intepreterQ Hybrid for the Student

This article explains how to join hybrid interpreterQ sessions from a remote location.

The interpreterQ Hybrid web application

The interpreterQ Hybrid web application is available at https://interpreterq.azurewebsites.net
The application can be accessed in 2 different ways:

1. by logging in to your account: your organization creates accounts for the remote interpreterQ participants, you can access an online dashboard on the web address mentioned above. It shows all scheduled hybrid sessions which you can attend.
2. by supplying a 6-character session code: your trainer can choose to use “ad hoc” session codes instead. In that case, no account is required, you just need to receive the 6-character session code from your trainer, which will allow you to join an ongoing hybrid session.

On the login screen, the button “I have a session code” or “I have an account” allows to switch between the 2 login methods.

Joining a hybrid session by session code

When you have received a session code (with format “ABC-123”) to join a hybrid session, click the button “I have a session code” on the login screen, and fill in your name and the session code.
This will bring you to the next screen where you can test and adapt your webcam and microphone settings, prior to actually joining the session. Make sure to talk into the microphone so that the application can detect if there is any sound. Only then the “join session” button will get enabled.

Joining a hybrid session using an account

In order to use an interpreterQ account to access your personal dashboard, the administrator of your organization needs to create this account and send you an invitation email to confirm your email address. When you receive this email, proceed as follows:

1. Click the supplied link, and your online account will be activated. Be aware that the supplied link only remains valid for a limited period of time.
2. After a first login, you can click your name in the top right corner to modify your password to something you can easily remember.
   NOTE: In case you have forgotten your password, you can always click the “Forgot your password?” link on the login screen to request a password reset. An email will be sent to your registered email address with a link to choose a new password.
3. After logging in to your account you will see a dashboard containing all upcoming sessions which you can attend:
   
4. When a session is about to start, this will be indicated in the dashboard, but you will not be able to join the session until the trainer has actually started that session using interpreterQ in the classroom:
   
5. Once the trainer has started the session you will be able to join it by clicking the join button:
   
6. This will bring you to the next screen where you can test and adapt your webcam and microphone settings, prior to actually joining the session. Make sure to talk into the microphone so that the application can detect if there is any sound. Only then the “join session” button will get enabled.
   

Participating in a hybrid session

After joining a session started by your trainer, you get a large view of the table camera used in the interpreter training classroom (if no conference camera is used, you will see the trainer webcam instead). On the right side of the screen, you see a list of participants for the current session, both local participants (located in the booths of the classroom) and remote participants. The sidebar also has a “chat” tab, which you can use to send a text message to the trainer and all other remote participants (“public chat”), or to the trainer individually (“private chat”).

In case you want to talk to the trainer, click the “Request intercom” button. A notification will appear in the interpreterQ teacher application, and the trainer will initiate the intercom, which is a private conversation between you and the trainer. The “Mute” button allows muting your microphone temporarily. When you are used to following the sessions in a booth in the university training room, you can mimic that environment by clicking the “virtual Lingua interpreter desk” tab in the left lower corner. It opens a view on an interpreter desk image, which can be used in a very similar way as an actual device:

You can click the microphone and mute buttons, as well as the floor and relay buttons. As with the physical device, you first need to configure the 6 relay buttons to specify which language channel they will activate. You can do that by clicking the large rotary button of the interpreter desk image. This opens a configuration dialogue where you can link each of the current interpreter participants to each of the relay buttons:

Participating in a remote interpreting activity

When a trainer starts an interpreting activity in the classroom, you can participate in that activity just as if you were present in the classroom. The speaker is shown on your screen – this can be a live speaker in the classroom, a remote speaker or a pre-recorded speech video or internet video being played back on the teacher PC.

The user interface clearly indicates (with a red border and notification) that an activity is ongoing and your interpretation can be monitored and optionally recorded by the trainer.

When the trainer ends the activity your screen returns to showing the conference table camera or teacher webcam. If the activity has been recorded, your recording is collected to the teacher PC, just like the recordings of local students. During the evaluation of the activity, the trainer can play back any of the collected recordings both on the large screen in the classroom and on the computer screens of local and remote students. So even remotely you will be able to join the trainer lead discussion about the past activity.