Strategies and ways of interpreting sign language and their impact on understanding in the educational systems for the deaf and hard of hearing

In this paper, we present an analysis of the strategy of interpreting sign language in connection with the decisions of the interpreter of Slovenian sign language, and their impact on the level of understanding/ perception of the learning material by deaf/hard of hearing students and pupils in the learning process at primary and secondary school levels in both forms of education. To analyse the most frequently used strat­egies and methods of interpreting into sign language and their impact on the level of understanding of the learning material, we based our analysis on research that showed numerous accompanying influencing fac­tors, such as the modest language competences of many deaf and hard of hearing students, the inadequacy of the interpreter’s competences and training for work in the classroom, poor or (lack of ) knowledge of the linguistic and cultural characteristics of the actors in the interpreting situation, the unavailability of competent language models and other forms of visual (in)accessibility. We have also observed such fac­tors in our country, but the results of the study show that every interpreter strives for the best possible outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing students in education, despite the difficult working conditions in the classroom.