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MINUTES

INTERPRETIVE SERVICES STUDY COMMITTEE

December 2, 1996 - First and Only Meeting

MEMBERS PRESENT

MEETING IN BRIEF

Organizational staffing services and minutes provided by Richard Nelson, Legal Counsel

  1. Procedural Business.
  2. Opening Remarks.
  3. Deaf Services Needs Assessment Survey Results, Certification and Access Issues.
  4. Evolution of Interpretive Services Overview, Need for Certification.
  5. Educational Interpretative Services, Training Requirements and Assessment Standards.
  6. Interpretive Services in Other States.
  7. Post-secondary Education Interpretive Services and the Impact of Certification.
  8. Committee Discussion.
  9. Recommendation.
  10. Written Materials Filed with the Legislative Service Bureau.

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

1. Procedural Business.
Call to Order.Temporary Co-chairperson Szymoniak called the meeting to order at 10:07 a.m., in Room 116 of the Statehouse in Des Moines, Iowa. All members were present with the exception of Representative Linda Nelson.
Election of Co-chairpersons and Adoption of Rules. Upon motion, the two Temporary Co-chairpersons were elected permanent Co-chairpersons, and the proposed rules were unanimously adopted.
Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 2:44 p.m.
2. Opening Remarks.
Senator Szymoniak made a brief opening statement, indicating that there has been tremendous growth in the demand for interpretive services, and that the interim study committee on interpretive services was formed as the result of questions which have arisen regarding whether state licensure or certification of interpreters is needed.
3. Deaf Services Needs Assessment Survey Results, Certification and Access Issues.
Overview. Ms. Kathryn Baumann-Reese, Division of Deaf Services of the Department of Human Rights, presented a summary of access and quality issues related to interpretive services, discussed the impact of federal legislation on the demand for interpretive services, described current Deaf Services Commission interpretive and educational services, and, with Mr. Jerry McKim of the Department of Human Rights, discussed the results of an interpretive services needs assessment survey.
Access and Quality. Regarding access and quality issues, no census or official registry of interpretive service consumers or providers exists in the state, nor are there general state requirements regarding interpreter licensure or qualification. The result is that virtually anyone can claim to be an interpreter without regard to their level of competency, and consumers have limited recourse when inadequate services are provided. Ms. Baumann-Reese indicated that some guidelines do exist, such as membership in the national or state Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) organizations, or receiving satisfactory scores on quality assurance screening tests utilized in several states and by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). The Iowa Code contains two references to RID certification within the context of a court proceeding or at time of arrest, but beyond these narrow circumstances does not address interpreter qualifications. The RID or quality assurance screening approaches might be options for Iowa to consider in arriving at some type of state certification requirement. With the passage of the federal Vocational Rehabilitation and Americans With Disabilities Acts, demand for services has greatly increased, rendering the lack of census and interpreter standards issues very significant.
Needs Assessment Survey. Ms. Baumann-Reese introduced Mr. Jerry McKim of the Department of Human Rights to discuss the development and outcome of a needs assessment survey distributed to approximately 1,200 interpretive services consumers by the Deaf Services Commission. Mr. McKim indicated that he compiled the list of survey contacts from several out-of-date databases, and agreed that a more complete and up-to-date census is needed. Among the conclusions he reached from the survey results are that the Deaf Services Commission is a necessary contributor of interpretive services, interpreter access issues were frequently cited by the respondents with one-third indicating it is difficult for them to locate a professional interpreter when needed, and that the density of interpreters in the state appears to correlate with state deaf population density, centers for higher learning and deaf training program locations. Ms. Baumann-Reese indicated that the Deaf Services Commission is reviewing the results of the survey, assessing the services that the Commission is currently providing, and evaluating the merits of having interpretive services exclusively provided by the private sector.
4. Evolution of Interpretive Services Overview, Need for Certification.
Overview. Mr. Jim Hanson, past Supervisor of Services for the Deaf in the Vocational Rehabilitation Division of the Department of Education, provided an overview of the evolution of sign language and the need for state certification for interpreters.
History. Mr. Hanson indicated that up until the late 1950s it was the common practice throughout the deaf community for family or acquaintances to provide interpretive services. This potentially placed the interpreter in a position of undue influence and could result in violations of confidentiality. In the 1960s, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) was established in recognition of the need for some form of professionalization of interpretive services. Historically, American Sign Language, a conceptual approach, has been the primary form of sign language. With the advent of the RID, came a modified "Signed English" system which is primarily language-based. Traditionally, most deaf Americans utilized American Sign Language, but the Signed English approach is favored by the education system. Interpreters may be trained in one or both approaches. One drawback of the concept-reliant American Sign Language approach is the difficulty in learning and applying language-based writing skills.
Certification. Mr. Hanson stated he is a strong proponent of RID certification, but concedes that RID certification has not found widespread acceptance and that his is not a popular view. He noted that RID certification has an elitist image, and is expensive and time-consuming to attain. As a result many interpreters seeking certification attain some other form of certification, such as the assessment screening systems summarized by Kathryn Baumann-Reese. These systems are primarily geared toward assessing present skill level, rather than imposing minimum levels of competency. Mr. Hanson indicated that virtually every other professional has some sort of certification mechanism in place, and that certification will accomplish the dual objectives of protecting the deaf community and fostering a sense of group professional identity among interpreters. Mr. Hanson related that, compared to thirty years ago, tremendous gains have been made in opportunities for deaf individuals_from semiskilled and skilled labor to professional status now.
