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3-2022

The Start of Something New The Start of Something New

Leslie Ann McCuan

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The Start of Something New

By

Leslie McCuan

A professional project submitted to

Western Oregon University

In partial fulfillment of the

Requirements for the degree of

Master of Arts in Teaching Interpreting

January 2022

2

Abstract

The goal of this professional project is to generate a proposal for a sign language

interpreter training program at California State University of Bakersfield, constructed from

research on the community’s needs in Bakersfield. Surveys will be issued to all stakeholders

such as, American Sign Language students, working interpreters, interpreting agencies and the

Deaf and hard of hearing community of Bakersfield. The data collected from these groups will

provide information on the current state of the interpreting field in Bakersfield. This data

collected from surveys will be used to support the proposal for an interpreter training program at

California State University Bakersfield. Any issues that arise, related to the interpreting field in

Bakersfield, from the surveys will be addressed and possibly researched as well. While this

project is specific to Bakersfield, this information could be of use to others as well, to improve

their community and field of interpreting.

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Table of Contents

Abstract ................................................................................................................................ 2

Appendices ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

List of Figures ...................................................................................................................... 5

California State University of Bakersfield Interpreter Education Proposal ............................... 6

References .......................................................................................................................... 15

Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................................ 16

Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 16

Background ......................................................................................................................... 16

Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................... 18

Purpose of the Study ........................................................................................................... 20

Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................ 21

Limitations of Study ........................................................................................................... 23

Chapter 2 ............................................................................................................................ 24

Literature Review ................................................................................................................ 24

Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................................ 27

Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 27

Client/consumer Survey (Deaf and Hard of Hearing) ................................................................. 28

ASL student survey ..................................................................................................................... 28

Agency survey ............................................................................................................................. 29

Working Interpreter survey........................................................................................................ 29

Population and Sample ........................................................................................................ 31

Data Analysis Procedure ...................................................................................................... 32

Chapter 4 Results ............................................................................................................... 33

Findings.............................................................................................................................. 33

Client/consumer Results ............................................................................................................. 33

ASL Students and Potential Enrollee Results .............................................................................. 35

Interpreter Results ..................................................................................................................... 39

Agency results ............................................................................................................................. 42

Chapter 5 ........................................................................................................................... 45

Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 45

4

Chapter 6 ........................................................................................................................... 48

Plans for Future Research .......................................................................................................... 48

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 50

References .......................................................................................................................... 52

Appendices ......................................................................................................................... 56

........................................................................................................................................... 73

5

List of Figures

Figure 1: Reported usage of interpreting services by client/consumers

Figure 2: Client/consumer satisfaction with interpreting services received

Figure 3: Student interest for bachelor level local ITP

Figure 4: Influences on student decision to continue education of interpreting

Figure 5: Age of participants for student interest in ITP

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California State University of Bakersfield Interpreter Education Proposal

For over 7 years now I have been an interpreter in the Bakersfield area and have gathered

anecdotal information from different groups about the quality of interpreters provided to the

Deaf community as well as the need for a local interpreter training program from sign language

students and interpreters in the area. The closest programs are 2 to 3 hours away and may be hard

for those who already have a family or job in Bakersfield to relocate or travel daily or weekly.

This proposal aims to show a possible need from the community in order to establish an

interpreter training program on the campus of California State University Bakersfield.

ASL/English Interpreting

American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language used by those who identify as Deaf

and belonging to a cultural minority. ASL is its own language and not “English on the hands” as

it was often referred to in the past (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication

Disorders, 2019). According to William Stokoe, the founder of Sign Language linguistics, in the

Gallaudet Press, ASL is separate from English and has a specific structure and grammatical

features different from those of spoken languages (Gupress.Gallaudet.edu). The word deaf is

used to identify a hearing loss, but Deaf with a capitalized D means to belong to a culture and

societal norms of the Deaf community (Fant,1990). As an English speaker facilitating

communication between Deaf and hearing consumers it is important to adhere to the cultural

norms of both groups.

In the past, Sign Language interpreters tended to be a friend or family member of the

Deaf client. As awareness for Sign Language and the Deaf community has spread over the years,

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the interpreter has moved from this role as a “helper” known as the helper model to the

professional model. Now, interpreters are not so often recruited family members or friends, they

are trained, educated professionals who adhere to a Code of Professional Conduct, are paid for

their skill and should be certified at an educational, state and/or national level (Frishberg, 1990).

The shift from “helper” to professional interpreters according to Betty Colonomos is in

part due to interpreter education programs, workshops and degree programs (Colonomos, 1982).

