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Program Mission Statement

The mission of the ASL/English Interpreting Program is to prepare entry-level practitioners who are capable of managing the intercultural demands and complex cognitive tasks for conveying dynamically equivalent messages between American Sign Language and English. The curriculum prepares professionals with a course combination that includes ethics, language, ASL to English Interpreting, English to ASL interpreting, interpreting for persons who are DeafBlind, service learning, intercultural contexts, and field experience. Capstone practicum placements provide students with real world interpreting experience under the supervision of certified interpreters. The program is based on core values of ethical reasoning and decision-making, critical thinking, and Deaf community alliance. In addition, we aspire to graduate students who consistently demonstrate interpersonal skills that reflect unconditional positive regard for all participants in the interpreting process and professional dispositions that embrace diversity, respect, equity, and equality of opportunity among the diverse language and cultural groups of the community. Program faculty members are committed to conducting and incorporating research in interpreting and interpreter education, receiving ongoing training on best practices in distance learning, and infusing the standards outlined by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

Content/Discipline-Specific Knowledge/Skills

• Demonstrate professional dispositions, respectful demeanor, and unconditional positive regard when communicating with consumers, hiring agencies, colleagues, and other stakeholders of interpreting services.
• Demonstrate culturally appropriate behaviors (e.g., boundary flexibility, alliance building, and trust formation) within the Deaf community.
• Simultaneously and consecutively transfer a dynamically equivalent message between ASL and English.

Communication Skills

Critical Thinking Skills

Assessment Approaches

º£½ÇÉçÇøgraduates of the ASL/English Interpreting Program will demonstrate competence in the following program outcomes (assessment approaches in parentheses):

(#1) Human Relations, professional dispositions, community engagement and professionalism (Examination, Asset Map, Portfolio Presentation, Journal)

(#2) Multiculturalism and Diversity (Interpreting Performance Video, Academic English Assignment, Asset Map, Journal)

(#3) Meaning Transfer (Interpreting Performance Video, Translation)

(#4) Language Comprehension and Expression (Academic ASL Assignment, Academic English Assignment, Mind Map, Translation, Interpreting Performance Video)

(#5) Self-assessment of Process and Product (Self-Assessment, Skill Plan, Think Aloud Protocol, Journal)