EIPA Written Test Content and Knowledge Standards PDF

The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment ® EIPA Written Test Content and Knowledge Standards Before the EIPA Written Test could be developed, professionals at the EIPA Diagnostic Center who are experts in the field of educational interpreting set specific standards (content knowledge s...

The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment ® EIPA Written Test Content and Knowledge Standards Before the EIPA Written Test could be developed, professionals at the EIPA Diagnostic Center who are experts in the field of educational interpreting set specific standards (content knowledge standards) regarding the knowledge educational interpreters must possess to be successful in the classroom setting. These standards deal with a variety of areas that educational interpreters must understand. These standards are not intended to be exhaustive. They reflect minimum competencies, not a substitute for formal learning. The questions on the EIPA Written Test were developed from these core standards. All interpreters planning to take the EIPA Written Test and the EIPA Performance Test can obtain a copy of these standards before taking either test. The EIPA Written test was reviewed, evaluated, and rated by a panel of experts in the field to ensure that it accurately reflects the information educational interpreters should know. These experts included interpreters, interpreter educators, deaf consumers, and teachers of the deaf. 1. Student Development As students grow and mature, their levels of confidence and independence, and their capacity to work and cooperate with others develop. It is essential that educational interpreters are able to recognize these changes in a student’s development and are able to adapt their interpreting approach and the level of support they provide the student when necessary. CORE STANDARDS IN STUDENT DEVELOPMENT EIPA Written Test questions dealing with student development were assembled based on the following core student development standards: AGE-SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT The early detection of hearing loss is critical because it allows deaf and hard of hearing students to develop language that is more age-appropriate when compared with their hearing peers. The majority of deaf and hard of hearing students are born to hearing families who may not provide them access to a fluent language early in development. Because attachment is important to young students, it can facilitate the student’s learning. From age 6 to 11, students develop notions about their ability to achieve (industry vs. inferiority). Inferiority develops when negative experiences at home, at school, or with peers lead to feelings of incompetence. From age 6 to 11, students develop the capacity to work and cooperate with others. Educational interpreters need to be aware that this development is as important as the factual knowledge that students acquire in school. 1 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital MATURITY LEVEL As students mature, their autonomy changes. During adolescence, they become more autonomous and demonstrate more initiative, which is healthy. As a student matures, interpreters should reduce the amount of support they provide. The period of adolescence is important to identity formation. Young people with a weak sense of trust, autonomy, or initiative may experience identity confusion and may be unprepared for the challenges of adulthood. Young people explore their identity and values at this age. Interpreters must be sensitive to the student’s needs to explore their identity independent of the interpreter. When responding to a student’s inattentiveness, the interpreter should consider the student’s level of maturity. SKILL LEVEL Interpreting for older students utilizes different skills than interpreting for younger students. However, one is not more important than another. In general, interpreters with better skills are needed with younger students who are still developing language skills and are less capable of repairing an interpreter’s errors. In order to understand a student’s current level of functioning, interpreters should review a student’s IEP with other members of the team. RELATIONSHIPS Students often create bonds with professionals they work with. Although such bonds are healthy, professionals must be careful to maintain professional boundaries. Adolescents may be more comfortable with same-gender interpreters in some situations. Peer relationships are very important to social and cognitive development throughout the school years. During the middle school years, friendships involve a great deal of communication. When students do not have age-appropriate pragmatic skills, their peers may view them as socially awkward. 2. Cognitive Development Cognitive development refers to the student’s understanding of concepts and the ability to think and reason. While language stimulates cognitive development, language sophistication influences cognitive abilities. The ability to interact with others while using language helps students develop cognitive skills. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing have the same capability for cognitive development as do students with normal hearing. The educational interpreter plays a vital role in a student’s cognitive development. Most interpreters can use language to communicate concepts that are simple or often used. Skilled educational interpreters must not only understand the concept of cognitive development, but they must also be able to handle the complex task of using language to communicate concepts that are new, abstract, or difficult. CORE STANDARDS IN COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT The following core standards were used by EIPA Diagnostic Center experts to develop EIPA Written test questions regarding cognitive development: COGNITION Information enters the mind to stimulate cognitive development through sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound. 2 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  Cultural background influences how we think by helping to define what we know, what is important, how we approach new tasks, and how we interact. Socialization is an important aspect of cognitive development. Play has an important role in cognitive development. Teacher’s questions can require different levels of abstraction in terms of cognitive skills. In Bloom’s Taxonomy, these levels in increasing order of difficulty are: Demonstration of knowledge; Comprehension; Application; Analysis; Synthesis; Evaluation. Organizing a text spatially may help a student organize the text cognitively. Cognitive organization helps students store and remember concepts. Providing students with repetition allows them to see patterns, parallels, comparisons, and similarities, which all help them learn. In terms of cognitive development, students learn when there is a conflict between what they think and new information that they receive. Often this causes the student to accommodate, or to modify a cognitive scheme, based on new information. A cognitive scheme is a cognitive structure that organizes information, making sense of experience. Students develop schemes in many different domains: motor, language, thinking, social, etc. Students interpret the world and experiences in terms of their cognitive schemes, which have been developed based on previous experiences. CONCEPTUALIZATION Students often need support to learn new concepts in terms of contextualization, breaking down concepts, etc. Effective support can include practice, repetition, and experience which aide in generalizing a concept. A student’s ability to repeat a concept does not mean the student understands it. Students can memorize language without understanding what it really means. When students can answer questions spontaneously about the concept, or can show that they understand, there is better evidence that they have learned. Understanding a concept and being able to talk about a concept are not the same. Being able to talk about a concept often helps a student understand it. LEARNING The goal of education is for students to acquire thinking skills, not to just memorize facts. Students are like little scientists, trying to explore and figure out how the world works based on what they see, do, and hear. Students learn a great deal from exploration, making mistakes, and self-correction. Behavioral approaches to learning propose that positive behavior can be increased by the use of positive re-enforcers. Negative behavior can be decreased by the use of punishment or withdrawal of privileges. Strict behaviorism does not recognize the active cognitive construction on the part of the student. 