American Sign Language (ASL)

The certification process to become an interpreter for the deaf in Texas, involves testing and evaluation to attain the five levels required to interpret for the deaf in real life situations which include medical, legal, psychiatric and educational situations. The evaluation process can be a perplexing experience the perseverance, training; experience will lead to success and certification.

An Interpreter for the deaf, in Texas, must be certified by the Commission for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing in order to interpret for deaf individuals in situations where the deaf need to communicate with hearing individuals. There are five levels of certification each level requires special training to deal with specific situations, such as ordinary communication, education, medical and legal proceedings.

Qualifications and Procedures
The minimum qualifications to become an interpreter for the deaf in Texas are: one must be at least 18 years of age, a high school graduate or complete a GED program before applying for certification. All applicants must acquire a Level I certification before proceeding to the next level (Texas, 2001). There are certain procedures that one must complete to become a Level 1 interpreter. First one must submit a request for an application to the Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The Commission will send the appropriate forms then after the Commission receives the forms and required fees shown at the end of the application form. The applicant will receive an information packet in the mail which will show the closest evaluation center to the applicant’s location. An additional evaluation fee is required before scheduling an appointment to be evaluated. Then the appropriate level
evaluation test is administered. The candidate becomes a Level 1 interpreter after successfully completing the Level 1 evaluation. An interpreter’s certification is valid for five years when the maintenance fees are paid,
after five years the interpreter must take the same test again or apply for the next level of certification (Texas, 2001). After certification the interpreter must pay a maintenance fee by October 1 of every year to keep their certification valid (Texas, 1993). An interpreter that has been certified for the first time or one renewing after five years certification, they are not required to pay the annual maintenance fee until the following year (Texas 2001).

Evaluation Testing
The evaluation process is very similar to all standardized testing. The candidates must pass all parts of the evaluation. The Level 1 and 3 tests for certification have four parts that make up the evaluation. The first part is
a written test over interpreting ethics and standards. The second part of the evaluation is an expressive test, interpreting from visual and audio recordings. The third part is an interactive test; the candidate must sign
what is heard from the audio and voice what is signed on the video. For example, when a teacher is giving a lecture the interpreter must sign the lecture and if the student asks a question the interpreter must ask the
teacher the question. The last part of the evaluation is a receptive test, where the candidate must voice what is seen on a video tape. The Level 5’s certification test consists of three parts: a written test, expressive test,
receptive test (Texas 1993). All certification evaluations are video recorded for the Commission to refer to, if necessary, for discrepancies in scoring.

Level 1 Evaluation test scores
The Level 1 test consists of written test with twenty multiple choice questions. The candidate must make at least a seventy percent score to pass. The candidate must make at least a seventy percent on the audio portion and a
seventy percent on the transliterating portion of the expressive test. The candidate must make at least a seventy percent on the interactive portion of the evaluation to pass. The candidate must make at least a seventy percent on
the receptive portion of the test to pass. All of the non-written portions of the evaluation are evaluated by at least two evaluators, where one may be deaf. Three evaluators may be assigned; the third is to resolve any conflicts
in scoring of the two other evaluators (Texas, 1993). However, in the 1990 edition of procedures, the third evaluator must be deaf for Level 1certification.

Level 3 Evaluation test scores
There is not a Level 2 test. A candidate who is evaluated for Level 3 certification and receives less than a seventy-five on any portion of the Level 3 test is certified as a Level 2 interpreter (Texas, 1993). However,
the Certificate Levels Awarded by the Commission (2001) edition states, the candidate receives at least a seventy on all portions of the Level 3 test to receive Level 2 certification. The Level 3 certification evaluation begins
with a written test with twenty-six multiple choice questions, and the candidate must make at least a seventy-five on this portion. There are two tests for the expressive portion of the evaluation. One test is on interpreting and the other is on transliterating. The candidate must interpret or transliterate from audio clips. The candidate must score a
seventy-five on both tests to pass. The interactive portion has two videos, one interpreting and one transliterating, the candidate must voice the signed portion and sign the voiced portion, and score a seventy-five on both to pass.
The receptive portion consists of two videos, interpreting and transliterating, the candidate must voice a signed message, and must score a seventy-five on both portions. The non-written portions of the evaluation must be evaluated by three evaluators and one must be deaf (Texas, 1993).

Level 5 Evaluation test scores
There is not a Level 4 test. A candidate who is evaluated for Level 5 certification and receives less than a ninety percent on all non-written portions results in Level 4 or even Level 3 certification (Texas, 1993). However, in the 2001 edition of the interpreter procedures the Level 4 evaluation passing scores have changed. Now if the candidate makes at least an eighty on all test areas they receive Level 4 certification (Texas, 2001). The Level 5 candidate must receive an eighty-four on the twenty-six multiple choice question written test to pass. The expressive test consists of interpreting two audio clips and transliterating two audio clips from a video recording. These four clips are based on the Level 5 material: legal terms, doctor office procedures, and medical references. The candidate must score an average of a ninety on the interpreting portion and an average of a ninety on the transliterating portion. The receptive portion of the Level 5 evaluation is voicing three signed messages; the messages are based on the same materials as in the expressive test. The candidate must score a ninety on all three
segments to pass and become a Level 5 interpreter. The non-written portions of the evaluation is evaluated by three evaluators and one or more must be deaf (Texas, 1993). In a previous edition the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (1990) stated the Level 5 receptive portion may be evaluated by two hearing individuals or one hearing and one deaf individual.

