Even among American-born deaf, there can be interpreting difficulties, with variations in signs among regions. But there is a definite shortage of qualified interpreters nationwide and insufficient numbers of interpreters to meet the educational and community needs in the Greater Rochester area. Although some might think that all an interpreter needs to learn is a simple fingerspelling vocabulary, interpreting is certainly not that simple. If you look back at your high school Spanish or French class, you ll remember that fluency isn t something that can be picked up in a quick course. Most of us, even after three years of a second language in high school, aren t sufficiently fluent enough to interpret for a native speaker.
Fluency requires time and study, along with immersion in the culture.
RIT s two-year AAS degree program graduates about 40 interpreters a year. In some areas of the state and country that are underserved, interpreters are hired who have never formally studied ASL and can t provide the quality of service that a fully schooled interpreter can. After locating more than 600 working interpreters in the New York state elementary school system, the researchers on the project are assessing the interpreters skills and knowledge, and will provide training to ready them for the state tests for permanent certification. Eventually, all of the interpreters working in such environments will need to be certified. Additionally, because of the lack of interpreters being prepared to work in these same environments, the grant has established two new college preparation programs to begin in fall 2001.