3 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital 3. Language Development Because interaction is essential for language development, the interpreter plays a vital role to a student who is deaf or hard of hearing. Students learn language by interacting with people around them. By exposing the student to fluent use of the language, the interpreter facilitates the student’s ability to learn the language. An experienced interpreter is aware of their influence on the development of a deaf or hard of hearing student’s language. They review the student’s IEP with a professional in order to become familiar with the student’s current level of functioning. The interpreter takes this knowledge into consideration and makes modifications to their interpreting approach and the classroom environment if necessary. CORE STANDARDS IN LANGUAGE DE VELPMENT To provide the best possible service to a student who is deaf or hard of hearing, an interpreter must also be aware of the following core standards. These standards were used by EIPA Diagnostic Center experts to develop the EIPA Written test questions regarding language development. LANGUAGE SKILLS The interpreter needs to know the student’s language skills both expressively and receptively and the educational goals as outlined in the student’s IEP. Language evaluation should be conducted by a professional who is fluent in the language being tested and who has training specific to language and students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Language stimulates cognitive development. Language sophistication influences cognitive abilities. The ability to interact with those around you, using language, helps students develop cognitive skills. Language development in signed languages parallels the development of spoken languages. A student’s language level, world knowledge, and vocabulary skills can impact their ability to learn new concepts. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may have language skills that are delayed compared with their hearing peers. However, this is not because they have problems learning language. Rather, it is because they have problems accessing language in their environment. It is an environmental problem and not a learning problem. The ability to have a conversation about daily events doesn’t mean that a student can understand academic language used in the classroom. Conversations generally have more turn taking about topics that reflect a shared experience. They also provide more opportunities for repair of misunderstandings. Academic language is generally more complex in terms of vocabulary and syntax. It provides students with fewer contexts to understand the topic. It has less turn taking with longer monologues. Deaf and hard of hearing students are often in the process of learning language in school while they are learning new concepts. Hearing students are using their language to learn new concepts. This means that an interpreter may need to include an explanation of a concept in the interpretation in order to facilitate learning. It is different using language to communicate concepts that are concrete, or used often, compared with using language to communicate concepts that are new, or abstract. When young students make language errors, it is often difficult for them to fix their errors and they simply repeat the error. Adults often model the correct language without expecting an immediate change from the student. All students and adults use gesture. Gesture can be very communicative and useful. However, gesture is not a substitute for communication through language. 4 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital DEVELOPMENT Children begin to produce their first words at about 1 year of age. Children begin to combine two words or signs into a sentence at about age 2 years. Children begin to produce complex language at about 3 years of age. By 3 to 4 years of age, children are able to use morphology correctly most of the time. During the early elementary years, children are still learning to use language. During the early stages of language development, children talk about what is here and now. Decontextualized language refers to people and events that are not in the here and now. The ability to talk about past events is one of the earliest forms of decontextualized language. Children acquire language early, but metalinguistic skills are learned later. Young children use prosody in languages to help determine how to segment language at the word and sentence level. Prosody also communicates a great deal of information about the speaker or signer’s intention, which may particularly benefit children in the process of learning language. The language demands in textbooks increase significantly around third grade. The language becomes more complex in terms of syntax and vocabulary. There is more text and fewer pictures to help interpret the text. Students who were able to read first and second grade textbooks may experience more difficulty at this level. The development of classifiers occurs over a long period of time and children still make numerous errors until around 8 or 9 years of age. As children develop, they can participate in longer and longer conversations. Their vocabulary also is much larger. LEARNING Children make mistakes in pronouncing words and producing signs when they are beginning to learn. All children will continue to make mistakes during language learning. This is a natural part of learning. Students learn best when a teacher understands what they know and what they don’t know. Deaf and hard of hearing students who have ASL as their first language typically learn English from reading. Hearing students do not need to be taught language except in special circumstances. However, deaf and hard of hearing students may need specific and explicit instruction in learning language. Children learn what words mean over time through multiple exposures, and may use words incorrectly while they are in the process of learning. Children do not learn words by learning a definition. Learning a signed language will not interfere with a child’s ability to learn a spoken language. Children do not learn language by learning the language rule and then learning how to use it. They become aware of the rule long after they have mastered the rule, often by explicit metalinguistic teaching. Schools teach students metalinguistic awareness of English. Deaf and hard of hearing students rarely have the opportunity to gain metalinguistic knowledge of ASL. INTERACTION Interaction with other children is critical for language development. The pragmatics of interacting with your peers is different than the pragmatics of interacting with adults. Children do not correct each other like adults do when talking with other children. Having an adult present during peer-to-peer interactions may alter the interaction. 5 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  Our cultural background affects our language, especially in terms of the rules of interaction, how much we may talk with other children and adults, and what we believe about the role of communication in our daily lives. ENVIRONMENT/CIRCUMSTANCE The early detection of hearing loss for children with non-signing parents is critical because it allows families to begin interventions to help their children develop language that is age appropriate when compared with their hearing peers. The majority of deaf and hard of hearing children are born to non-signing families who may not provide them access to a fluent language early in development. Cochlear implants are medical devices that are intended to improve a child’s hearing. Interpreting for a student with a cochlear implant may mean that the student is receiving some of the teacher’s spoken message as well as the interpreted message. Children from non-signing families who had a hearing loss before learning language are different from children from signing families or those who acquired language and then experienced a hearing loss. When deaf and hard of hearing children are delayed in language development, it is typically because they have not been provided with sufficient access to language. It is not because something is wrong with the child. A student’s language use at home and their language use at school may differ. This may affect the student’s classroom performance and their ability to see connections between home and school. When students do not have age-appropriate pragmatic skills, their peers may view them as socially awkward. SIGN SYSTEMS Sign systems designed to represent English were developed by educators and are not languages. Educators who use sign systems believe that exposure to visual codes of English will facilitate English development, although this has not been proven to be the result for all deaf or hard of hearing students. They also believe that English signing is easier for hearing people to learn. Languages are shared symbol systems. When interpreters invent signs, the student’s linguistic system becomes unique from that of other deaf peers, interpreters, and deaf adults. In addition, this may offend and alienate the Deaf community. Iconicity in signed languages does not make acquiring them easier. 