Ohio Guidelines for Educational Interpreters Revised 2011
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Ohio Guidelines for Educational Interpreters Revised 2011 The Ohio Guidelines for Educational Interpreters was first published in October, 2000. The revision was undertaken by the Interpreting and Sign Language Resources (ISLR) Advisory Committee. ISLR is part of the Center for Outreach Services at the Ohio School for the Deaf. This revision updates information contained in the original document. It is available online, with links to pages within this document and to other documents and websites. If you find links that do not work, if you have questions about the document, or if you believe that any information in the document has become outdated, please contact ISLR through email ([email protected]) or phone (614-995-1566). 1 2011 Guidelines Revision Committee Interpreting and Sign Language Resources Advisory Committee Theresa Beuerlein, Southwest Region Carol Black, Northeast Region Jennifer Carrick, At-Large Tammy Dearth, Southeast Region Kristi Hill, Central Region Sarah McKinney, Central Region Sherry Miller, Southwest Region Jean Parmir, ISLR Administrator Lisa Petrucci, Northeast Region Mary Roark, Southwest Region Diane Schmidt, Northwest Region 2011 Reviewers Susan Basone, Interpreter Bernadette Laughlin, Ohio Department of Education Natalie Morrison, Teacher Bonnie Nelson, Ohio Department of Education Kimberly Schlatter, Teacher Lisette Tedeschi, Teacher Wendy Stoica, Ohio Department of Education 2000 Guidelines Committee 2000 Guidelines Reviewers Mary Binion* Monica Bechhold Pam Brodie* Audrey Fuller Meredith Crane Gina Giriti John Crerand Carol Grooms Vicki Curtis Monica Hagan Patty Drumheiser* Brandi Horvath Jamie Dudzik Sharon Houser Becky Farrell Anthony Hovan Ben Hall Laura Kelley-Hamby Lori Henderson* Cathy Kelly Mark Howdieshell* Rhonda Kidd Harold Johnson Pam Kiner Kristen Kask* Pamela Luft Jo Anna Liedel* Merry Beth Pietila Christine Loddo* Laura Roncagli Gayle Maue Mary Stanley Jacque Merz* Renee Sterba Jean Parmir* Emily Taylor-Snell Tina Perry Kim Wintle Libby Sandy* Paula Woods John Saylor* Kathe Shelby Wendy Stoica* *Denotes Core Writing Team Member 2 2011 Ohio Guidelines for Educational Interpreters Contents Introduction 4 Background 4 Purpose 5 Primary Role of the Educational Interpreter 7 Modes of Communication 7 Interpreting Environments 8 Testing Situations 9 Classroom Preparation 10 Evaluation Team Report (ETR) 10 The Educational Interpreter and the Student Who Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing 10 Individualized Education Program (IEP) 11 Collaboration 11 The Educational Interpreter and Other Members of the Educational Team 12 Substitute Folders 12 Educational Support 13 Advising Interpreting Internships 13 Confidentiality 14 Ethical Considerations 14 Roles and Responsibilities of the School 16 Employment 16 Employment Conditions 19 Supervision and Evaluation 20 Professional Development 22 Renewal of Associate License 22 Options 23 Activities 24 Resources 24 Rank or Level 24 Appendices 26 Indicators of Educational Interpreter Competency 27 Glossary 31 Observation Checklists 33 Sample Job Description 39 Sign Language with People Who Are Deaf-Blind: Suggestions for Tactile 40 and Visual Modifications Standards Rubric 45 3 Introduction All students can learn and all students will learn if the conditions for learning are right. Getting the conditions right, including the resources, facilities, and attitudes to support student learning, is part of what good teaching is all about. Shared responsibility and ownership for the success of all children, collaboration between regular and special education personnel, and administrative and parental involvement are critical elements of schools that include and support all children. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004) underscores the importance of educating children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (i.e., an environment where children with and without disabilities are educated together). IDEA also requires that children with disabilities have access to and make progress in the general curriculum. For the two percent of Ohio students who are deaf or hard of hearing (2,641 children during the 2009- 2010 school year), access to the general curriculum often necessitates the services of a qualified educational interpreter. While the need for educational interpreters in public school settings has increased as more children are served in general education classrooms, the discipline of educational interpreting is still relatively new; therefore, many school districts are unclear about the type of training and skills needed to qualify one as an educational interpreter (Kansas State Board of Education, l995). Background According to IDEA, all students with disabilities, ages three through 21, are afforded the right to a free appropriate public education. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 ensure the right of people with disabilities to access public school functions and facilities. For students who are deaf or hard of hearing, interpreting may be one of the support services necessary for them to gain equal access to the general curriculum. The limited number of qualified interpreters with requisite knowledge and skills to work in educational settings continues to represent a critical personnel shortage area for Ohio. During the 1997-1998 school year, 425 interpreters worked in Ohio‟s schools. In 1998-1999, that number, which included substitute interpreters, increased to 500 which was still short of the need. In 2010, 614 individuals were reported by their local districts as holding an ODE issued license in the area of Interpreter for the Hearing Impaired. This includes 5-year associate, long-term substitute licenses, and temporary pupil services licenses. In 1997, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) convened Interpreter training Programs (which at that time were Cincinnati State Community College, Columbus State Community College, Kent State University, Sinclair Community College, and the University of Akron) to address the shortage of qualified interpreters in the state. The following four goals were addressed by this group: To increase the number of educational interpreters in Ohio schools To increase the skills of practicing educational interpreters To increase the knowledge of practicing educational interpreters To build capacity at the preservice and inservice level 4 Based upon the recommendation of Interpreter Training Programs (ITPs) along with the Great Lakes Area Regional Center for Deaf-Blind Education (GLARCDBE), the Ohio Resource Center for Low Incidence and Severely Handicapped (ORCLISH), and the Ohio Chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (OCRID), the Ohio Department of Education conducted a survey to determine Levels of training of interpreters currently working in Ohio‟s schools Current needs of interpreters, as identified by interpreters The Ohio Department of Education is committed to ensuring that all children have access to the general education curriculum and regular education environments. For Ohio‟s children who are deaf or hard of hearing, the provision of educational interpreting services through qualified providers is critical if such access is to be provided. In 1998, the Ohio School for the Deaf (OSD) and ODE established Interpreting and Sign Language Resources (ISLR), which is now part of the Center for Outreach Services at OSD. The Center works with ODE and other agencies to provide support for students who are deaf or hard of hearing across the state. In 1999, the Ohio Department of Education convened the first meeting of the State Superintendent’s Advisory Council for Learners Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The group‟s charge was to Work to improve services to youngsters who are deaf or hard of hearing Advise the State Superintendent of Public Instruction on all matters affecting youngsters who are deaf or hard of hearing Serve as a leadership forum where consensus could be sought on issues affecting the education of youngsters who are deaf or hard of hearing Provide input to the State Superintendent‟s Advisory Council for Special Education (SSAC) Disseminate information and findings with regard to the education of youngsters who are deaf or hard of hearing GLARCDBE no longer exists; services to deaf-blind students are provided through the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education (OCDBE). ORCLISH is now the Ohio Center on Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI). The Superintendent‟s Council, now the Deaf Educators Network (DEN), is coordinated through OSD Outreach. DEN is primarily an online vehicle for information sharing. Purpose The purpose of these guidelines is to assist school districts in providing appropriate educational interpreting services to children who require such services. This document is intended to provide support to local educational agencies, educational interpreters, parents, and other members of the educational team by serving as a resource and expanding on best practices in such areas as ethical conduct, qualifications, and roles and responsibilities. This document will also assist administrators and teachers to gain a more thorough understanding of the role of educational interpreters as critical members of the child‟s educational team. Currently, there are four major consumer groups for educational interpreting services. They include Students who are deaf or hard of hearing and their classmates Parents and guardians Teachers and other staff Administrators and elected