increase the trust and confidence of the respondent.

Record separate videos for each question:

• If the survey platform allows this, record one video including one single question and the related response options in a single video sequence. Response options should be introduced by the interpreter in the exact same order as they appear on the screen. Once recorded, do not shift the order of responses to avoid errors in recording people’s answers.

• Including captions is recommended, following recommended standards for sufficient size and contrast. If you are not a signer, this will help you identify and upload the right videos with the right question on the survey app.

• Pay attention to not change the content/ text of your survey questions after you recorded the videos to avoid any discrepancy between the signed and written version.

Testing of videos by a deaf person native of the chosen sign language, who is not the signer recording the video is important to confirm that it can be understood. Professional interpreters recording videos usually offer this option.

Resources

Contact details of sign language service providers

Here are contact details of some organisations providing sign language services which we have either used ourselves or had positive feedback about. We recommend obtaining a couple of quotes as part of your procurement process.

• Drip Media. Provides a range of sign language services. Multiple sign languages supported. - Contact: Ramon Wolfe, [email protected]

• Signapse.ai. Signapse is a pioneer of text to sign langauage AI. Their SignStudio service provides high-quality human translations into British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL). Their expert Deaf translators ensure your videos are accurate, culturally appropriate, and engaging.

• Sign Solutions. Provides a range of BSL translation services.

• A2I. A2i provides a range of document transcription services, including BSL video production services, that enable people with disabilities to have equal access to information.

• Overseas Interpreting - Contact: [email protected]

• World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) - Contact: [email protected]

Relevant Academic Articles

• An article about barriers and preferences of deaf respondents to online surveys: Towards Sign Language-centric Design of ASL Survey Tools, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, ASL Education Centre, 2022.