June 08 Issue - Employee Monthly Magazine

Talk to the hands

Lab's sign language interpreter facilitates communication

Donna Leshne of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity demonstrates equipment that allows a deaf person to communicate using a computer monitor. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez

"These hands have taken me places that I could not imagine I would ever be," said Donna Leshne as she gestures with just a hint of amazement.

Her hands also have helped deaf employees across the Laboratory feel they're part of the larger Laboratory community. Leshne, the program manager for diversity in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity, provides sign language interpreting for deaf employees on an as-needed basis.

Leshne emphasizes that she interprets and does not translate word for word. Rather, she provides meaning, context, and intent so that a deaf person can communicate with a hearing person.

When Laboratory employees need sign language interpreting, they contact Leshne using e-mail or a TTY machine. In some offices, video relay capability allows Leshne to provide sign language interpreting services via a Web cam.

When she signed on with the Laboratory, Leshne knew that her learning curve would be steep. "I really had not functioned in the scientific or engineering community," she said. "But I could apply my 25 years of sign language interpreting experience to this new environment."

Leshne, who grew up communicating with extended family members who are deaf, emphasized that eye contact is key in sign language interpreting.

"Deaf people grow up in a hearing world. They know how to work with hearing people to be understood. But it's very likely that a hearing person is meeting a deaf person for the first time as an adult with no prior experience and no tools. Nothing has been provided to help them communicate with a deaf person," she said, adding that she wants hearing people to become more aware of the communication challenges that deaf people face.

"To think that almost 30 years ago I was interpreting high school biology, and now I've had an opportunity to interpret some of the most cutting-edge research. It's just stunning to me," said Leshne.

"It's been an incredible learning experience. It's invited me into the ranks of sign language interpreters who work in national laboratories and provide support services in these specialized areas."

—Steve Sandoval