Deaf Students ’ Experiences of Sign Language Interpreting Services in Tertiary Education in Ghana

Abstract

The increasing enrollment of deaf students in tertiary education has heightened the demand for sign language interpreting services as a means of facilitating access to teaching and learning. Despite the growing provision of these services in Ghanaian higher education institutions, little is known about how deaf students experience and evaluate them. This study explored deaf students ’ experiences of sign language interpr eting services at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. Using a qualitative research design, semi structured interviews were conducted with 13 deaf students, and the data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed three key factors shaping participants ’ experiences: interpreter competence, interpreter content knowledge, and interpreting styles. While most participants viewed interpreting services as esse ntial for accessing classroom instruction and participating in academic activities, some reported challenges related to unfamiliar terminology, omissions during interpretation, and interpreters ’ limited knowledge of specialized subject areas. Participants also expressed varying preferences regarding interpreting styles, with the majority favouring a flexible approach that combines both literal and meaning based interpretation depending on the nature of the course content. The findings suggest that the provi sion of interpreting services alone does not necessarily guarantee meaningful access to learning; rather, effective communication access depends on the quality of interpreting services and their responsiveness to students ’ linguistic and academic needs. Th e study highlights the need for improved interpreter preparation, continuous professional development, and institutional support to enhance educational access and participation for deaf students in higher education.