Often times these programs include not only learning Sign Language but also the norms of Deaf

culture and ethics an interpreter must abide by. Here in Bakersfield we have no bachelor level

interpreter training program and therefore lack certified, qualified interpreters. Currently

collected anecdotal information is that in Bakersfield we have approximately 8 nationally

certified interpreters, but not all are working in the interpreting field, some work in education as

teacher of the Deaf and do not often pick up community assignments, where the lack of

interpreters has hit the hardest.

Interpreter Education in Bakersfield, California

There has never been an interpreter education program in Bakersfield until 2018, when

Bakersfield Community College started an associate’s level 2-year program. This program has

been successful and remains open for students. At the end of this program Bakersfield College

states that students should be prepared to sit for the Educational Interpreter Performance

Assessment (EIPA) and receive a certificate of completion of the program

(Bakersfieldcollege.edu/ASL). For interpreters in Bakersfield that want to further their skills and

education in interpreting, this program is not enough. In order for interpreters to sit for the

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National Interpreters Certification (NIC) exam they must hold a bachelor’s degree, but the

program at Bakersfield College does not satisfy this requirement (RID.org). It is a widespread

belief among the Bakersfield community that the lack of interpreter training programs in the area

may be the reason that many interpreters in Bakersfield are not certified. What is the barrier to

filling jobs with highly qualified interpreters? Upon review of the Deaf community surveys, the

Deaf community states they are having to rely on Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) instead of

having an interpreter in person at their appointments. The Deaf community of Bakersfield has

shared that they are not provided adequate services. We need to make a stand with our Deaf

community and provide a training program for local interpreters, in order to better serve them.

Program Characteristics

The proposed program would be a series of in person courses spread across a two-year

span, and upon completion students will receive a bachelor’s degree, after completion of general

education courses and ASL prerequisites. The program would aim to prepare students to sit for

the National Interpreter Certification exam, as well as build their skill set and grow their

knowledge in the area of ethical code of conduct for interpreters, for a multitude of possible

scenarios they may encounter in the field. Setting up a two-year interpreting program on the

California State University of Bakersfield campus would provide exposure to multiple subject

areas, benefiting the interpreters. The Registry of Interpreter’s for the Deaf explain, in the field

of interpreting, interpreters work in many different settings such as hospitals and nursing, legal

settings such as divorce or child custody hearings, economics such as bank loans or finances, all

of which are offered courses on campus, for interpreting students to take while in the program to

9

gain more knowledge to benefit their work. The mission statement of California State University

Bakersfield which states, “Our mission is to enhance the quality of the student experience

through the development of and exposure to campus programs, activities, and organizations in a

student-centered environment.” For students to take other classes and gain exposure to so many

different settings and the way things work in those settings, to have a well-rounded

understanding, the RID website states that this will enhance the quality of the interpreter as they

gain knowledge of what will be expected of them in each setting.

The program itself would have courses for training in multiple settings. It would be

required that incoming students meet a certain level of ASL skills, decided by the team, that will

be shown through video recording of themselves of a specified video, chosen by the interpreting

program staff, and sending it to the program with their application. Students will be required to

have completed American Sign language (ASL) 4 or an equivalent.

Anticipated Student Demand

I am currently doing a research project for my master’s degree at Western Oregon

University that surveys current ASL students and working interpreters, along with the Deaf

community and interpreting agencies that service the Bakersfield area. Out of the approximately

70 ASL students surveyed close to 75% expressed interest in a local bachelor level interpreting

program. These students that marked interest in enrolling in a program said they based their

decision on having a positive influence with the Deaf community, the lack of interpreting

services for the Bakersfield Deaf community and enjoying their classes of learning Sign

Language. Some voiced a concern for the Deaf community not having adequate communication

10

because of the lack of currently working certified interpreters. Out of the approximately 30

surveyed working interpreters about 40% expressed interest in joining a local bachelor level

interpreting program. The low number of working interpreter interest was because most working

interpreters either felt comfortable enough in their current placement and didn’t feel the need to

further their education in interpreting or have plans to move in order to attend a program already

established in another city in California, or have previously attended and completed an

interpreter training program, and/or already hold some kind of interpreter certification they are

satisfied with.

Job Opportunity

As reported by an interpreting agency in my survey, interpreter requests go unfilled daily

in Bakersfield so there is a high demand for trained, qualified interpreters. In Bakersfield there is

a Deaf education program from kindergarten through high school. This program must adhere to

the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that states and supports that students

must be provided with appropriate public education that is tailored to each individual student.

