Mexcla

mexcla is a simultaneous interpreation system for conference calls.

Note: mexcla will not interpret for you. Instead, it provides a way for your living and breathing interpreter to provide simultaneous interpretation to the mono-lingual users on the call without interfering with the bilingual participants who will hear the speakers' directly.

There are several ways to use mexcla:

• If you are running a recent version of Chrome/Chromium or Firefox/Iceweasl then you can use our web conference site.
• If you have a SIP software program, use your MF/PL SIP account or our open to the public account on our freeswitch server and dial 9999@talk.mayfirst.org.
• If all else fails, dial our main number (+1-718-303-3204) and press 6 (we have a limited number of incoming phone lines, so mileage may vary).

When you join a mexcla conference, you are prompted to enter a conference number followed by the pound key (#). You may enter any number (inclusively) between 1 and 999999999. There is currently no system for allocating or pin-protecting rooms, so you may end up in someone else's conference call.

How to provide and get interpretation

When you first enter the call, you are in the general conference channel.

In the general conference channel, you can hear all participants as they speak their preferred language. When you speak, all participants in the general conference channel can hear you.

If you press the 1 key, you enter the interpretation channel. On this channel, you can continue to be heard in the general conference channel. However, when others speak, you can no longer hear them. Instead, you only hear what is being said in the interpretation channel. You can return to the general conference channel by pressing 0.

If you press 2, you enter the interpretation channel as an interpreter. You will continue hearing what is spoken in the general conference channel, but when you speak it is only heard in the interpretation channel. You can press 0 to return to the general conference channel at any time.

Other Features

Mexcla works great for mono-lingual conference calls as well. It provides:

• Encryption: If everyone connects via the web client then the entire call is encrypted end-to-end
• Shared windows: you can share an IRC text chat, Riseup Pad or MF/PL spread sheet.