Final Interpreter Referral Agency Needs Assessment Released October 2008
The objective of the interpreter referral agency needs assessment process was to compile and establish baseline information regarding interpreter referral agencies, the services they provide, and the interpreters they employ.

The report presents both broad and detailed findings, identified through a comprehensive analysis of the information that was collected through the survey process. Finally broad conclusions are shared, designed to assist the Consortium in understanding basic patterns and trends that emerged through the analysis process.

Findings and results will be utilized by NCIEC to develop interpreter education priorities, to identify, establish and implement effective practices, and to institute appropriate and relevant evaluation processes. To see all of the Needs Assessment reports, please click here.

Final Phase I Report on Deaf Consumer National Needs Assessment Released
September 2008
The Phase I Deaf Consumer Needs Assessment Report serves as a starting point for understanding the current and projected needs of deaf consumers as they relate to the availability, quality and overall use of interpreter services. The Phase I Deaf Consumer Needs Assessment effort was designed as only the first in a series of on-going activities planned by NCIEC to collect input from deaf consumers.  Upon recommendation by its external evaluators, it was agreed that the Phase I effort would target just those deaf consumers that could be easily reached through an electronic survey, a data collection tool used successfully in the previous needs assessment efforts. 
The Phase II needs assessment activities will be carried out through the conduct of interview and focus group sessions with additional targeted segments of the nation’s deaf consumer population .  The NCIEC will work closely with agencies and programs serving deaf populations (e.g. independent living centers and other groups), in each of its five regions to identify deaf individuals who were unlikely to have been reached by the electronic survey to participate in those planned sessions. To see all of the Needs Assessment reports, please click here.

back to top

Final Report on Interpreter Education Programs National Needs Assessment Released
July 2008
The National Consortium has released its final report for the IEP national needs assessment. Since grant award, the National Consortium has been working on a number of national initiatives, one of which has been design, development and implementation of needs assessment activities in key focus areas. The overrall objective of these needs assessments is to identify current and future needs of interpreter education programs, interpreter educators, interpreters and consumers of interpreting services. This report is the second national needs assessment fully completed by the National Consortium; the first focused on understanding needs of interpreter practitioners. To see all of the Needs Assessment reports, please click here.

National Task Force on Deaf-Blind Interpreting Releases Annotated Bibliography on Deaf-Blind Interpreting
July 2008
The National Task Force on Deaf-Blind Interpreting (NTFDBI) has released its annotated bibliography on Deaf-Blind interpreting. This work is intended for use by interpreters and interpreter educators, as well as deaf-blind people seeking resources on advocacy and working with interpreters. Please click here to view the document.

back to top

RID VIEWS, May 2008
The National Consortium Website: Useful for Getting Started...Or Just Getting Information!
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers is dedicated to improving the field of sign language interpreting – in accomplishing our work initiatives we are constantly gathering new information that we share through our website.  Haven’t visited the website? It’s at www.nciec.org/.

CIT News, April 2008
Disco Interpreting - It's All the Rage! 
No, this is not a new dance craze or interpretive dance, or even about Marlee Matlin on Dancing With the Stars, but this is how the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers affectionately abbreviates a most exciting initiative intended to address the more serious interpreter shortage we will face in coming years, also known as: Discover Interpreting!

At the recent RID 2007 conference held in San Francisco, Betsy Winston and Dennis Cokely presented findings on a survey conducted to assess the present and future field of working interpreters.  Of the nearly 4,000 respondents, information was gleaned, analyzed, and projected to address future trends in our profession. Read More...

back to top

RID VIEWS, February 2008
Deaf-Blind Interpreting: Many Paths on the Road 
There are many paths on the road toward becoming an interpreter skilled in working with people who are deaf-blind. While many interpreting programs around the country offer some amount of education in the area of deaf-blind interpreting, the amount of education ranges significantly from a single class session, to a course, to a program concentration.  There are, however, various resources throughout the country available to assist one on their professional journey.  This includes numerous volunteer opportunities that allow interpreters to become comfortable in the community, develop relationships that build trust, and learn about interpreting with deaf-blind people. Read More...

NCIEC Conducts Deaf Interpreter National Survey February 14 - March 14, 2008
As part of its efforts to understand the practice of Deaf Interpreting, the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers is conducting a national survey of Deaf Interpreters.  The survey was open online from February 14 – March 14, 2008.  Deaf individuals who work in the capacity of interpreters in any setting, whether on a part-time or full-time basis, and whether certified or not, were invited to participate.  It is hoped that the survey will shed light on the background and experiences of Deaf interpreters, whom they work with, in what settings, and what their professional development needs are. Results of the survey will be available in mid-April.

back to top

Interested Deaf Interpreters can view the ASL invitation to participate at www.asl.neu.edu/nciec/DI_surveyintro.html, however, the survey itself has been closed. We thank all who participated for their input!

