What is an Interpreter?
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An interpreter is one who facilitates communication between persons who do not share the same language. **An interpreter, therefore, is a bilingual-bicultural professional who 1) interprets while 2) being sensitive to the environmental factors which foster or impede the message and 3) conducts her/himself in a professional, ethical manner.** Interpreting for the Deaf is a process of communicating spoken English messages into American Sign Language or Signed English as well as rendering American Sign Language or Signed English messages into spoken English. An interpreter for the Deaf acts then as the link between the Deaf and the Hearing Communities.
Becoming an interpreter involves examining your own feelings, beliefs, and values. Why are you pursuing this area of study? Are you a perfectionist? Are you a person who likes to take control? Are you super responsible? Do you like to try and solve others' problems? Your answers to these questions are important and should be addressed if you are thinking of becoming an interpreter.
The career opportunities for an interpreter for the Deaf include educational, medical, legal, mental health, and community based employment. Some interpreters are self-employed and contract with corporations and/or government service agencies. It is important to note that upon completion of the American Sign Language and Interpreter Training Program at San Antonio College, the individual will have entry level skills. This means that further professional growth and development will be mandatory in order to attain the skill level necessary to interpret in medical, legal, and/or mental health settings.
History
The
Department of American Sign Language and Interpreter Training
Program was established in the Fall of 1994. Prior to that
time, the college had offered only a limited number of American
Sign Language Classes under the auspices of the Speech and
Drama Department. Formal recognition of the Interpreter
Training Program began with a program director, a department
secretary, and nine adjunct faculty members. The program
has certainly changed over the years. There are now eight
full-time tenure track faculty members, three adjunct faculty
members, and two full-time lab technicians, an interpreting
services manager, two full time interpreters and over 30
part time interpreters.
Twenty-eight
classes were offered that first semester in the Fall of
1994, with a student enrollment of 411. Courses and student
enrollment continues to grow with approximately 550 students
registered for classes during any given semester.
San Antonio College administration and the San Antonio Deaf
Community were very supportive of early efforts to establish
the Department of American Sign Language and Interpreter
Training. Advisory Board Members (Deaf and Hearing) helped
set goals and objectives for the program and provided valuable
input by offering community perspectives on a number of
issues.
There was also a need for students, community interpreters,
deaf educators, and professionals in the field to learn
more about American Sign Language, Deaf Culture, and interpreter
related issues. Guest speakers were and continue to be invited
to present topics of interest. Presentations include such
subject matter as ASL Linguistics, Deaf Culture, Visual-Gestural
Communication, Deaf Storytellers, Team Interpreting, Deaf-Blind
Interpreting, Educational Interpreting, Deaf Children of
Hearing Parents, Hearing Children of Deaf Parents, Deaf
Children of Deaf Parents, and the Process of Interpretation,
to name but a few. The Department of American Sign Language
and Interpreter Training continues to endorse these public
forums at the state and national level through the Board
for Evaluation of Interpreters of the State of Texas and
the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
At the end of the 1995 academic year, the department sponsored
its first Open House. The purpose was to provide an opportunity
for prospective students to see the materials used for classes,
become acquainted with faculty members, and learn more about
program offerings. The Open House concept has since evolved
into an annual event whereby community and state agencies
providing services to deaf consumers can come and showcase
their resources, distribute literature, and network with
professionals in the field.
In 1999 we added the Deaf Support Specialist Option. This
program is designed to provide the student with sign language
communication skills necessary to communicate with a broad
cross-section of Deaf Consumers.
In 2001 -2002 we offered the first class in the Enhanced
Certificate. This certificate is designed for working interpreters
who want to pursue a higher skill level and certification.
It is the first of its kind in the state of Texas and currently
SAC is the only program that offers this option for certified
interpreters. In 2001 SAC also adopted the TriLingual Certificate
as one of the College new initiatives. The college recognized
the need for this unique certificate and gave the program
the support it needed to launch the TriLingual Enhanced
Certificate.
In 2004 the program hosted the first Student Preconference
before the Texas Society of Interpreters for the Deaf Annual
Conference. Over 100 student interpreters across the state
were in attendance. The Preconference has now become a part
of TSID annual conference.
June of 2004 found us celebrating the 10 year anniversary
of the program. We began the weekend with a Performance
of "Toys". TOYS Theater is an
internationally acclaimed group that was first formed in
1985 in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), Russia. The
ensemble has used mime and gesture stories enhanced by rhythms
to delight audiences. The actors, who are all Deaf, use
the universal language of humor to entertain their audiences
and provide glimpses into Russian and deaf cultures. During
the Gala over $9000 was raised and the Rea and Barbara Hinrich’s
Scholarship fund was established. In 2005 CDS donated over
$4000 to the scholarship fund.
In 2002 through Grant monies and college support, the program
integrated a state of the art Interpreting Classroom based
on Dr. Carol Patrie’s model at Gallaudet University.
For the first time ever, interpreting students were able
to work simultaneously and record their work.
The Summer of 2006 found history occurring again. The department
along with Region XX and Sorenson Communications sponsored
a week long Summer Institute and more than 50 certified
interpreters participated in the week long event which focused
on increasing the skills of certified interpreters in Texas.
In April of 2007 “ASL LIVE”, a talent show with
students and faculty, had it’s debut. 25 different
acts took the stage and it was a great opportunity to witness
the incredible talent of students and faculty. A Silent
Auction was a part of the festivities and over $1000 was
deposited in the scholarship account. In the Summer of 2007
two interpreting students, Danielle Rodriguez and Christina
Durden were awarded the first department scholarships.
