The years that have passed since the 1994 inception of the American Sign Language/Interpreter Training program, at San Antonio College, are instilled with many memorable and creditable accounts. Long-range vision by department faculty and staff as well as support from the San Antonio College administration and San Antonio Deaf Community, attributes to the endurance, stability and success of the program. The recent evolution to Exemplary Status ranking by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) earned the Department in American Sign Language/Interpreter Training the distinction of being the only program in the state to receive this recognition in January 2008. This ranking of excellence clearly identifies the program’s outstanding characteristics. It also affirms its accomplishments in academic achievement, qualitative learning, and commendation awards. Additionally, it represents national and state recognition, instructional innovation and is a testament to the hard work of our students highlighting those qualities and capabilities, which are of value for the interpreting students and the community at large through service learning activities.

Prior to 1994, the college offered a limited number of American Sign Language classes under the auspices of the Speech and Drama Department. The Program began with a program director, a department secretary and nine adjunct faculty members. The first Fall semester of 1994 claimed a student enrollment of 411 with twenty-eight classes offered. Courses and student enrollment began to expand and at present, we have approximately 550 students registered and 38 to 40 classes offered during any given semester.

Focus on the need for students, community interpreters, Deaf educators and professionals to learn more about American Sign Language, Deaf Culture, and interpreter related issues was put into action through the concerted efforts of department faculty, staff and a diverse advisory board.

The Program advisory board (Deaf and Hearing) was instrumental in setting goals and objectives for the program and provided valuable input by offering community perspectives on a number of issues.

In 1995, with a grant from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, we were able to provide a number of workshops. Presenters provided workshops on topics such as Deaf Culture, Visual-Gestural Communications, Deaf-Blind Interpreting, and the Process of Interpretation, to name but a few. The Department of American Sign Language and Interpreter Training endorses these public forums at the state and national level through the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters for the State of Texas and the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. The department continues the standard practice of inviting presenters to come and provide workshops on a regular basis.

The department sponsored its first ‘Open House’ at the end of the 1995 academic year. Providing an opportunity for prospective students to become acquainted with faculty members, learn more about program offerings and view the materials used for class instruction was the initial objective. The concept of ‘Open House’ has since evolved into an annual event whereby community and state agencies may come and display their resources, distribute literature and network with professionals in the field of providing services to Deaf consumers.

Members of the SAC community were given the opportunity to have a brief insight into the world of Deaf people, their Culture and language, in 1997, when Charles Falcon, Theatre Department faculty member, produced the play “ CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD”. Many Deaf and hearing students from the department had roles in the play while faculty and staff were supportive and involved as ASL and Interpreting consultants.

A great deal of events and additional program development occurred in 1999 beginning with the addition of the Deaf Support Specialist Option. This program’s objective is to provide students with sign language communication skills necessary to communicate with a cross-section of Deaf consumers.

Another 1999 highlight was the Texas Association of the Deaf Biennial Conference held in Port Aransas, Texas. Faculty was in attendance as well as more than 30 students who worked as volunteers for the conference. “A rich and memorable experience for everyone involved”, was the consensus. Later that Summer, the department then co-sponsored, the National Educational Interpreters Conference held in San Antonio. Educational interpreters from throughout the United States were present at the conference as faculty presented workshops and worked as conference interpreters. Our students were given the opportunity to work as student representatives and a great experience was had by all.

The Spring of 2000 brought about a sizeable turnout of students, faculty and members of the Deaf Community for a Spring Festival coordinated by the ASL Connection Club. ASL and Interpreting students operated a variety of booths on the grounds of San Antonio College. Booths included face painting, “lock-up” jail and the most popular dunking booth. In the same year, department faculty put on a hilarious skit that highlighted the difference between Deaf and Hearing Cultures and called it the “Miss Manners Panel”. The ASL Connection Club also sponsored a 1-K run in 2001. A course was set around the campus and the money raised went to help fund the many projects of the Connection Club.

Program development continued to prosper in the 2001 – 2002 academic year with the introduction of two certificate programs. We offered the first class in InterpretingEnhanced Skills Certificate aimed for working interpreters pursuing a higher skill level and certification. SAC is currently the only learning institution that offers this option for interpreters who are already certified. This certificate is the first of its kind in the state of Texas. The second certificate program adopted as one of the College’s new initiatives during that time was the Trilingual Interpreter Enhanced Skills Certificate. Recognizing the need for this unique certificate, the college provided the support required to launch it successfully.

