Interpreter Program

The Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind has a highly trained staff of interpreter/tutors to serve our students attending local public schools. They participate on the student's IEP team, as well as collaborate with staff from MSDB and the public schools. It is the responsibility of the interpreter to facilitate communication between the deaf or hard of hearing student and the teachers, classmates, or other school staff, and to provide access to the curriculum. The primary function is to facilitate communication by interpreting (signing) all lecture, instruction, and discussion in the classroom as well as interpret (voice) all student comment, question and response. While the student is ultimately responsible for his/her own work, tutoring services can be provided before, after and during school at designated study hall times. Interpreters prepare for classes by learning specific vocabulary, pre-reading material, and by previewing audio or non-captioned video tapes that will be used in the classroom. They also work with students empowering them to become good consumers of interpreting services. This involves knowing his/her responsibilities and the interpreter's role is as they progress through school.

In addition to interpreting, several of the interpreters have been trained as “captioners”. As captioners, the interpreter uses a laptop computer and voice recognition software to caption what the teacher is saying. The captioner can sit anywhere in the classroom and communicate wirelessly to the student's laptop. The student can read in real-time the instructor's lesson. This captioning system is best used in lecture classes like history, science, English, etc.

Our interpreters also interpret extra-curricular activities such as sports, cheerleading, speech and debate, and many others. They assist with and often lead public school sign language clubs.

The interpreters maintain their skills by continuing to participate in professional development opportunities and/or by continued education through colleges/universities. Most have participated in an EICP and have been assessed by the EIPA. Several hold national level educational and generalist certifications through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID).

Additional Resources

Professional Organizations for Interpreters

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf

Montana Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf

Montana links for Interpreters

http://www.opi.state.mt.us

Colleges and Universities providing training for Interpreters

www.rrfcnetwork.org/mprrc/ask12

http://gspp.gallaudet.edu/

http://frcc.cc.co.us/

http://www.seecenter.org

http://minerva.stkate.edu/pdpweb/index.html  - This website has modules to guide interpreters through creating a professional development plan.

Sign language dictionaries and websites

http://www.handspeak.com/

http://www.aslpro.com/

http://www.lifeprint.com/

http://www.dawnsignpress.com/

http://www.needsoutreach.org - Click on Deaf and Hard of Hearing, then ASL Video Library.  This website has videos of signs for a variety of academic subjects.  Great resource for interps for academic sign vocabulary.

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm  -  ASL Browser - this is another website that has ASL sign vocabulary in video form. 

http://where.com/scott.net/asl/ - this website provides fingerspelling practice in isolation

http://www.aasdweb.com/mysignlink/ - requires QuickTime - "MySignLink is an internet-based American sign language tool for Windows. It allows you to see a sign, signed definition, or picture for many English words and phrases. It currently has approximately 17,000 entries. Use it while browsing web pages, reading a book, watching captioned TV, doing homework, studying for a test, ... eating a sandwich, taking a bath, communicating with a deaf family member... . Anytime is MySignLink time."

http://www.aslpro.com/games/jeopardy/jeopardy.html - An ASL dictionary that includes signs for phrases and idioms. It also has games to improve your signing and simple tests you could use to improve daily vocab.

http://aslpro.com/ - It has a variety of links to satisfy your signing goals!

Deaf Focused

http://www.csd.tv/

http://www.harriscomm.com/

http://www.adcohearing.com/

http://arizonatotalimmersion.com - Arizona Total Immersion program -  a great place to immerse in ASL and Deaf culture