SES Professions in Deafness
Certifications for Sign Language Interpreting:
Community Sign Language Interpreting credentials:
As part of becoming a professional working interpreter graduates of the UNCG Interpreter Preparation program will need to take a National certification exam conducted by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). The national test consists of two sections, a written exam and a performance exam. Students should plan on taking the written exam during their senior year. The written exam evaluates candidates on their professional knowledge of sign language interpreting, ethics of interpreting, and Deaf culture. The performance portion of the exam assesses the candidates signing ability, and interpreting ability. The National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf encourages students graduating from Interpreter Preparation programs to wait a period of three years to gain hands on experience before sitting for the performance portion of the national certification exam.
The Interpreter Preparation program at UNCG also encourages their graduates to gain practical interpreting experience before sitting for the national test. Most students who complete the program at UNCG successfully pass the written portion of the RID during their senior year.
In order for students to become nationally certified interpreters they must complete and pass both the written and performance portions of the RID exam known as the National Interpreter Certification exam (NIC).
Interpreter Preparation Program students do not receive a certificate in sign language interpretation at the completion of the program therefore certification is not a requirement for graduation.
In addition to national certification many states require a professional license in
order to work for pay. In the state of North Carolina licensure is required. Please
see the following site for additional information and requirements or fees for an
Interpreting License in North Carolina.
http://www.ncitlb.org/
Please explore the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf website for
additional information and requirements or fees for the national interpreters
certification exam.
http://www.rid.org/education/edu_certification/index.cfm
Educational Sign Language Interpreting Credentials:
Students wishing to become educational interpreters in Kindergarten through 12th grades in school systems are not required to sit for the national sign language interpreter exam. They are however, required to take the Educational Interpreters Performance Assessment (EIPA). The Interpreter Preparation program at UNCG suggests students' sit for this assessment during their senior year. Currently in the state of North Carolina educational interpreters must pass the EIPA at a level 3 or higher. Each state may have different requirements it is suggested that students who plan on working in other states check with those locations as to specific requirements to become a working educational interpreter.
Please explore the following site for additional information regarding requirements
and costs associated with the assessment on the Educational Interpreters
Performance Assessment webpage.
http://www.classroominterpreting.org/EIPA/index.asp
State Screenings:
Each state may or may not have a state screening. The state of North Carolina no
longer has a screening exam. However, the neighboring state of Virginia does offer a
state screening the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS) for Sign Language
Interpreters. Many of our Interpreter Preparation students take this exam during
their senior year and find that this screening helps with exam preparation and
feedback on assessments. Students wishing to work in other states may need to
examine the requirements for the state they are planning to work as an interpreter.
Please see the following site for additional information regarding requirements and
costs associated with the screening on the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening
webpage.
http://www.vddhh.org/IpVqas.htm