4. Education The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that protects the rights of students with disabilities. IDEA mandates that all students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). If necessary, that education must include a qualified interpreter. The EIPA Written Test is one way to ensure that a student has a qualified interpreter. One of the specific procedures required by IDEA is the development of a legal document detailing each student’s developmental program. This document is called the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The student’s educational team, which may include a qualified interpreter, develops the IEP. Other members of the team typically include the student’s family, a general education teacher, a speech-language pathologist, an audiologist, an administrator, a deaf educator, and the student (when appropriate). Depending on the student’s needs, other professionals may be added to the team. 6 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital In the area of education, the EIPA Written Test focuses on how familiar the interpreter is with IDEA, the IEP, and laws and regulations governing the school’s management of the education of students with disabilities, testing and assessment of the student, the responsibilities of state and local agencies, and the specific training and experience that makes an interpreter successful. Core Standards in Education Before taking the EIPA Written Test, interpreters should be comfortable with the educational standards used to develop the Education portion of the test. These standards include: IEP AND THE EDUCATION TEAM The interpreter is an essential member of the IEP team. He or she must help to ensure that language and communication needs of the student are met, including opportunities for direct communication and instruction in the student’s identified language and communication mode. The IEP may specify that additional support services be provided for the student. Such services may include occupational or physical therapy, counseling, note-taking, tutoring, training in the use of assistive technology, and help learning to work with an interpreter. The acronym LRE stands for Least Restrictive Environment. The LRE for each student may differ depending on the student’s skills and abilities, as well as the availability of opportunities for interacting with other students. The most important intent of the concept of LRE is to allow each student to be educated in the most appropriate environment for that student. The student’s education team is paramount in helping to determine the most appropriate environment. IDEA mandates that the IEP is reviewed at least once each year. As a part of that mandate, students who are deaf or hard of hearing must receive a comprehensive communication assessment. Assessments must be conducted in the student’s native language and desired mode of communication. For some deaf or hard of hearing students, the classroom curriculum must be modified. The educational interpreter should work with the IEP team to understand the modifications that are being made. The educational interpreter should not make modifications to curriculum on their own. Decisions made regarding interpreting must be done so within the context of the educational team. The interpreter’s input on the student’s language use and comprehension should be considered when making modifications regarding how the interpretation is to be conducted. When interpreting for more than one student, decisions regarding the most appropriate interpreting product must be made within the context of the educational team and may include strategies from experienced educational interpreters from outside the immediate team. Interpreters should work with the IEP team to understand the student’s current level of functioning and how this should guide their interpreting. Within the educational team, a decision may be made to modify interpreting services in order to support a student’s learning, rather than the interpreter providing a direct interpretation of classroom content. School districts typically try to resolve conflicts with families within the school district using the assistance of the educational team. Families who are unable to resolve a conflict with their school district regarding their student’s IEP may request an independent review by a hearing. 7 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES All the members within a classroom, teachers and students, should understand the roles and responsibilities of the interpreter, and how to interact within the interpreted classroom. Professionals working with students are required by law to report any suspicion of abuse. Interpreters should understand basic concepts regarding disabilities commonly encountered in students, including students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some educational interpreters are also asked to tutor as a part of their job. Interpreters should receive additional training in order to tutor. The classroom teacher or teacher of the deaf should supervise all tutoring. The classroom teacher has the responsibility for educational planning, teaching, and evaluation for all students in the classroom. All adults who work in a public school have responsibility for basic behavior management and student safety. FEDERAL, STATE & LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES Local schools operate within a school district. School districts are accountable to their school boards and the state department of education. The education of deaf and hard of hearing students is funded with a combination of local tax dollars and state and federal funding that is specific for students with disabilities. Local school districts must operate within a budget, and this can conflict with their federal mandate to provide an education for all students. A school district’s financial resources are typically related to the income level of the surrounding community. Schools must follow federal laws and regulations related to education of students with disabilities. All students with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate public education, even if that requires an interpreter. Decisions about student services must be based on student need regardless of cost. The State Education Agency (SEA) has a regulatory role in the education of students in terms of credentialing teachers, establishing minimal standards for curriculum, and requiring annual achievement tests. Most states have established minimum standards for educational interpreters. The Local Education Agency (LEA) is responsible for complying with state and federal requirements. They are responsible for staffing, placement, and delivery of services. When the State Education Agency does not have minimum requirements for educational interpreters, the Local Education Agency can establish their own. EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT TESTS Many states require annual academic achievement tests. Often the instructions can be interpreted, but not the actual test. It may be appropriate for an interpreter to interpret a test if the goal of the test is to assess content knowledge and not literacy. Interpreters should consult the education team, the student’s IEP, and the achievement test protocols for guidance on what may or may not be interpreted on each test. Without annual assessment, it is difficult to know how much progress a student has made. A major problem with most standardized tests is that they have been developed and standardized with hearing students. Often, some items may not be appropriate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and may not reflect their underlying abilities. Achievement tests are used to determine a student’s improvement in reading, writing, and other content subjects. 8 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  Criterion-referenced tests use target skills that a student is expected to have mastered by a given age. Intelligence tests attempt to measure the cognitive abilities and processing strategies of a student. Intelligence tests that use language often underestimate the intelligence of a deaf or hard of hearing student. Checklists of expected skills are often used in classrooms. Generally, these checklists have not been standardized. Therefore, the person completing the checklist must be knowledgeable in order for it to be effective. EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETER JUDGMENT Educational interpreters make judgments about language use with deaf and hard of hearing students based on the educational plan and language expressed by the student. These judgements should include communication with the educational team, with the goal of producing an interpreting product that is accessible to the student. Interpreting a lesson does not necessarily make it accessible. When interpreting for a hard of hearing student, the interpreter should continue interpreting even if the student chooses to watch the teacher. The interpreter may transliterate, and they may need to repeat what the teacher said if the student indicates they did not hear it clearly. CLASSROOM Literacy is a major goal of education because it serves as the foundation for learning throughout life. Students use what they know about the world to help them read, and they read to learn about the world. A major goal of Deaf Education is to help a student acquire sufficient language skills to participate in the general education curriculum. A curriculum specifies what a student should learn and the sequence in which it should be taught. There are different philosophies behind different curricula. Interpreters should ask the classroom teachers what their philosophies are and what they expect of students. The interpreter should ask to see the