In Spring 2002, we again delighted in collaborating with Charles Falcon and the Theatre department in another play – “ SWEET NOTHING IN MY EAR” – a story related to Deaf people, their language and Culture. As in the past, many of our Deaf and hearing students performed roles in the theatrical production while faculty and staff functioned as ASL and Interpreting consultants. Offering once more, a brief glimpse into the world of Deaf people, members of the SAC community encountered a memorable and powerful experience.

That same year, a great and fun-filled summer event transpired. San Antonio College and Fiesta Texas Premier Theme Park collaborated and sponsored “Deaf Awareness Day”. Approximately 800 people, from throughout Texas, attended that first Saturday in June. Seventy-five interpreters ensured that all shows and events at the park were interpreted. “Deaf Awareness Day” has become a tradition and each year proves to be more fun than the last.

The department received grant monies and college support in 2002, allowing us to purchase a state-of-the-art Interpreting Classroom. Based on Dr. Carol Patrie’s model at Gallaudet University, interpreting students were, for the first time, able to work simultaneously and record their work on an ongoing basis.

In 2003, a new tradition was born. Peter Skarp, ASL faculty and Sara Fillipone, ASL lab director, piloted an ‘ASL Story Time’ that would be open to the community. The first ASL Story Time was held at SAC and then moved to the Borders Bookstore at the Quarry, where more than 100 people attended the first storytelling. Today, ‘ASL Story Time’ is housed at the Main Public Library and meets on the first Sunday of each month during the academic year.

Another “first” happened in 2004, when the department hosted the first ever Student Pre-Conference before the Texas Society of Interpreters for the Deaf (TSID) Annual Conference. More than 100 student interpreters from across the state attended and the Pre-Conference has now become a prelude to the TSID’s Annual conference.

The department also celebrated the program’s 10 th Anniversary in the Summer of 2004. 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 makes use of mime and gesture stories enhanced by rhythms to delight audiences. The Deaf actors use the universal language of humor to entertain their audiences and provide glimpses into Russian and Deaf Cultures. The Gala raised more than $6,000 and the Rea and Barbara Hinrich’s Scholarship Fund was established.

We joined forces in 2004 and 2005 with Communication Services for the Deaf (CSD) of San Antonio and helped to support their first Golf Tournament held at Tapatio Springs Resort. A silent auction was held and lunch was provided to more than 100 golfers and golf fans who attended. CSD donated $4,380 from the money raised during the Tournament to the Department‘s Scholarship Fund.

History was made again in the summer of 2006 when we partnered with Region XX and Sorenson Communications and sponsored a weeklong Summer Institute. More than 50 certified interpreters participated in the event that focused on enhancing the skills of certified interpreters in Texas.

“ ASL ON STAGE”, a talent show featuring 25 acts by ASL students and faculty, had its debut in April 2007. The show offered a great opportunity to witness the incredible talent of both students and faculty. Coupled with the talent show, a Silent Auction helped deposit more than $1,000 into the scholarship fund. Christina Durden and Danielle Rodriguez, interpreting students, were awarded the first department scholarships that summer.

In the Fall of 2007, the first Interpreting Trilingual class became a “reality” with 8 students, including 3 who drove in from Houston, participated in the class. We are proud that we are able to offer this “first-of-its-kind course” in the United States and project that the Fall of 2008 will see the first Trilingual graduates. The development of this Trilingual curriculum, in conjunction with other merits, earned instructor Julie Razuri the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Award for Excellence in Teaching. 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. The need is also well represented across the country.

The announcement of our partnership with Sorenson Communications, in the Fall of 2007, is another exciting and ongoing episode in our department history. We will work together to provide training and curriculum for interpreters.

The department received Exemplory Status from the Texas Higher Education Board in 2008.

In January 2009 the department moved to it's temporary quarters of the Moody learning Center.
While extensive rennovatiovs are being made to the department home in the Nail technical Center. We look forward to moving back to the Nail Technical Center in June of 2010.

The American Sign Language and Interpreter Training Program is what it is today because of those individuals who helped us in getting started and to those individuals who continue to support our efforts. We extend our gratitude to those individuals!