FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTERPRETERS FOR THE DEAF – 

A DIFFICULT BUT REWARDING CAREER

DANVILLE, VA, October 8, 2003 -- Striving to become a nationally Registered Interpreter for the Deaf (R.I.D.) or state certified interpreter for people who are deaf via the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS) evaluation can be an arduous, but very rewarding task according to Laurie Malheiros, Interpreter Programs Manager for the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Malheiros will be at Danville Community College on Saturday, October 18, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Oliver Hall, to discuss this rewarding career and other issues of interest to the hearing impaired. The program is open to the public and offered free of charge.

Dr. Carl Amos, Coordinator of Community Services for Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and an organizer of the program, says there is a dire need for certified interpreters in the Danville/ Pittsylvania County area, especially in educational environments, the judicial system and medical settings. Amos notes that statistics indicate that as many as 9,500 persons in the area may be deaf and/or hard of hearing. (see chart below)

“There is also a need for an understanding of the services provided to individuals and families who are deaf or hard of hearing,” Amos adds. “I encourage citizens to come out and hear Laurie (Malheiros).”

According to Malheiros and Amos, sign language interpreters throughout the country are often required to demonstrate interpreting skills by participating in a formal or informal certification or screening process.  The certification process is generally a proficiency evaluation wherein minimum standards have been established to determine a specific level of competency.  Interpreters may become certified on the national (RID) level or state level (VQAS), although only a few states offer certification at this time.

The screening process is generally a diagnostic assessment, which may incorporate a proficiency assessment as one component.  Numerous states and private organizations offer screening to identify interpreter competencies and determine appropriate placement situations. 

The Virginia Quality Assurance Screening is a screening process and not a certification process. It is a diagnostic and proficiency screening instrument designed to assess the knowledge, skills and abilities of interpreters and transliterators who use sign language or Cued Speech to facilitate the communication process between persons who are hearing and persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Some common questions asked about interpreter training, include the following:

Q. What is a Qualified Interpreter?

A. Section 63.1-85.4:1 of the Code of Virginia states:  “A qualified interpreter shall be one who holds at least one of the following credentials:

1. Certification from any national organization whose certification process has been recognized by the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; or

2. A current screening level awarded by the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening Program of the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; or

3. A screening level or recognized evaluation from any other state when 1) the credentials meet the minimum requirements of Virginia Quality Assurance Screening and 2) the credentials are valid and current in the state issued.

Question:  What is the Code of Ethics – Written Assessment?

A. A set of at least fifty (50) questions are presented in multiple choice format to determine the candidate’s knowledge of and ability to apply the tenets of the RID Code of Ethics to working situations.  Practical, real-life situations, professional terminology, trends in the profession and cultural applications are incorporated in the written assessment.

Question: How does Interpreting differ from Transliterating?

A. To “transliterate” means to convey the messages without personal interjection between two or more parties using different forms of the same language, such as written or spoken English and a manually-coded form of English.

To “interpret” means to convey messages without personal interjection between two or more parties using two languages, such as a form of English to American Sign Language (ASL).

Question: What are the criteria used for awarding a screening level?

A. In accordance with the “Regulations governing Interpreter Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing”, VDDHH awards a Level I, II, III, or IV to any candidate who demonstrates the minimum competencies required to perform either interpreting or transliterating services.  The percentages required to achieve a screening level are:

Level  I.  90% competency on the Written Assessment

To maximize professionalism among workers interpreters, this must be demonstrated before a candidate is eligible to take the Performance Assessment, and

Level  II. 50% - 100% on the Performance Assessment (Transliterating or Interpreting)

A screening level may be awarded for either skill area (Transliterating or Interpreting) depending upon the competencies demonstrated.  The standards are:

Level I:       50%

Level II:      65%

Level III:     80%

Level IV:     95%

Question: What is the Explanation of VQAS Levels?

INTERP RETING LEVELS

I-IV  Interpreting Level IV – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum of 95% of the total message and are recommended for situations which are not life threatening, legal in nature or surgical situations.

I-III  Interpreting Level III – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 80% of the total message and are recommended for routine medical appointments, childbirth classes, eligibility and Welfare, non-technical meetings and pre-K through 12, and undergraduate course work.

I-II  Interpreting Level II – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 65% of the total message and are recommended for Library, parks and recreation, YMCA, arts and crafts Non-academic adult education On-the-job training (non-computer, non-technical).

I-I  Interpreting Level I – Holders of this screening level demonstrate the ability to convey a minimum 50% of the total message and are not recommended for placement without supervision by a mentoring interpreter.

TRANSLITERATING LEVELS

T-IV  Transliterating Level IV – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 95% of the total message and are recommended for situations which are not life threatening, legal in nature or surgical situations.

T-III  Transliterating Level III – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 80% of the total message and are recommended for routine medical appointments, childbirth classes, eligibility and Welfare, non-technical meetings and pre-K through 12, and undergraduate course work.

T-II  Transliterating Level II – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 65% of the total message and are recommended for Library, parks and recreation, YMCA, arts and crafts Non-academic adult education On-the-job training (non-computer, non-techinical).

T-I  Transliterating Level I – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 50% of the total message and are not recommended for placement without supervision by a mentoring interpreter.

The results of any part of the assessment remain valid for three years.

Population Projections

The National Center for Health Statistics – Health Interview Survey estimates that 8.7% of the total population (all ages) experiences some degree of hearing loss.  This includes persons who are born deaf or hard of hearing, as well as persons who become deafened later in life.  About 1% of the population might be considered deaf and 7.7% hard of hearing. This means that an estimated 615,831 Virginians might be considered deaf or hard of hearing. (Based on 2000 Population Census Information for the Commonwealth)

The table below shows the estimated percentage projections for people who are hard of hearing:

Malheiros has been has been employed by the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing since 1995 and currently serves as the Interpreter Programs Manager.  Her job includes supervision of two programs within the agency, statewide interpreter coordination and state quality assurance test for sign language interpreters.  Prior to this position, Malheiros worked in the private sector with programs relating to individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.  She completed the Interpreter Training Program at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and currently holds a Certificate of Transliteration from The  Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.  Born and raised in Richmond, VA, Laurie is married with two children, Emily, 11, and A.J., who is 8. 

For questions concerning any of the information in this article, actual pay rates for interpreters, or the workshop at DCC, please contact the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) in Richmond at toll free 800-552-7917 or Dr. Carl Amos at Danville Community College at 434-797-8479.