A Project-Based Learning Approach in Interlingual Subtitling: Learn Autism as a Case Study

Abstract

This paper explores the implementation of a project-based learning approach to interlingual subtitling during an internship offered by the Master’s in Audiovisual Translation program at Hamad Bin Khalifa University. It provides a detailed account of the project’s workflow in collaboration with the Learn Autism platform and examines the pedagogical and professional dynamics of the internship. Notably, the project presented unique challenges due to the nature of the audiovisual material, as several videos featured speakers with autism whose speech patterns posed additional difficulties for Arab subtitlers in terms of comprehension, segmentation, and readability. The paper also examines the linguistic and technical challenges encountered throughout the project and the strategies adopted to address them. To achieve this objective, the study draws on course documents and reference materials, including the project work plan, specialized glossaries, and autism guides. The findings provide an in-depth account of the project’s operational workflow, including weekly meetings, task allocation, and the interns’ responsibilities, and demonstrate that technical challenges often proved more demanding than linguistic ones. Beyond documenting the case study, the paper offers practical pedagogical recommendations for audiovisual translation programs, including integrating professional subtitling software training, authentic client-based projects, and structured support for student–client communication. The findings further demonstrate that project-based learning is an effective approach for developing both technical and professional competencies while facilitating the translation of specialized knowledge on autism for Arab audiences. Finally, the proposed project model can be adapted to different educational settings, language pairs, and case studies to support similar learning outcomes.