Sign language interpreting in higher education has a far lower profile in the UK at present than, for example, legal or theatre interpreting, and much of the research carried out to date has focused mainly on the funding and provision of interpreting services. In contrast, very little has been done to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interpreting, and it is important that the interaction of those directly involved in the lecturing/ interpreting/ learning processis is looked at in more detail. By looking at what happens to interpreters when translating between spoken English and British Sign Language (BSL) in the classroom, knowledge can be gained of the current levels of access available to deaf students. In doing so, it is important to focus not on an individual interpreter’s possible lack of skill, but upon the interpreted event as a whole. Analysis of the relationships and dynamics that exist between lecturer, student and interpreter will help to identify the sort of interactive negotiations that individuals might need to employ, in order to work with each other more effectively.