SES Professions in Deafness

1. Technical Standards for admission into the Interpreter Preparation program
Technical standards address the physical, cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral abilities essential to becoming a competent sign language interpreter for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Students must meet these essential qualities in order to be admitted and retained in the program. Reasonable accommodations will be considered on an individual basis. In such cases, the Office of Disability Services will coordinate documentation and evaluation of a student who could meet the program's Technical Standards with accommodation(s). In the event that a student is unable to meet these Technical Standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, the student will not be admitted or allowed to remain enrolled in or to graduate from the program. This assessment is conducted throughout the course of study in the program.

2. Dispositions
Dispositions of our students and future interpreters' are an integral part of the program and the profession of sign language interpreting. Each semester the Professions in Deafness faculty meet to discuss any issues that may be in violation of the professional dispositions as it relates to respect for diverse communities, cultures, individuals, and the profession. Each student's behavior is observed on how they react and interact with various groups such as Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, the culturally Deaf community, instructors, professionals, and mentors. In addition, faculty will observe behaviors and attitudes n how a student interacts with the profession of interpreting, their peers/colleagues and the community at large. A serious violation or repeated violations of these dispositions will result disciplinary action or immediate dismissal from the program. Student's progress in relationship to dispositions are discussed once a semester during their advising appointment with their faculty advisor. This assessment is conducted throughout the course of study in the program.

3. Program Entry Potential Screening for Interpreters (PEPSI)
Students wishing to be enrolled in the interpreter preparation program must pass the PEPSI assessment. This assessment is offered during the first semester of study of American Sign Language (ASL) in SES 101 ASL I. This faculty assessment is conducted on campus near the end of the semester during the first level of ASL 1. Students are assessed on their ability and fluency of sign, gesture, and facial expressions based on what they have learned during their first semester. Additional competencies are assessed regarding the ability to listen to large passages of verbal information and the ability to identify the main points. Students must pass this assessment in order to be allowed to continue to SES 102 ASL II in the program.

4. Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI)
The SLPI is a structured conversation of approximately 20-minutes, which is carried out between a student and a trained interviewer who is Deaf near the end of their study in SES 204 ASL IV. The SLPI allows an opportunity for students to demonstrate their level of proficiency in ASL in a realistic conversational situation. The student is assessed on the following areas by a panel of evaluators who are Deaf: grammatical accuracy, vocabulary, fluency accent/pronunciation/production, and comprehension. In order for students to be formally admitted into the Interpreter Preparation program they are expected to achieve and advanced level or higher before they begin their study of interpretation.

5. Internship Competency Evaluation (ICE)
The ICE assessment is conducted during the Seminar Practicum course SES 486, the semester before students' begin their internship placement. The ICE assessment consists of a written format in which historical information on the profession of interpreting and ethical decision making strategies are evaluated and a performance portion that will assess a student's ability to process and interpret information both receptively and expressively. Faculty, and internship supervisors evaluate the ICE assessment prior to placement of the intern at the internship site.