NCI Seeks to Improve Sign Language Interpreting in State Courts

July 31st, 2017

The UA’s National Center for Interpretation (NCI) will receive a $25,000 sponsorship from the Judicial Council of California to develop a job task analysis survey for sign language interpretation in the legal setting. 

The funding comes after a conference in San Francisco where NCI joined representatives of 26 national groups to address the critical need for assessment and training mechanisms to ensure competent legal sign language interpretation for individuals who are deaf or hard-of hearing. A comprehensive job task analysis survey that includes a detailed list of the essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) for legal sign language interpreters is the first step in that process.

Based on its national reputation and work over nearly two decades developing sign language certification examinations, the National Center for Interpretation was selected to collaborate with several subject matter experts over seven months to develop the job task analysis survey, said John Bichsel, Senior Coordinator of Testing and Curriculum for NCI.