curriculum. When schools have many students and adults who sign fluently, typical development for deaf and hard of hearing children is more likely to be fostered. Deaf adults generally agree that students who are deaf or hard of hearing should be educated in language-rich environments. The practice of simultaneous communication is when a person speaks and signs simultaneously. This is also referred to a sign-supported speech, and it does not provide equivalent access in English and ASL. Bilingual education for deaf and hard of hearing students involves ASL as the language of instruction with English taught through print. Bimodal bilingual education involves ASL and spoken English as the languages of instruction based on modality of the deaf or hard of hearing child’s receptive language. A self-contained deaf education classroom is typically a classroom within a public school, but only for deaf and hard of hearing students. Mainstreaming, or “inclusion”, typically means that a deaf or hard of hearing student receives their education within a general education classroom, often with the use of an interpreter. Hard of hearing students may need an interpreter to access information in the classroom even though they can obtain some information without an interpreter. Interpreters may need specialized training to appropriately interpret specialized subjects, such as foreign languages, physics, computer programming, etc. 9 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital 5. Interpreting Interpreting requires years of specialized training, involves a great deal of knowledge and decision making, and includes standards for performance established by the field. Technically, interpreting occurs when an interpreter conveys information following the conventions of two languages- for example, American Sign Language (ASL) and English. Transliterating occurs when an interpreter recodes one language into a different form- for example, using ASL signs in English order. There is, however, much more to educational interpreting than simply standing in the front of a classroom relaying information from the teacher to the student and vice versa. In fact, an educational interpreter must be prepared to wear several different hats, including facilitator, IEP team member, and tutor. As a facilitator, the interpreter facilitates all communication in the classroom, adapts their signing level to the communication needs of the student, interprets at school functions as needed, and prepares for content and message delivery. The interpreter also assists students and professionals in understanding their role, ensures appropriate logistics (i.e., lighting, seating), and provides clear and appropriate information for substitute interpreters. Many individuals assume that the interpreter works for the student, but this is not really true. The interpreter is working for the whole class, including the teacher and all students. The interpreter is also accountable to the educational team. The interpreter also plays a vital role as member of the IEP team. Their role on the team is to provide consultation regarding strategies to promote student independence, encourage direct communication across various interactions, and interpret content and non-content areas. The interpreter also is responsible for promoting student participation in classroom discussions and activities, addressing discipline problems and procedures, as well as concerns related to a student’s needs, and educating others regarding the implications of hearing loss. Most educational interpreters also provide tutoring services. As a tutor, the interpreter reinforces concepts and class content under the direction of a certified teacher. This portion of the job includes preparing for content, implementing instructional strategies as identified by the IEP team, reinforcing and supervising practice of skills with individual and small groups, assisting the student and other professionals in understanding the role of the tutor and providing clear and appropriate information for the substitute. CORE STANDARDS IN INTERPRETING EIPA Diagnostic Center experts used the information presented above, in addition to the following core standards, to develop EIPA Written test questions regarding interpreting: PROCESS AND MESSAGE Interpreting is not accessing a mental dictionary. It is not a word for word process. Understanding process models of interpreting can help the interpreter analyze breakdowns in their own interpreting. There are multiple levels or layers to analyzing a message including lexical, phrasal, sentential, and discourse. Message equivalency is the key or goal of interpretation and transliteration. If message equivalency is not achieved on a consistent basis, the student does not have equal access to the classroom content. 10 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  There are factors that influence message equivalency such as the interpreter’s language ability and content knowledge, the speaker’s rate of delivery, discourse organization, communicative intent, register, etc. Therefore, preparation prior to class is imperative. The teacher can provide information that will help the interpreter improve message equivalency, such as the goal of the lesson and expectations for student mastery. All parts of language have a function. Transition and relational words and phrases in both English and ASL are important for message coherence. When there is not message equivalency between the source text and the interpreting product, the student may not learn the intended concept or content. Encoding signs into words or words into signs is not necessarily message equivalency. EDUCATIONAL TEAM AND THE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN The interpreter must know the student’s language skills (expressive and receptive) and the educational goals as outlined in the student’s IEP. The interpreter should also know if the student has identified cognitive challenges. The interpreter’s input regarding the student’s language use and comprehension should be a part of the discussion of the educational team regarding modifications made in how the interpretation is to be conducted. Within the educational team, decisions may be made to modify interpreting services in order to support a student’s learning. Educational interpreters make judgments about language use with deaf and hard of hearing students based on the educational plan and language expressed by the student and by communication with the educational team, with the goal of an interpreted product that is accessible to the student. CLASSROOM LEARNING Languages are shared symbol systems. When interpreters invent signs, they make the student’s linguistic system unique from that of their peers, other interpreters, and deaf adults. Attending to classroom visual stimuli and attending to the interpretation requires dual processing, which is particularly problematic for deaf or hard of hearing students and can pose challenges for interpreters. Interpreting a lesson does not necessarily make it accessible. Interpreting for older students utilizes different skills than interpreting for younger students. However, one is not more important than the other. Often, interpreters with better skills are needed with younger students who are still developing language and are less capable of repairing an interpreter’s errors. It is impossible to produce an interpretation or a transliteration that reflects 100% of the source message. When interpreting for more than one student, decisions regarding the most appropriate interpreting product must be made within the context of the educational team and may include consulting with experienced educational interpreters outside the immediate team. In order to interpret and transliterate, an interpreter must process the incoming information. The more the interpreter understands the concepts of the message, the more accurate and equivalent the interpreted product will be. There are times when interpreters need to prioritize information in the classroom. 