SOP Irish Sign Language

This SOP is for translating written English into Irish Sign Language (ISL). This can help improve the Deaf community’s access and experience of HSE services and communications. Roughly 50,000 people communicate in ISL on a daily basis.

The Irish Sign Language Act sets out the duties of a public body regarding the provision of services in ISL. Accessing statutory entitlements and services through ISL should be at no cost to the ISL community.

When developing a written communications resource, consider:

a) Is this communication essential for every member of the Irish public?

b) Is this communication specifically for the Deaf community?

If the answer is yes to either, follow the steps below to produce the ISL version/s. An ISL version of a written document is a video of someone signing in ISL. You will need budget for the translation.

Once a written communication is finalised - and you know the length/format and likelihood of further changes or updates - get a quote for producing the ISL version.

As you’re commissioning a video production service, plan ahead and give as much notice as possible. This is to have the ISL version available at the same time as the original, or as soon as we can. There are only a small number of organisations, with limited resources, that provide this service. Suppliers can be delayed and it’s best to anticipate this in your schedule.

Ask for the cost, turnaround time and logistics involved in addressing proofing errors.

You should also ask:

• for subtitling or if required voiceovers
• whether the translator will be a suitably experienced and qualified translator - ideally a Deaf person or person who is a native ISL signer
• whether the supplier will provide feedback on accessibility gaps in the service described in the content. This is not a standard service offered by translators. If the content is complex, further engagement with a Deaf advocacy organisation may be needed.
• about costs for making future amends (re-recording part or all) if required

Below are the 3 providers set up on our system.

Irish Deaf Society

Attention: John Sherwin, CEO and Tracey Treanor, FET Quality Assurance Manager and DPO

Email: John ceo@irishdeafsociety.ie and Tracey tracey@irishdeafsociety.ie

Tel: John 089 427 8663 and Tracey 086 380 7033 - contact by text

Irish Sign Language Interpreting

Attention: Susan McCormack, Bookings Desk
Email: bookings@islinterpreting.ie
Tel: 071 9622577

Bridge Interpreting Ltd.

Attention: Susan Foley-Cave, Managing Director

Email: bookings@bridgeinterpreting.ie

Tel: 087 904 6594

At this point, check if there are voice call phone numbers in the communication or process of accessing the service. Arrange for an alternative, accessible contact route to be set up if none is available. This may take a while, and that’s why accessibility should be considered at the outset.

Save all of the quotes you receive in the relevant campaign folder.
When reviewing quotes, consider cost, logistics, turnaround time, personnel involved and willingness to advise on accessibility gaps.

There is a preference for a suitably experienced and qualified Deaf person or person who is a native ISL signer to do the ISL translation. It is also preferred if the supplier will check for any accessibility gaps for ISL speakers.

You need to make sure there is budget available to cover the costs. When you have chosen a supplier, ask the budget holder to sign off on the quote and to give you the cost centre number to charge the cost to.

Once you’ve confirmed there is budget available, raise a PO. When it’s approved, you can confirm the job with the supplier, send them the PO number and save a copy of your email in the relevant campaign folder.

Make sure you agree with the supplier that they won’t share translated videos on their own channels until we have signed off the final translated files. This is because we need to proof them and there may be updates to make.

When preparing the script / content for the supplier, watch out for:

• typos or inconsistencies in the original communication - for example Covid-19 vs COVID-19
• sentence structure - watch out for instances where changes to sentence structure are needed, for example where a bulleted list should change to a standard sentence
• phone numbers - you need to replace the number with an accessible contact route, or add one in
  • Example: Change from call HSELive to: COVID-19 information and COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Example: Change from call 112 or 999 to: Emergency services.
• If you’re Deaf or hard of hearing, text 112 in an emergency
• ISL has a very different structure to English. Direct translations are often not possible or inappropriate, so a concept needs to be explained in a different way to English. This can be tricky with legal text. You can ask the translator to alert you and give you guidance if this is a problem.
• If future updates are likely, think about what to include in the script to avoid re-making videos often for small changes in the future. For example include in the script that information in the video may change and give a link to where short update videos or the latest information will be available.

Make sure the written content is signed off before supplying it to the translator. Changes to videos are time-consuming and can delay your schedule. It’s also expensive - changes after the video is produced cost extra and need to be covered from your budget.

Ask the supplier to supply the videos as MP4 files, and they should be subtitled.

Refer them to:

• HSE brand guidelines
• HSE video branding and style

You will need to proof the videos supplied.

Check that:

• the videos match the script provided eg words / sentences missing (allowing for necessary changes eg to sentence structure, description of a concept)
• there are no errors in the subtitles eg full stops missing, incorrect links
• nothing has changed since the text was supplied eg content out of date

Use the proofing template below to note the times in the video (mm:ss) where there are errors or updates.

If corrections are needed, they may need to reshoot parts of the video. If the content is likely to change, make sure you have discussed time and budget for this in advance.

If it’s an error on the part of the supplier, they should cover the costs of correction. However, if it’s an update / change to the script provided, the HSE should cover the extra cost.

Save the final approved MP4 file in the relevant campaign folder.

Raise a ticket by emailing digital@hse.ie

a) Ask for the video to be uploaded to the HSE’s YouTube channel.

Use ShareFile to send the large MP4 file(s) and supply copy in a consistent format for the Youtube title.

Example: COVID-19 vaccines

b) You should ask for the YouTube links to be embedded on the relevant page/s, supplying copy in a consistent format for the hyperlink (as above).

Be specific - about whether you need something replaced, added to what’s already on there or located somewhere specific on the page.

Example: COVID-19 ISL resources

Example: COVID-19 vaccine ISL resources

Share the links with the Stakeholder Engagement team, so they can highlight the video/s with stakeholders in the Partner Pack update.

At this stage, you can let the supplier know that they can publish them too, if they’d like to. For example on their social media accounts if relevant for their audience.

Use the proofing template below to write up the changes, then ask the ISL translator for a quote and timeframe for the addition / amend.

Often they can record a new, short video addressing the update. Sometimes it’s best to re-record a section and replace it, or it might be necessary to re-record the whole thing. This depends on the content and changes required - you can discuss options with the supplier.

If you know the content is likely to change, make sure you have discussed time and budget for this in advance with the budget holder and supplier.

All HSE TV ads should have subtitles and where reasonable an ISL interpreter on screen.

Include this requirement in the brief for the ad agency. Specify that they should:

• factor it into their production schedule and costs
• have subtitles and ISL interpretation on any other versions of the ad as much as is reasonable - for example social media versions, cutdowns, for VOD etc.
• identify what supplier they intend to use for the ISL translation. You can share the suppliers we use, and the criteria we use to choose ISL suppliers. If you have any concerns about the supplier planned, liaise with the ad agency to agree the supplier they will use, before agreeing to the job.

The agency should manage the relationship with the third party supplier.

Make sure the final script of the full ad is signed off, before recording of ISL translation takes place. Use the tips above under ‘Scripts’ to check for any issues that might arise with the script.

You should also confirm the scripts for any extra versions (eg cutdowns) at this stage. Liaise with the agency to confirm they’re recorded in the same recording session so they’re ready to use and you don’t need to arrange and pay for a further recording session.

If you know any of the content is likely to change, discuss time and budget for this in advance with the budget holder and agency.

When you receive a version of the ad to review, you can use the tips under ‘Proofing’ above when checking it.