CIT News, January 2008
Raising the Bar: NCIEC Support for IEPs Pursuing CCIE Accreditation
The six Centers of the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers are actively engaged in improving the quality of interpreting education across the nation. Ensuring quality interpreting education is highlighted in four of the six NCIEC goals. As part of its mission to promote effective practices, the NCIEC encourages interpreting education programs to become accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE). The National Consortium, through its National Interpreter Education Center and five Regional Interpreter Education Centers, will offer funding support to those courageous and enterprising programs engaging in the process of self-study toward accreditation. Read More...

CIT News, January 2008
The National Consortium Renews Its Dedication to Diversity
As the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) enters its third year, it continues to aggressively address the shortage of qualified interpreters through investigation of effective practices in interpreter recruitment, education, and mentorship. Fundamental to these efforts is our commitment to include diverse perspectives and make our work fully accessible; we have begun this by looking inward at our internal communication and approach to work. The consortium represents the diverse communities that we work with, both geographically and culturally. While our geographic distribution allows us to consider the needs of interpreters and interpreter students from all parts of the country and US territories, the need to communicate at a distance challenges us to make our communications within the consortium clear, timely, and above all accessible to our members. Read More...

back to top

ADARA Article, November 2007
Deaf Advocacy Training through the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers, a collaboration of six member centers funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, is dedicated to the advancement of interpreter education and service to the Deaf community. Of particular focus are interpreters working with vocational rehabilitation clients and other adult deaf consumers. Read More...

Grant Funding Available – Letter of Invitation Available Now!
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers is seeking a qualified entity or entities to develop and implement a nation-wide education program to the Deaf Community.  More specifically, this new program will provide culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate education to the diverse population of Deaf, hard of hearing and Deaf-Blind individuals regarding their rights to communication access as it pertains to interpreting. Read More...

back to top

VIEWS Article, October 2007
Historic Gathering of Key VRS Representatives a Worthwhile Event! Video Relay Interpreting Summit
It was an incredible Indian Summer week in Washington, D.C. - sunny days, trees just thinking about their autumn colors, and a breathtaking harvest moon. Not that anyone who attended the first-ever Academia-Industry Collaboration: An Essential Partnership for Preparing Qualified Personnel Resources for the Video Relay Services Industry had a lot of time to enjoy the lovely leftovers of summer. For September 25-27, 2007, representatives from eight Video Relay Service companies found themselves engrossed in dialogues of discovery as they identified common issues and concerns, and worked toward articulating the needs that exist to ensure a larger, more highly qualified workforce. Read More...

VIEWS Article, October 2007
National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers: An Update!
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC or Consortium) is a relatively new institution in the field of interpreting and interpreting education. Formed very late in 2005, the Consortium, consisting of 6 member Centers, has been working diligently to meet and exceed the mandates of the federal government funding priorities. Results of much of our work to date can be viewed at our website, www.asl.neu.edu/nciec/. Our projects, our mission, reports of our activities, resources for interpreters, educators and mentors populate the site. A recent market survey indicates that, despite our short history, stakeholders and consumers are beginning to recognize the efforts and ideals of the Consortium. At this juncture, barely two years into our work, we hope this update will serve to further inform practitioners and educators, consumers and stakeholders alike. Read More...

back to top

CIT News Article, Fall 2007
National Consortium News
Regional Meetings of Interpreting Education Program Administrators
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers is offering a series of regional meetings of interpreting education program administrators during the 2007-2008 academic year.  The first of these, hosted by the Northeastern University Regional Interpreter Education Center (NURIEC), was held August 30-31, 2007.  The meetings are intended to introduce program administrators to existing and emerging research-based tools and initiatives for achieving curricular and organizational cohesion and quality instruction, a challenging enterprise in the face of staffing and fiscal constraints in today’s programs. Participating program administrators have the opportunity to explore issues of faculty qualifications, staffing (adjunct and full-time) and teaching loads, and their impact on program capacity to offer a cohesive and comprehensive education.  Dr. Betsy Winston, Director of the National Interpreter Education Center, will facilitate the meetings. Read More...