The Deaf education program should be providing all of its students with a certified and qualified

interpreter however, we do not have enough here locally to be able to provide this basic need for

our students, the area in which some would argue is the most important (CDE.CA.gov). There is

also job opportunity in post-secondary education here in Bakersfield. Many Deaf students take

classes at Bakersfield Community College and qualified interpreters are needed to interpret the

lecture for classes in which Deaf students are enrolled. Sometimes these classes are longer than

two hours or can be very taxing for one interpreter, so a team of two or more interpreters is

11

needed in some instances. According to the agency, that serves Bakersfield, that responded to my

survey, out of all these listed, community interpreting is what suffers the most in terms of filling

requests. The agency was unable to provide an exact number of unfilled requests but stated that it

is a daily occurrence. When reaching out to the agencies that provide interpreting services to the

Bakersfield area, they expressed a dire need for more qualified interpreters to fill community

interpreting assignments on a daily basis, even more so now that Amazon has setup a warehouse

in the area and has Deaf employees. Amazon requests interpreters weekly for their Deaf

employees that attend staff meetings. Their response to the survey was beneficial in showing the

need for more interpreters, but also showed the lack of services provided to our local Deaf

community. This is the data collected from my agency survey. For privacy I will label the agency

that responded as “Agency 1”. Agency 1 serves the Bakersfield area and also partners with the

current interpreting program at the community college by allowing interpreting students to work

under mentor interpreters under the agency. Agency 1’s director filled out the survey response.

As the director they are in charge of dispatching interpreters to assignments, they manage

accounts payable and receivable, as well as new recruits for the agency. They stated that they

would be willing to work with and mentor students at California State University of Bakersfield

if a program were to be developed. They also expressed that since Amazon has opened a

distribution center in the Bakersfield area, they are having an even harder time filling interpreter

request. They responded that it is difficult to fill requests in the Bakersfield area because of the

lack of qualified and certified interpreters, and competition with other agencies. Agency 1 was

unable to provide me with a number of requests that go unfilled each week because there are

many factors involved with why requests go unfilled. Factors that affect the unfilled requests are

how much notice they are given for the assignment, type of assignment and time of year. On

12

average Agency 1 fills 26-35 requests a week from Deaf consumers. Agency 1 serves 26-40

hearing clients, trying to request an interpreter for their Deaf patrons, patients or clients. They

serve 26-40 Deaf clients weekly. To fill requests Agency 1 uses a mix of both staff and

contracted interpreters. Agency 1 does not require their interpreters to be certified; however, if

interpreters are not certified they must have completed an interpreter training program and must

be deemed qualified by Agency 1 standards through their in-house evaluation system. Agency 1

does not require their interpreters to hold a degree, but they are required to have completed a

training program as stated above. Agency 1 has between 11-20 interpreters they contact to fill

requests for the Bakersfield area. Their agency spends 50 or more hours a week working to fill

requests. If a request is unable to be filled, Agency 1 contacts their clients via email to let them

know. Currently Agency 1 has no staff interpreter positions unfilled, but they stated they are

always in need of contracted interpreters in order to better serve the Bakersfield community.

Curriculum

Curriculum for the proposed program was influenced by other programs established in

California, suggestions from survey participants for NIC preparedness courses, and from being

an ITP student myself and reflecting on what I liked and disliked of the program I attended.

A list of required classes may include;

Foundations of Interpreting (3units)

Skill development (3 units)

Deaf Culture and History (3 units)

Deaf literature (3 units)

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Interpreting in Medical, legal, mental health and educational settings (This would be broken up

into two terms) Interpreting in Specific settings 1 (3 units) and 2 (3units)

Interpreter preparation course for the National Certification Exam (4 units)

Ethics course (3 units)

Meaning transfer (3 units)

Practicum/internship (4 units)

Capstone course (must be taken in the last term) (5 units).

Brief Review of Courses

Foundations of Interpreting would be focused on theoretical perspectives, exploring

theoretical frameworks and methodologies that shape the profession of interpreting and explain

the process we go through as we interpret.

Deaf culture and history are important for interpreting students to know to have a deeper

understand of the Deaf community in which they serve. A large part of an interpreter’s job is

matching the cultural norms for our clients. In order to do that correctly one must expand our

knowledge of their culture and history.

Skill development would focus on the skill of interpreting English to ASL and ASL to

English. This is needed as students previously have learned to structure ASL sentences and ASL

vocabulary, but not to interpret between the two.

Storytelling is a fundamental part of Deaf culture and storytelling empowers Deaf

individuals and their community. Storytelling allows for members of the Deaf community to

14

express their experiences and generate change and awareness in and for their community. It is

essential that interpreters read about and know this part of Deaf culture.

Interpreting in specialized settings such as medical, legal, schools, post-secondary and

others is essential to the interpreters as these are the areas they will be working in when going

out into the field. Different settings require different vocabulary not used on a daily basis as well

as things like bedside manner and processes for specific settings.

Something that many students who are interested in enrolling in the program mentioned

on their surveys was that they would like a course focused on preparation for the National

Certification Exam (NIC) specifically. Since this program is aimed at preparing students to sit

for the NIC upon completion. This could be a strong lead to add to the curriculum, in order for

students to be successful when taking the NIC.

