Interpreting in pediatric therapy settings during the COVID-19 pandemic: benefits and limitations of remote communication technologies and their effect on turn-taking and role boundary

With the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in the United States, social, educational, and health services, in addition to legal proceedings and conferences, became accessible primarily through various remote technologies. Language access was almost exclusively provided through remote telecommunication platforms, audio and/or video.  Many of these platforms were not optimized nor designed for interpreting support. Service providers, interpreters, and their Limited English Proficient (LEP) clients, were faced with increased communication and logistical challenges and had to get creative in their endeavors in order to ensure minimal disruption and continuity of care and service provision. This study explores remote interpreting in pediatric therapy settings. More specifically, it examines both the benefits and the challenges of remote interpreting in speech, physical, and occupational therapy settings. It considers how different remote communication platforms may impact role boundaries and turn-taking from both the provider’s and the interpreter’s perspective.