In the Fall of 2007 the first Trilingual Interpreting class
became a reality. Eight students (traveling from as far
away as Houston) participated in the class. Formal Trilingual
training has long been recognized as a great need in Texas,
especially after legislation passed in 1999 asking for training
of trilingual interpreters. This need is also well represented
across the country. We are proud that we were able to offer
this course at SAC, the first of its kind in the United
States. We project that the first graduates will be in the
fall of 2008. The development of this Trilingual curriculum,
in conjunction with other merits, earned Julie Razuri the
National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
(NISOD) award for Excellence in Teaching.
in the Fall of 2007 we were excited to announce a partnership
with Sorenson Communications.
We will work together to provide training and curriculum
for interpreters.
In January of 2008, The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board (THECB) ranked as “Exemplary” the Associate
of Applied Science Degree Program in American Sign Language/Interpreter
Training at San Antonio College, a college of the Alamo
Community College District. Currently, SAC’s Interpreter
Training Program is the only ITP program in the state to
receive Exemplary status.
The American Sign Language and Interpreter Training Program
is what it is today because of the support and long range
vision of the San Antonio College administration, the San
Antonio Deaf Community, and the faculty and staff of the
Department of American Sign Language and Interpreter Training.
To those individuals who helped us in getting started and
to those individuals who continue to support our efforts,
we extend our thanks!
Program Description
The
Department of American Sign Language and Interpreter Training
is designed to provide quality American Sign Language and
Interpreter education by offering a comprehensive series
of classes including but not limited to American Sign Language,
Deaf Culture, and the interpreting process.
The American Sign Language, Interpreter Training and Deaf
and Hard of Hearing Services department is what it is today
because of the support and long range vision of the San
Antonio College administration, the San Antonio Deaf Community
, and the faculty and staff of the department. Currently
there are eight full-time tenure track faculty members,
three adjunct faculty members and two full time lab technicians.
There is a comprehensive ASL Lab room as well as an Interpreting
Lab room open to students and the community Monday through
Saturday.
The program is fortunate to have dedicated classrooms that
are visually accessible. A new digital Interpreting Classroom
made possible through grant monies and a partnership with
Sorenson Communications will open soon.
Learning American Sign Language is similar to learning any
other foreign language. It takes time and practice to achieve
linguist competency and fluency. The acquisition of key
elements of any language usually occurs in a sequential
manner. You can’t hurry the process along! Class attendance
and completion of lab work are essential, but not enough.
Proficiency in American Sign Language will require interacting
with the people who use the language.
Though out the year the department hosts a variety of events
that will introduce students to the Deaf and Interpreting
community, including ASL/Interpreting Workshops, monthly
panels, a Talent Show, Department Open House, to name but
a few. These events provide students with opportunities
to meet and interact with members of the Deaf community,
working interpreters.
San Antonio College has developed ongoing partnerships with
numerous organizations in order to provide the optimal learning
experience possible for students in the program. Our partners
include Sorenson Communications, Texas School for the Deaf,
Region 20 Education Service Center, San Antonio Independent
Living Services, and Northside Independent School District.
The Department of American Sign Language / Interpreter Training in cooperation with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, views individuals who are deaf as a cultural minority. Instead of having a deficit or deficiency, we believe that members of the Deaf Community are members of a group who are culturally and linguistically unique with their own customs, norms and mores. We believe that American Sign Language is a language. We understand that Deaf persons have experienced discrimination and oppression, and join them in striving for equal participation in all aspects of society.
We also believe that it is important for those people who work with Deaf individuals be fully knowledgeable of the culture and language of the Deaf Community. We believe that respect for both cultural and individual differences is essential as well.
We believe that interpreting is a profession that should value linguistic competency, high professional ethics, and high personal standards, and that interaction with members of the Deaf Community is essential in fully attaining these goals.
There are some basic guidelines that you will be asked to follow as a participant in this program.
1.) Enter this program with a positive and supportive attitude towards others! We will discourage participants from developing an attitude that is demeaning, presumptuous, or reflects an inflated sense of self worth.
2.) Talking aloud in class is not allowed unless sanctioned by your instructor. The acquisition of a visual-gestural language is done so with the eyes, not the ears.
3.) Voicing (or telling) other students what the instructor is signing in class will not be tolerated. This is especially important if you have a Deaf instructor. You do a disservice to your instructor and to your classmates by voicing what the instructor is so earnestly trying to communicate in signs.
4.) Asking others to tell you what the instructor is signing is also discouraged. By doing so, you put your classmate in the untenable position of violating a program policy. Acquiring a visual-gestural language takes time, and as with every language, acquisition occurs at different rates amongst different people.
5.) When unsure of what the instructor is signing in class, please refrain from any vocal expressions of frustration. This is very distracting to other students and is counterproductive to you learning the language.
6.) The instructor must sign at a speed optimal for learning. If you continue to have difficulty with what the instructor is signing, discuss alternate ways of learning with the instructor. Do not ask the instructor to repeatedly slow her/his presentation in class.
7.) Remember that there is more than one way to sign a particular concept. You will see a wide variety of signing styles amongst Deaf people with whom you may associate in the future. The variety and diversity that one finds in ASL usage should be treated as a fascinating feature of a living language. (Woodward, Ertring, and Oliver, 1976.)
8.) Language is an expression of one's culture. Deaf people use a language that has no written format and often have difficulty with written English. What would be considered grammatically incorrect in written English may be grammatically correct in ASL. Respect the Deaf person's language and the inherent difficulties people encounter with English as a Second Language.
**We are pleased that you are considering a career in this field. We take a great deal of pride in our program and all that it has to offer. We will do all that we can to help you attain your goals! Welcome!