Evaluation Results and Retesting:
The candidates will be notified after sixty days of tests date to receive their evaluation scores. If a candidate fails a certain portion of the evaluation the candidate does not have to retake the entire evaluation just the failed portions. The candidate must wait six months after the original test date before retaking any failed portions. If the candidate fails the
portion again the candidate is advised to take additional training to help with their weaknesses (Texas, 2001). Interpreter workshops are given by the Texas School for the Deaf to aide in improving their interpreting and certification skills.

Certificates
After completing the evaluation the scores are figured up and the Commission awards the candidates their certification after the approval of the BEI (Board for Evaluation of Interpreters) chairperson (Texas, 2001).

Renewal
The renewal process is simple. The candidate must provide a copy of their valid certificate to the agency annually. The candidate must also file certification renewal forms and pay their annual maintenance fees by October 1
of each year.

Table 1
Level of Interpreter Skills

Level 1- Beginning Level
The interpreter must have a limited sign vocabulary and must be able to communicate on a one to one basis. The interpreter must be able to have success in both expressive and receptive fingerspelling.

Level 1- Morphemic Sign System
Must be able to take an English worded sentence, put into ASL and take an ASL worded sentence and put it into a
grammatically correct spoken sentence.

Level 2- Limited Interpreting and or Transliterating Skills
The interpreter must be able to show acceptable expressive or receptive skills in transliterating or interpreting.

Level 3- The Minimum Level Accepted for Comprehensive Interpreting
The interpreter must have a wide range of language, and fluent in both ASL and English. Proficient in interpreting and transliterating.

Level 4
Exhibits strong interpreting and transliterating skills and can interpret in medical, legal, and psychiatric settings.

Level 5
Exhibits excellent interpreting and transliterating skills and can interpret in medical, legal, and psychiatric settings.

Conclusion
In conclusion to become certified as an interpreter for the deaf in Texas, one must acquire and possess a wide range of language skills including English and American Sign Language. The evaluation and testing process requires the
candidate to study, learn and practice in real life situations. One must study the certification handbook and materials, be determined to succeed, and not become discouraged if unsuccessful in the first attempt or future attempts
to pass the evaluation certification. Perseverance and training is necessary to be successful in attaining certification to become an interpreter of the deaf.

References

Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. (2001, February).
Certificate Levels Awarded by the Commission. Retrieved October 09, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http// www.tcdhh.state.tx.us/beiinfo.htm

Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. (1993, April). Board for Evaluation of Interpreters Outreach and Training Program. (Rev. ed.). Texas: Author.

The Board for Evaluation of Interpreters. (1990, May). Interpreter
Certification and Principles of Ethical Behavior. (Rev. ed.). Texas: Author.

In a message dated 3/1/2006 8:48:51 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, smdaniluk@ writes:

Dear Dr. Vicars,

Attached is info regarding Texas testing procedures
for interpreters. Could you please forward this on to
your reader Michael Gillen from Nacogdoches who asked
about it? Thanks for the opportunity to help a fellow
Texan!