11 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  INTERPRETER ASSESSMENT Systematic assessment should provide information that will assist in determining where interpreting errors occur and provide guidance in skill development. Annual assessment of interpreted work verifies skills. It can help other professionals understand the importance of being qualified to interpret for students and understand the qualifications needed when interpreting for adults. Evaluation of interpreting skills provides information in terms of what an interpreter can do and areas in need of development. Evaluation with one assessment tool does not mean an interpreter is qualified to interpret in all situations. MODELS OF INTERPRETING In education, the interpreter is a legally defined member of the educational team, obligated to facilitate education. The interpreter functions within the guidelines that all educational team members share. Interpreter models are traditionally based on interpreting for adults. The Helper model of interpreting involves concepts of pity, dependency, and paternalism. It can foster dependency, inhibit independence and identity development in students, and alienate deaf and hard of hearing students from communicating directly with their hearing peers. In the Conduit, or Machine, model of interpreting, an interpreter conveys information from one language to another without a personal/cultural context. Cognitive processing between both English and ASL is required by the interpreter for semantic equivalency in a Bilingual-Bicultural model of interpreting. In the Ally model of interpreting for adults, decisions regarding interpreting are made within the social and political culture surrounding deaf and hard of hearing adults. The interpreter needs to make a conscious effort to be aware of power imbalances within the educational setting. RESOURCES & REQUIREMENTS Resources exist to improve interpreting skill. Interpreters must have access to class materials and objectives to interpret effectively. This allows the interpreter to understand the concepts, organize the content, and learn new vocabulary Interpreters need the support of professional peers and mentors to develop skills. Interpreters should be aware of what their state requires in terms of certification and standards. PREPARATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Interpreters should have preparation time to plan for future lessons, read textbook assignments, research and learn new vocabulary, etc. It is appropriate to negotiate logistics of the interpreting environment prior to beginning interpreting. Standing near the speaker or any visual display of information is recommended in many situations, but not all. For example, when interpreting for someone who is DeafBlind, an interpreter may be seated close to the DeafBlind person. All interpreters should have a professional development plan. Resources that can help interpreters develop skills and knowledge include local RID chapters, the internet, workshops, conferences, etc. Interpreters benefit in language skill development and professional development through personal as well as professional ties with the Deaf community. 12 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES Interpreting for long periods of time without support can cause health-related issues involving Repetitive Motion Injury, stress, and cognitive fatigue. Interpreters must have scheduled breaks for physical rest. Interpreters need to have information and resources about how to take care of themselves physically and psychologically. 6. Linguistics Linguistics is the systematic study of language. Language is a rule-governed system composed of symbols that is shared by a group of people. A rule-governed system includes spoken and signed language. Each of these languages has a function. However, the function of a language is different from the form. For example, one linguistic form (or sentence) can have several different functions depending on the context. Transition and relational words and phrases in both English and American Sign Language (ASL) are important for message coherence. Communication and language are not the same thing. For deaf and hard-of-hearing children, language development should be carefully tracked. It is possible for a child to use words or signs to communicate socially without having a complete first language. Good social communication skills can mask language delays that become more obvious when a child has to use academic language. Core Standards Interpreters should be comfortable with the core standards used to develop the Linguistic portion of the EIPA Written Test. These standards include: LANGUAGE FUNCTION Languages are productive, meaning that users can produce an infinite number of new sentences, including sentences they have never seen or heard. A community of language users share a common set of rules. Languages vary geographically. Languages have three major dimensions: form, function, and use. Language has structure at the sentence level and at the discourse level. There are rules for use at each level. The structure of discourse is different for different types of text, such as conversations, explanatory texts, argumentative texts, and narrative texts. Words used in language typically have many different meanings. These meanings are best learned in context of discourse, not in memorized definitions. Words can change meaning depending on the context within the sentence and discourse. Language and speech are not the same thing. Language and communication are not the same thing. TERMS Register refers to variations in language based on whom we are talking with and in what setting. Register can indicate different intentions of the speaker, such as teasing, lecturing, or encouraging. Syntax refers to rules that govern how we organize words into sentences. English syntax uses the order of words to structure the sentence. In English, syntax highlights the relationships of words to each other and sometimes gives clues as to how the words should be understood in context. ASL has a fairly flexible word order but with grammatical rules about how words and phrases may be moved. 13 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  Pragmatics refers to a person’s ability to use a language for different functions. It refers to the rules that govern how we use language with other people. Form refers to the grammatical structure of a language. Morphology refers to the internal structure of the word. In English, morphemes are combined in linear strings to create new words, modify verb tense, and pluralize nouns For example, the present progressive is shown by adding the suffix -ing. In ASL, morphemes involve changes in the location, movement, handshape, or palm orientation of the sign. For example, the present progressive is shown by adding a circular repetitive movement to a verb. Phonology refers to speech sounds or the individual parts of a sign. Modality refers to whether a language is spoken, written, or signed. Prosody refers to how a language stresses words and phrases and uses intonation to communicate meaning and grammatical concepts. It also indicates sentence boundaries and discourse shifts. Prosody in signed languages involves facial expression, rhythm of signing, the size of signs, and body movement. Classifiers refer to grammatical structures that provide information regarding 1) how something looks; 2) how we hold and manipulate things; 3) how something functions, and 4) how people and things are positioned and moved through space. Iconic signs are signs that look like what they are referring to. Arbitrary signs are signs that have no particular resemblance to the concept they refer to. ASL contains signs that are both iconic and arbitrary. Iconic signs are not easier for students to learn. Metalinguistic knowledge of language means that you can discuss and think about language. Schools teach students metalinguistic awareness of English. Deaf and hard of hearing students rarely have the opportunity to gain metalinguistic knowledge of sign language. SIGNED LANGUAGES Signed languages are natural languages that have developed through use, not through design. Signed languages use space to compare and contrast concepts. Signed languages use space to show spatial relationships, which in English are communicated using words such as “on, under, between, beside, over”. Signed languages use facial expression to represent grammatical information, such as questions. Signed languages use facial expressions and sign rhythm to show the beginning and ends of linguistic units, such as sentences and topics. ASL is a language because it is rule-governed, it can communicate abstract thoughts and emotions, it is used by a community, and students can learn it from a young age. The Deaf community has a form of English signing, typically referred to as Pidgin Sign English or PSE, sometimes also called Contact Signing. FINGERSPELLING Fingerspelling follows English spelling conventions. In words that are fingerspelled frequently, each individual letter is not fully articulated. Some fingerspelled words begin to look and function like signs when they are used very often. Fingerspelling is an important aspect of ASL. There are grammatical rules that guide fingerspelling including which words are typically fingerspelled. Deaf children can understand and use fingerspelled words in context long before they are aware of fingerspelling’s relationship to English spelling. 14 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital 7. Medical Aspects of Deafness There are many medical aspects that can make the classroom environment frustrating for a deaf or hard of hearing student. Knowing about these medical aspects helps interpreters recognize when an issue is affecting a student’s learning so that they can adjust their interpreting accordingly. CORE STANDARDS FOR MEDICAL ASPECTS OF DEAFNESS A qualified interpreter who is knowledgeable about the following core standards will perform well on the Medical Aspects of Deafness portion of the test. These standards include: A student who can hear fairly well in quiet environments may perform much differently in noisy environments such as classrooms. Hearing aids amplify sound, but they cannot correct a hearing loss. Hard-of-hearing students still miss a great deal of information, especially in noisy environments. All students can experience a temporary loss of hearing when they have colds and ear infections. Hearing loss differs across students and different patterns affect a student’s ability to utilize hearing to learn a spoken language. An interpreter should ask the deaf educator, speech language pathologist, or audiologist to explain each student’s audiogram and how well the student may be able to learn through hearing. Most hearing aid problems are due to dead batteries, clogged ear molds, or other minor problems that can be easily corrected by school personnel. An audiogram is a graphic representation of a student’s hearing loss. It estimates how much a student can depend on hearing to learn a spoken language and to understand spoken classroom content. 