Distance interpreting is a novelty that presents challenges. To make sure everything works well and to avoid difficulties arising from technical limitations and from the absence of direct contact, it is essential that all online event participants adhere to minimum common rules. In addition to achieving successful multilingual communication, this will in the long run protect the hearing and health not only of conference interpreters, but also participants, including yourself.

Before the meeting

1. Prepare a quiet room where you can be alone or with others who will not make any noise. Close the windows and doors.
2. Study the protocols for taking the floor and activating a microphone.
3. Please use high-quality headphones and an external, preferably desktop, plugged-in microphone. Please avoid using your computer’s built-in speakers as this will result in feedback (acoustic shock) as soon as you open your microphone. The audio quality of built-in microphones on computers is insufficient for interpretation or taking part in meetings.
4. Send your presentations and additional preparation materials (texts to be read, videos to be shown, etc.) to the meeting organiser or interpreters.
5. Prepare a network cable to connect to the internet, as this will make the connection more stable, and the risk of an interruption to the audio signal will be reduced.
6. Turn off all notifications and automatic updates on the computer you will be using during the meeting.
7. The source of light in the room should be in front of you; otherwise, your face will be in a shadow.
8. Install or update the recommended software version (browser, applications, interpreting platform used during the online event) just before the meeting, as software changes frequently.
9. Join a test with the technicians and interpreters before the meeting to check how to choose languages for listening to the meeting, how to turn the microphone and camera on and off, and how to use chat and share your screen. Each platform has its own specificities, so make sure you know how to take the floor.

During the meeting

1. Join the online event with the microphone off, and keep an eye on whether the microphone is on or off throughout the meeting.
2. Always use headphones to avoid microphone
   interference, and, when taking the floor, use either a headset built-in microphone or a high-quality external microphone, to make sure other
   participants and conference interpreters hear and understand you well.
3. When taking the floor, be sure to turn on both the microphone and the camera, as non-verbal communication is extremely important for conference interpreting. Adjust the camera to face level.
4. When taking the floor, wait for two seconds before you start speaking. First, check whether the participants can hear you and then say in which language you will speak.
5. During the presentation, try not to touch the microphone, rustle papers, or create any background noise. Look at the camera, as this helps interpreters to obtain clear sound from you and also to see your facial expressions.
6. As soon as you finish speaking, turn off the microphone.