Suzanne Daniluk, R.N.
Houston, Texas

__________________________________________________

New BEI Testing System to Begin in 2006 By Angela Bryant The DHHS-BEI is in the final year of new test development activities and look forward to implementing the new certification testing system in April 2006. To date, the University of Arizona and the BEI expert panel have completed: 1)The Job/Linguistic Analysis (JLA) of current certified interpreters in Texas; 2) Development and piloting of an English Proficiency test; 3) Development of scripts for Entry, Professional and Master level performance tests. There are three aspects of the project that are near completion: · Production of the three levels of performance test videotapes. · The evaluation scoring/rating methodology and evaluator training. · Piloting the new performance testing materials. Format of New Examinations Test of English Proficiency The final version of this test consists of 80 questions with five subsections to test: 1) Reading Comprehension; 2) Synonyms; 3) Usage and Grammar; 4) Sentence Completion and 5) Antonyms. The time allowed to complete the test is 1 hour and 15 minutes. All candidates will be required to take the test of English proficiency before taking any level of the performance test. A candidate instructions bulletin will soon be available for dissemination and will be posted to the DARS-DHHS web site. Interpreter Performance Exams A three-tiered system was developed to certify individuals by skill levels. Detailed below are descriptions for each level: Entry Certificate This certificate will ensure that all BEI certified interpreters meet minimum competency standards to interpret in K – 12 and postsecondary settings. This performance test will emphasize terms and scenarios found not only in general lecture and teaching situations, but other educational contexts as well. The standard in comparison to the current Level I certification is significantly raised. Professional Certificate This certificate will ensure that the interpreter has skills necessary to interpret in more complex settings other than educational, indicated by the JLA. This performance test will emphasize the terms and scenarios in routine medical, public forums, government workforce, mental health, and social service settings. The professional certificate sets a clear standard for an interpreter ready to work in the majority of settings and performing a wide range of tasks. The professional certificate will raise the standard of the current Level III interpreter. Master Certificate This certificate will ensure that the interpreter has the skills necessary to interpret in the most complex settings including complex medical and complex mental health. This test will serve to identify those interpreters qualified to work in the most critical areas. New Testing Procedures With the implementation of the new testing system, the procedures and fees can be expected to change as well. Presently, the BEI is exploring alternate methods of administering the written examination to make it more accessible around the state. In addition, planning is underway to address transition issues, such as establishing eligibility requirements and determining how the current system will correlate with the new system. More information will be forthcoming about these very important matters including details about the requirement of mandatory code of ethics training. So please continue to check the DARS-DHHS web site for updates. Other Important Program Initiatives Proposed Education Requirements It is proposed and highly probable that the BEI will require an AA degree beginning in January, 2010 and will require a BA degree in January, 2014. The Texas Society of Interpreters for the Deaf and Texas Association of the Deaf are recommending in support of these education requirements. Court Interpreter Certification HB 2200 passed in 2005 made changes to the court interpreter certification process. Beginning September 1, 2006 interpreters who work in court proceedings must hold Court Interpreter Certification (CIC). To date the following court interpreter certification implementation activities have occurred: · The development of a stand-alone application for court certification, which will be available for dissemination and posted on the DARS-DHHS web site by December 1, 2005. · The development of eligibility requirements which requires applicants to provide proof of having: 1. A valid Texas BEI Level III, IV or V certification or a valid RID at CSC, CI/CT, RSC, CDI or MCSC certification. 2. Completed instruction in court interpretation through one of the following methods: (a) At least 120 hours of instruction in courtroom interpretation approved by DHHS; (b) Mentoring for at least 120 hours of actual practice by a certified court interpreter approved DHHS; or (c) A combination of DHHS instruction and mentoring totaling at least 120 hours. · The development of the application process, which will be available for dissemination and posted on the DARS-DHHS web site by December 1, 2005. · The development of testing procedures that includes a list of test sites and directions, a study guide, and samples of examination content. This information will be available for dissemination and posted on the DARS-DHHS web site by December 1, 2005. · The development of CEU requirements and a certification maintenance process that will be available for dissemination and posted on the DARS-DHHS web site by December 1, 2005. Currently certified court interpreters should expect to receive correspondence from the BEI in December, 2005, concerning certificate maintenance, which is due by January 31, 2006. The certificate maintenance fee is $35. In addition, the five-year certification period ends January 31, 2007, at which time 7.5 CEUs are required; of which at least 2.0 CEUs must be court-related topics approved by DHHS. The certification renewal fee is $100. Any questions about court interpreter certification should be directed to Randi Turner at randi.turner@dars.state.tx.us or Angela Bryant at angela.bryant@dars.state.tx.us. Texas Trilingual Initiative DHHS and the University of Arizona partnered to get a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop the nation's first Hispanic trilingual interpreter certification tests. This work began in November, 2004. Stemming from the pioneering work of the Texas Hispanic Trilingual Task Force, the new certification exams will test candidate's proficiency in ASL/English/Spanish, ensuring that the large and growing Hispanic deaf and hard of hearing community in Texas has equal access to education, social services, health care and other vital services, and especially to be able to communicate with their Spanish speaking families. During the month of July, BEI staff traveled to various Texas cities to conduct pilot testing of the new Spanish Proficiency examination for 52 BEI and RID certified interpreters. Presently, the results of those exams are being compiled and more updates will be forthcoming. BEI Office Welcomes New Team Member For more than a decade, Connie Sefcik-Kennedy and Angela Bryant have worked diligently to provide the best possible services to the consumers and interpreters of Texas. At times we experienced challenges and minor setbacks striving to meet all of the demands of the program. But with persistence, dedication and team work we've managed to maintain a level of consistency. At this time we are pleased to introduce Beth Hasty, a new staff addition who began working in the BEI program on September 1, 2005. For the last several months Beth worked as the DHHS receptionist and provided assistance to the Specialized Telecommunications Assistance Program (STAP). We are thrilled to have her on our team and look forward to providing even better services in the near future! As always, thanks to all BEI certified interpreters for your continued support and we look forward to hearing from you whenever questions arise. Send email to bei@dars.state.tx.us or call us at 512.407.3250 or 512.407.3251 (TTY).

ASL: "Interpreting in Texas"