Application Deadline Extended to June 15, 2007 for NCIEC RID Mentoring Grant Program!
The NCIEC RID Mentoring Grant Program application deadline for the current fiscal year has been extended to allow for more applications. Affiliate Chapters of RID and their collaborating organizations are encouraged to apply for the NCIEC RID Mentoring Grant funds by June 15, 2007. Due to the collaboration between NCIEC and RID, as well as NCIEC's additional funding for the current fiscal year, the grant award for each approved program may be increased from $2000 to as high as $5000 per program. The application must come directly from an RID Affiliate Chapter, even if another collaborating organization will be leading the mentoring program. For more information about the collaboration between NCIEC and RID, visit RID's website at www.rid.org.

back to top

NCIEC RID Mentoring Grant Program
Changes are under way in the RID mentoring challenge grant program. RID is partnering with the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) to increase the pool of funds available for mentoring projects, and a task force is in place working on revisions to the application and reporting process for the grant program. Read More...

Deaf Interpreting Focus Groups
The DI Workgroup established through the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) is seeking participants for Focus Groups to be conducted in NCIEC and the region centers.  The short-term goal of the Focus Groups is to determine standard practices in deaf interpreting via interview of working certified and non-certified deaf interpreters.  Long-term goals include establishing best practices in deaf interpreting as well as developing training opportunities for deaf interpreters. Read More...

Best Practices in Mental Healthcare Interpreting
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) is developing a post-baccalaureate program in Mental Healthcare Interpreting. The curriculum will be based on the essential elements of effective practice in mental healthcare interpreting as agreed upon by consumers and experts alike. To date, the NCIEC Mental Health Interpreting workteam has collaborated with Deaf consumers, mental healthcare providers, and interpreter/practitioners from spoken and sign language communities from across the U.S. in a rigorous process to identify effective practices. Read More...

back to top

VIEWS Article, January 2007
Mental Healthcare Interpreting Program in the Making
Mental healthcare interpreting is among the highest areas of demand for Deaf and hearing interpreters alike.  As high-stake and highly personal as mental healthcare is for consumers, mental healthcare interpreting presents unique communicative and ethical challenges for interpreters. Yet, few opportunities for specialty training have been developed – until now: The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) is creating a graduate certificate program in mental healthcare interpreting. Read More...

NCIEC Creates Marketing Brochure and Website
No one can argue convincingly that the supply of interpreters is adequate to meet the demand.  Yet, until now, our field has never embarked on a concerted, organized marketing strategy to promote interpreting as a career.  Most Interpreter Education Programs simply rely on word of mouth, sending out informational brochures on request.  Few have in place a serious recruitment plan aimed at attracting, identifying, tracking, and realizing student enrollments.  The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) has taken the lead in implementing an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) campaign aimed at increasing the number of students entering interpreting education programs. The first products of the marketing campaign – a  program-neutral brochure and a website under construction – may be seen at www.discoverinterpreting.com. Read More...

back to top

VIEWS Article, September 2006
NCIEC Update
The NCIEC is moving right along with Year One initiatives, one of which is conducting national needs assessments, as mentioned in last month’s issue of VIEWS. We are well underway with the collection of various stakeholder assessments, including those from practitioners, consumers, and educators. Our vision at the NCIEC is to create new opportunities in interpreter education and advance the field of sign language interpretation by drawing upon the energy and wisdom of interpreters, educators, consumers and other stakeholders. As such, we value your input and look forward to your participation. We are working to translate the needs assessments into Spanish and into ASL, in order to effectively reach more stakeholders. Soon we’ll be adding an online version of our needs assessments in order to reach more stakeholders in educational and government settings. We are also looking forward to more extensive collection of input through interviews and focus groups conducted with stakeholders. Read More...

CIT News, June 2006
NCIEC Update
The NCIEC is excited to announce two important activities for the field. We are conducting a series of national needs assessments, including two designed to gather information about interpreter educators and interpreting programs. We will also be sponsoring pre-conference activities at the CIT convention in October, and offering several workshops during the week. Read More...

back to top

VIEWS Article, May 2006
NCIEC Needs Assessment Queries Interpreters and Students
Since our first face-to-face meeting in January, the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) has been, in the words of Dr. Bruce Tuckman, “forming, storming, norming, and performing!”  Far from being off in our respective regional corners, our six Centers have been exploring the nature of our new collaborative, actively interacting on Year 1 development projects.  We believe that the new Consortium structure – and the collaborations it fosters with others – has the potential to bring about far-reaching, measurable enhancements in interpreter education and professional development.  We would like to draw RID members’ attention to a major focus of NCIEC’s Year 1 activities, one in which we urge your collaboration. We have embarked on a mandated and much-needed national needs assessment. Read More...

August 28-October 30, 2006
Deaf Advocacy Training Project
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers is seeking a qualified entity or entities to develop and implement a nation-wide education program to the Deaf Community.   Read More...

September 28-November 1, 2006
Survey for Effective Practices in Mentoring
The National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC) recognizes the importance of mentorship in our field and would like to learn more about the mentoring activities happening across the country.  Our goal is to identify effective practices in the field of mentoring interpreters.  To do this, we need your help!  Read More...