5. Educational Interpretive Services, Training Requirements and Assessment Standards.
Ms. Jeananne Hagen and Ms. Tammy Adkins, Iowa Department of Education, and Ms. Marcia Gunderson, Iowa School for the Deaf, discussed the need for and roles of interpreters in education, training requirements, and assessment standards. Ms. Hagen indicated that, since 1975, when federal requirements providing for the education of deaf individuals in the least restrictive environment were introduced, there has been a gradual shift from institutionalization of deaf children to education in their local setting, with a corresponding increased need for interpreters. Currently, 141 interpreters are employed by school districts within the state. It is estimated that there are approximately 30-50 preschool age "profoundly deaf" children in the education system, and approximately 150-200 school age children. Ms. Hagen described entry-level standards for educational interpreters agreed upon by the Department of Education and the Area Education Agencies, consisting of either completion of a formal two-year interpreter training program or successful achievement of a level 3 rating or above on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA). The EIPA evaluates interpretive skill relative to education of the child, rather than adult-adult interaction. The EIPA is also student and grade-specific, as compared to more generalized assessment standard tools such as the Quality Assurance Screening Test (QUAST). Ms. Hagen stated that relatively few formal complaints are filed regarding educational interpreter quality, but access issues are widespread.
6. Interpretive Services in Other States.
Mr. Ralph Childers, Vocational Rehabilitation, addressed access, quality, cost, and certification issues with respect to interpretive services in other states, and interpretive services within the context of vocational rehabilitation. Mr. Childers surveyed several other states, and determined that while interpreter access in metropolitan areas in all surveyed states is fairly good, it is not adequate. In rural areas there appears to be a significant shortage of interpreters and a number of corresponding access issues. Within the vocational rehabilitation context in Iowa, many offices do not have access to a qualified interpreter, and therefore contract out for any required interpretive services. Most vocational rehabilitation counselors do not possess interpretive skills, and those who do, or the private vendors who are contracted with, are generally not RID or QUAST certified. Mr. Childers expressed support for the development of standards regarding interpretive services, but cautioned against proceeding too quickly or imposing standards at too high a level, resulting in a decline in the already limited access presently available.
7. Post-secondary Education Interpretive Services and the Impact of Certification.
Ms. Donna Chandler and Ms. Carol Collier, University of Iowa Student Disability Services, discussed the variety of interpretive services provided for deaf and hard-of-hearing university students, interpreter qualifications, and the impact of certification on access to interpreters at the University of Iowa.
Ms. Chandler indicated that there are presently nine students at the University of Iowa who are utilizing interpretive services, but that it is anticipated that this number will increase with increased awareness of the availability of the interpretive services program. Various aspects of the program were described, including notetaking, front row seats, visual warning systems and amplified sound, E-Mail, and a Remote Captioning System. Both Ms. Chandler and Ms. Collier support some form of minimum quality assurance standard for interpreters, and view certification as a desirable goal to work toward. They maintain, however, that if mandated now, certification would leave many deaf individuals lacking access to services they currently possess. In their experience, students in the university setting desire "good" interpretive qualifications, but not necessarily "certified", and there would not be a sufficient number of certified interpreters in the Iowa City vicinity to satisfy the requirements of the program.
8. Committee Discussion.
Committee discussion centered on reconciling the need for some form of certification with the impact of imposing certification requirements on interpreter availability. The committee agreed that at the present time imposing RID certification requirements is premature, and could worsen an already serious access shortage in some areas of the state. It was determined that there is a need to assess what interpretive service resources currently exist and the range of alternative certification methods, and that while some minimum interpretive service standard appears necessary, it is unclear what that standard should be and whether it can or should fit every situation. The goal should be the ready availability of competent interpretive services, with a gradual move toward some form of certification.
9. Recommendation.
The committee ultimately agreed on a recommendation that the Deaf Services Commission work with other agencies and the Legislative Service Bureau to develop a bill to be sponsored by the Interpretive Services Study Committee and included in the Committee's Final Report. The bill shall establish a statewide Task Force comprised of the Deaf Services Commission, the Department of Education, the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, and other interested agencies, organizations, and individuals and charged with developing a diagnostic feedback mechanism to assess current interpreter skill levels. The bill shall include an appropriation to cover the expense of Task Force formation, and diagnostic feedback mechanism development and implementation. The mechanism developed shall be made available at no cost to interpreters undergoing assessment. The Task Force shall submit a progress report containing a recommendation for future action to the General Assembly within one year after formation.
10. Written Materials Filed with the Legislative Service Bureau.
a. Access to and Quality of Sign Language Interpreting Services, submitted by Ms. Kathryn Baumann-Reese.
b. Written Presentation to Interpretive Services Study Committee, submitted by Mr. Jim Hanson.
c. Survey of Other States, submitted by Mr. Ralph Childers.
d. Educational Interpreter Training, submitted by Ms. Jeananne Hagen.
e. Memorandum Regarding Certification, submitted by Ms. Kim Kischer-Larson.

OTHER INFORMATION FOR THIS COMMITTEE:

| Charge | Members | Staff | Final Report |

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