8. SIGN SYSTEMS Generally, spoken English does not vary within the hearing community. Of course, particular words or phrases used by different age groups and social groups as well as different regions around the country will vary. However, the general form of the language is the same. This means that if a person speaks English, whether it is in or outside of the classroom, others who also speak English will understand what is said. The same is true of American Sign Language (ASL) used within the Deaf community. There are regional variations, but signers from different areas of the country understand one another. However, there are other sign systems used within Deaf education such as Manually-coded English (MCE). Not all members of the Deaf community use these systems, so not all members of the Deaf community can communicate with students who use an educational sign system in the classroom. These sign systems are not languages. CORE STANDARDS IN SIGN SYSTEMS Before taking the EIPA Written Test, educational interpreters should be familiar with the core standards used to develop the Sign Systems portion of the test. Sign systems designed to represent English were developed by educators and are not naturally developed languages. The adult Deaf community generally does not use them. Deaf or hard of hearing students in the educational system may use an educational sign system in the classroom that is not ASL. Just because a student can communicate in the classroom with an interpreter, or a teacher of the deaf, using an educational sign system does not mean that student can communicate with other deaf students and adults. 15 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  Educators who use English-based sign systems believe that exposure to them will facilitate English development, although this has not been proven to be the result for all deaf or hard of hearing students. They also believe that English signing is easier for hearing people to learn. English sign systems have some invented signs to represent words and morphemes that do not occur in ASL. All sign systems have borrowed elements from ASL, such as prosody, fingerspelling, some elements of the use of space, and some grammatical markers that appear on the face. Signing Exact English (SEE II) and Signed English are sign systems designed to represent English. The philosophy of simultaneous communication is a practice in which a person speaks and signs simultaneously, usually using some form of English signing. Interpreters may have more knowledge of and skills in the use of ASL than a licensed teacher of the deaf. 9. TUTORING Tutoring is an important support service that may be appropriate for deaf or hard of hearing students to receive. The interpreter may need to provide tutoring support. Therefore, educational interpreters must understand basic tutoring techniques. There are local and national resources available to assist with the responsibilities of tutoring. It is important for interpreters to seek this assistance. It is also important for educational interpreters to receive direction from the classroom teacher in terms of goals, timelines and outcomes. The relationship between the tutor and the student is different from the relationship between the interpreter and the student. These roles must be defined and understood by both. Many times, it will be most appropriate for the deaf or hard-of-hearing student’s interpreter to function as the tutor because of the ability to use direct communication, the interpreter’s knowledge of the student’s educational program, and the rapport already established between student and interpreter. As with interpreting, if the tutor is not knowledgeable in the subject matter to be addressed, tutoring will not be effective. CORE STANDARDS IN TUTORING The EIPA Written test assumes interpreters are aware of this additional responsibility and has used the following core standards to develop the Tutoring & Aiding portion of the test. The need for tutoring services is decided during the IEP meeting by the educational team or by the classroom teacher. The goals of the tutoring must be clearly stated in the IEP. Tutoring may be a more appropriate support service for deaf or hard of hearing students than interpreting services. Tutoring within a subject matter area does not directly address language, communication, or problems with interpretation. A student’s ability to repeat a concept does not mean the student understands it. Students can memorize language without understanding what it really means. When a student can answer questions spontaneously about the concept, the interpreter has better evidence that the student has learned. In order to help a student understand a concept, a tutor must be able to apply the sequence of tutoring remediation. 16 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital 10. Guidelines for Professional Conduct As with any profession, especially one that involves students, there are certain ethical standards educational interpreters must abide by. Ethical standards guide decision making and appropriate professional behavior in interpreting and in the school environment. CORE STANDARDS IN GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT Interpreters should be comfortable with the core standards used to develop the Guidelines for Professional Conduct portion of the test. These standards include: GENERAL ETHICS When interpreting, communication regarding the interpreting process shall remain between the student and the interpreter. Communication regarding content knowledge should be conveyed to the teacher. Interpreters must maintain confidentiality about issues surrounding interpreting for a student. In general, information can be shared freely with the student’s educational team. For example, interpreters may discuss aspects of interpreting with the educational team, such as the role of the interpreter, classroom logistics, the student’s comprehension of language, communication style and mode, managing new vocabulary, and visual aspects of the classroom. Communication between the interpreter and student of a personal nature may need to be shared with district administration, such as discussion of abuse, suicide, drug use, weapons, threats, etc. It is important for the educational interpreter to be fully aware of district policy and to inform students that all staff, including interpreters, have responsibility to share information of this type with administration. It is appropriate to negotiate logistics of the interpreting environment prior to beginning interpreting. Standing near the speaker or any visual display of information is highly desirable. Ethical fitness requires the ability to recognize moral challenges and respond with deliberation, an understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and the ability to make a decision regarding it. EXPECTATIONS Interpreters must be prepared to share information regarding the role and function of interpreters in their classroom with general education teachers. Educational programs have standards for staff behavior, which apply to all professionals within the educational setting, including interpreters. Hearing interpreters should not teach formal sign language classes. Participation in the activities of professional interpreting organizations benefit the interpreter’s professional development. Interpreters should dress in a professional manner appropriate to the educational setting. NAIE, RID, & NAD The three leading national organizations that guide the development of the field of sign language/English interpreting today are the National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE), the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). NAIE is the national organization that develops best practices for interpreting in educational settings. Their Professional Guidelines for Interpreting in Educational Settings and Educational Interpreter Code of Ethics are the two most important professional guiding documents for educational interpreters. 17 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  RID awards interpreter certifications and approves presentations and workshops for their own certificate maintenance for RID Continuing Education Units. The Code of Ethics developed by RID is a reference tool when working in the context of a K-12 educational setting, particularly when interpreting for adults within educational environments. NAD is involved in promoting best practices in Deaf education at the national level, including reframing the concept of “least restrictive environment” to “language rich environment” for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. RESPONSIBILITIES The classroom teacher is responsible for developing the philosophy of behavior management, not the interpreter. The classroom teacher is responsible for communicating with parents. REQUIREMENTS Interpreters should be aware of what their state requires in terms of certification and standards. Meeting minimum requirements established by a state or organization does not mean that an interpreter is qualified to interpret in every situation. 11. Deaf Culture Many diverse cultures, or communities, exist in the United States. One such community is the Deaf community. Historically, the Deaf community has been self-sufficient and resilient despite the hearing community’s perception that deaf people are less capable than they are. Deaf adults typically do not like the term “hearing impaired” because it implies that they are broken and need to be fixed rather than simply being deaf. They prefer the terms “deaf” or “hard of hearing”. In general, deaf adults view themselves as a linguistic minority, not a handicapped group. There are many aspects of the Deaf community that must be understood by the educational interpreter. If these differences are not understood, it can be difficult for the interpreter and the deaf of hard of hearing student to communicate effectively. CORE STANDARDS IN DEAF CULTURE Aspects of Deaf culture considered when developing the Deaf Culture portion of the EIPA Written Test, include: CULTURE In the field of deafness, the word “Deaf” is often capitalized in order to convey a cultural association, rather than a medical condition. Culturally Deaf people tend to view cochlear implants as representing a medical model which views deaf and hard of hearing students as needing to be fixed. As with all minority populations, deaf and hard of hearing students should learn about other deaf and hard of hearing people and Deaf culture in order to help develop their identity as a deaf or hard of hearing person. Culture changes in order to represent and integrate new experiences of its members. Culture changes as the needs and interests of its members change. 18 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  Cultural identity is an important contributing factor related to self-esteem and self-awareness and serves as a resource for decision making. Culture is the sum total of attainments of a community of people, such as deaf and hard of hearing people, including shared language, social norms, art forms, literature, beliefs, customs, tradition, and other related attainments. There are appropriate attention-getting strategies in the Deaf community, such as gently tapping someone, waving a hand, or tapping a table. There are also inappropriate strategies for getting attention, such as grabbing a person’s chin, kicking, or tapping too hard. ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY The federal government requires states to provide a relay system in which hearing and deaf people can telephone each other, using a third person (a relay operator or a video relay interpreter). An important aspect of deaf culture is making sure that everyone has equal access to news and events. Closed captioned movies and television programs allow a student to watch and read a program. However, depending on a student’s ability to read, they may or may not be able to access the content. Also, watching a program and reading captions simultaneously is more difficult than listening to the dialogue and viewing the program simultaneously. ORGANIZATIONS & ASSOCIATIONS There are national and international deaf associations that are deeply valued by the Deaf community, such as the National Association of the Deaf, the World Federation of the Deaf, and the Deaf Olympics. The Junior National Association of the Deaf is an organization of Deaf youth that sponsors an annual conference for all deaf and hard of hearing adolescents. There are several national and international associations that are deeply valued by both Deaf and hearing people of color. These associations include National Association of Black Deaf Advocates, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Mano a Mano, Intertribal Deaf Council, National Hispanic Council, National Asian Deaf Congress, National Council of La Raza, League of United Latin American Citizens, Deaf and Hard of Hearing in government, Congress of Racial Equity, and Women of Color Resource Center. LANGUAGE There are conventions for developing name signs, including that only Deaf people create and give name signs to others. The Deaf community has its own forms of language play, such as ABC stories. RESOURCES Deaf adults can be an important resource for public schools, providing information about sign language, social opportunities, identity, and strategies for being a successful deaf or hard of hearing adult. Deaf and hard of hearing adults are an excellent resource for providing information about what technology is available. Deaf adults who are also from another minority community can be an important resource for public schools. 19 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital DIVERSITY Individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, including those who are deaf, should explore their cultural heritage to nurture a strong and inclusive sense of identity. This applies not only to race but also to aspects such as religion, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. Interpreters need training in strategies to effectively manage potential inter-cultural and intra-cultural conflicts. Such training should be part of pre-service education and ongoing professional development. After undergoing preliminary training in these areas, interpreters should develop student-tailored approaches for managing potential conflicts. It is essential for interpreters to approach their role with unbiased professionalism, setting aside personal beliefs when interpreting for deaf individuals, even if the content may conflict with the interpreters' personal, cultural, or professional values. Interpreters should enhance their cultural competence, which involves training and research to understand concepts such as acculturation, enculturation, and assimilation. Additionally, it is essential to understand the need for Deaf interpreters to facilitate communication in situations involving Deaf immigrants, refugees, and/or students with language delays. Throughout history, diverse cultures have demonstrated remarkable resilience and self-sufficiency, challenging stereotypes perpetuated by mainstream communities regarding their capabilities. INTERPRETERS An interpreter who works with students from diverse cultures should: Demonstrate knowledge of historical contexts of culturally and linguistically diverse deaf and hearing communities within educational, social, legal, medical, vocational, religious, and political systems of the U.S. dominant culture. Demonstrate knowledge and respect of culturally specific attire, styles, food, celebrations, religions, spiritual beliefs, and holidays, as well as the appropriate signs to communicate about them. Demonstrate awareness of "power balance/imbalance" and the "power of attrition". Demonstrate the ability not to impose his or her own value systems and biases on students from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Demonstrate appropriate attitudes, empathy, listening and observational abilities with culturally and linguistically diverse communities as well as the ability to establish rapport following culturally and linguistically appropriate techniques. Be able to identify the cross-cultural implications of eye contact, physical touch, and gestured systems, as well as beliefs about time, educational professions, social protocols, and taboos. Recognize that specific cultural vocabularies have a high emotional content based on specific historical perspectives. Recognize the overt and covert challenges people of color face relative to access to interpreters and to individual interpreter's knowledge of the consumer's culture. Recognize non-manual signals and gestures that are culturally specific and be able to differentiate between in-group and out-group sign usage. Recognize the cultural implications of one’s own specific cultural norms, behaviors and values and their impact on an interpreting assignment. Be aware of the implications of geographical issues such as country of origin, immigration patterns, and current demographics of culturally and linguistically diverse deaf and hearing communities. Be aware of the cross-cultural implications of class identification, social and economic status, literacy, and educational achievement. 20 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital 12. Literacy Literacy is a major goal of education because it serves as the foundation for learning throughout life. Students use what they know about the world to help them read and read to learn about the world. However, it is often difficult, but by no means impossible, to accomplish the goal of literacy with deaf or hard of hearing students. CORE STANDARDS IN LITERACY A qualified interpreter who is knowledgeable about the following core standards should perform well on the Literacy portion of the test. These standards include: Reading, writing, and language are interrelated. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may have difficulty reading English when their language ability is not sufficient to serve as a foundation for reading. Fluent conversational language skills do not always mean the student can read complex English. The language demands in textbooks increase significantly around third grade. The language becomes more complex in terms of syntax and vocabulary. There is more text and fewer pictures to help interpret the text. Students who were able to read first and second grade textbooks may experience more difficulty at this level. Reading academic content is usually more difficult than reading for pleasure. There are differences in vocabulary, grammatical complexity, and concepts involved. Students use what they know about the world to help them read. Exposure to print through story reading is essential to a student’s ability to learn to read. Vocabulary knowledge is an important component of reading. Students read better when they are motivated to read. Closed captioned movies and television programs allow a student to watch and read a program. However, depending on a student’s ability to read, captions may or may not provide access to the content. Also, watching a program and reading captions simultaneously is more difficult than listening to the text and viewing the movie simultaneously. 13. Roles and Responsibilities An experienced educational interpreter is aware of interpreter role and responsibilities including: interpreting, being a member of the IEP team, and tutoring. Experienced interpreters work within appropriate professional boundaries. CORE STANDARDS IN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITES Before taking the EIPA Written Test, interpreters should be comfortable with the core standards used to develop the Roles and Responsibilities portion of the test. These standards include: IEP TEAM The interpreter should be present at IEP meetings as member of the educational team, and not as an interpreter. The interpreter should share observations about how well the student understands the interpreted classroom or any other issues related to interpreting. The interpreter should not evaluate how well the student is doing academically or behaviorally, except as they relate to interpreting. It is not the interpreter’s role to alter communication in order to protect a deaf or hard of hearing student from potential emotional hurt. If emotionally harmful situations occur, the interpreter should discuss them with other members of the educational team. 21 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  It is the responsibility of an educational interpreter to inform the educational team about the limitations associated with the interpreting process, including the individual interpreter’s limitations in skills. When dealing with any student behaviors, such as inattention, the interpreter should work under the guidance of the classroom teacher and possibly the teacher of the deaf. Minor, incidental interpreting expansions of classroom communication may be appropriate on occasion. If there are major and extensive interpreting expansions, the educational team should know about the communication needs of the student and should discuss the modifications. The educational interpreter should assess the classroom environment and develop strategies with the educational team regarding seating arrangements, lighting, use of media, turn-taking, and other factors that may impact the interpreting process and access to the classroom content. INTERPRETER/STUDENT BOUNDARIES Interpreters may be required to help the deaf or hard of hearing student understand the role of an interpreter vs. that of tutor, teacher or friend. They may need to negotiate with older students how to deal with social issues regarding the use of an educational interpreter. As students mature, the interpreter should encourage more independence. Students often create bonds with professionals who work with them. These bonds are healthy, but professionals must be careful to maintain professional boundaries. The interpreter works with the entire educational program and not just the deaf or hard of hearing student. UNDERSTANDING INTERPRETER ROLES School administrators should be informed about the role and function of educational interpreters. Administrators and teachers need to understand the primary role of interpreting and secondary roles that may be required such as tutoring, aiding, consulting, etc. The educational interpreter may need to provide this information. Interpreters should be aware of which roles are appropriate for them to fulfill. It may be appropriate for an interpreter to also serve as an aide or tutor. The student should understand which role the interpreter has at that time. Interpreters cannot perform two roles simultaneously. RESPONSIBILITIES The classroom teacher is responsible for communicating with parents. The classroom teacher has the responsibility for educational planning, teaching, and evaluation for all students in the classroom. Some educational interpreters also are asked to tutor as a part of their job. Interpreters should receive additional training in order to tutor. A classroom teacher or teacher of the deaf should supervise all tutoring. All professionals who work in public schools assist in supervising lunchtime and playtime activities. The interpreter’s responsibilities in these areas should be considered in the same perspective as the other professionals in the school. These duties, however, should never interfere with their primary responsibility - interpreting. Interpreters may be responsible for conducting in-service with building administrators, teachers, and with parents on their roles and responsibilities within the school. It is the responsibility of the educational interpreter to prepare for assignments by reviewing textbook content, lesson plans, and other resource material that is available. 22 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital  Interpreters are generally not qualified to teach sign language. Some states have certification requirements for teachers of sign language. PROFESSIONAL GUIDELINES A job title and a job description are essential tools to help define the roles and responsibilities of an educational interpreter. If an individual is facilitating communication between deaf and hearing individuals, by definition, they are interpreting, and they should meet the qualifications for the job title of “interpreter”. Educational interpreters need a work area, appropriate chairs, and a schedule with identified breaks. When asked to do extra-curricular activities, the interpreter is to negotiate time and pay in a professional manner. Educational interpreters can acquire increased self-awareness and professional maturity through active involvement in professional associations, the educational team, and through collegial and mentor relationships with more experienced practitioners. 14. Technology Regardless of hearing level, each of us relies on technology to get through the day. There are, however, special technological devices that are particular to the deaf community. It is important that the educational interpreter have a working knowledge of each of these devices. CORE STANDARDS IN TECHNOLOGY The EIPA Written Test evaluates the interpreter’s knowledge about the technological devices used in the deaf community. An experienced interpreter should know what each device is, what it is used for, how to use it and how it may affect the performance of the deaf or hard of hearing student. Cochlear implants are medical devices that are intended to improve a student’s hearing. Interpreting for a student with a cochlear implant may mean that the student is receiving some of the teacher’s spoken message as well as the interpreted message. The federal government requires states to provide a relay system in which hearing and deaf people can telephone each other, using a third person (a relay interpreter). Flashing fire alarm systems warn deaf and hard of hearing students if there is an emergency. Schools must have these systems so that deaf and hard of hearing students are not dependent on others for this information. Video Relay Service (VRS) uses the Internet to convey real-time interpreting services, where the interpreter is at a remote site and deaf people can communicate in sign language via a web camera with a hearing person who is in another location. Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) works in a similar way as VRS, but with VRI the deaf and hearing people are in the same room together while the interpreter is at a remote site. Voice Carryover Service (VCO) allows an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing to speak for himself over the telephone, but still receive a text version of what the other person says. Texting is a common means for deaf or hard of hearing individuals to communicate. Homes of deaf and hard of hearing people are typically equipped with a variety of technology that facilitates access to TV programming, doorbells, the telephone, safety alarms, baby cries, etc. Captioned videotapes for educational purposes are available from several national resources. 23 © 2023 Boys Town National Research Hospital