An ethics course is a requirement, as most, if not all students will be of a hearing

majority, working to facilitate communication between Deaf, a minority group, and a hearing

majority group. In the field of interpreting, interpreters come across many situations that need

tough decisions to be made quickly. It is important that interpreters have a chance to talk about

situations they have encountered in the field and discuss with their cohort, maintaining

confidentiality of the client or anyone involved, and learn of ways they could manage the

situation, or a similar situation should it arise again. This method is called Demand-control

schema-supervision. This is a vital tool for interpreters to reflect on their experiences and for

other interpreters to know that they are not alone and that often times others have experienced

the same or similar situation.

15

Meaning transfer will build the skill of understanding the message and then interpreting it

into the target language. This must include taking into account the culture and tone of those

involved.

Practicum would be an internship where students would work under an approved certified

interpreter in the Bakersfield area. The students would have to write reflection papers on their

experiences as well as having a specific number of hours required by the end of the term.

The capstone course would be a reflection of the program from the students point of

view, student reflection of the progress made, student made curriculum vitae and website

resume.

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Chapter 1

Introduction

Background

I attended a bachelor’s level online interpreter training program in 2015 at William

Woods University. My experience in this program was not beneficial in preparing me for the

National Interpreter Certification exam upon completion of the program, as my signing skills

were nowhere near certified interpreter worthy. My preference was to attend an in person or

hybrid, a mix of online and in person program however, living in Bakersfield California this was

not possible for me. The nearest in person or hybrid interpreter training program is two hours

south to Northridge, California or two hours north to Fresno, California. I am married with two

small children at this time and unable to relocate or travel back and forth to attend one of the

above in person programs. After completing my online interpreter training program, I started

working for a Bakersfield interpreter agency. Although I was new and not yet certified I was able

to take assignments that did not require specialized vocabulary. My ability to take assignments

was partially because there were very few certified working interpreters in Bakersfield at this

time of 2016 and because I had completed a training program. As I began working with other

interpreters at the agency, many voiced that they were not certified interpreters as well. Most of

these interpreters learned the language from having Deaf friends, family or learned from the

17

community college that offers American Sign Language courses. They expressed their desire to

attend an interpreter training program in order to serve as a better teammate when working with

other interpreters, and to be prepared and able to sit for the National Interpreter Certification

exam (NIC). I believe that a local program to train and prepare interpreters for the NIC, and to go

out and serve the Deaf community would be beneficial in filling assignments that may currently

go unfilled.

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Statement of the Problem

The Bakersfield area serves approximately 8,000 Deaf clients (BGLAD.org), but

currently only has 5 nationally certified working interpreters (RID.org/membersearch). Working

in the interpreting field for over seven years now, anecdotal information has been collected from

clients, other interpreters and agencies, that many community interpreting assignments, K-12 and

post-secondary interpreter positions go unfilled daily because of the lack of qualified and/or

certified interpreters. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that students

with disabilities will be provided with appropriate education and is to be tailored to each

individual’s needs. Under these stated laws providing a qualified interpreter to facilitate

communication for students falls under tailoring to the needs of the individual. There is also The

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which states that persons with disabilities are guaranteed

equal opportunities in all that they do. Providing adequate communication by a qualified

interpreter is covered under these laws. The Deaf community of Bakersfield needs access to

communication in personal appointments, parent teacher conferences and anything that requires

communication. A local bachelors level interpreting program may solve the gap in qualified

interpreters needed to fill interpreting assignments in the area. As a Bakersfield interpreter

myself, for over 7 years, many members of our community that work in higher positions at

places such as Target and Walmart, that have minimal sign language skills, have shared their

experiences of being asked to interpret for Deaf employees because they were unable to find

interpreters to fill the employers requests for services of a qualified interpreter. These community

members stated they have also been asked to interpret job interviews for Deaf applicants. This is

a huge disservice to our Deaf community as learning Sign Language and being an interpreter are

19

not the same skill. One can take ASL classes and know the language but would still need to take

interpreting classes to know such important things like following a code of ethics, meaning

transfer of the source and target languages, and taking into consideration the cultures involved in

the communication. RID states the difference between signers and interpreters is that signers can

control the pace of a conversation and what they choose to discuss. Whereas interpreters work in

settings that have specialized vocabulary and unpredictable content (RID.org/standardpractices).

These differences between signers and interpreters is a good reason why signers should never be

allowed to be placed in place of an interpreter, in settings of which they are not trained and have

no experience in. It is not equal access to the Deaf community to appoint an unqualified person

to interpret such important situations and may cause harm in the lives of the Deaf community if

proper interpretation is not provided. A remedy to this situation must be found.

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Purpose of the Study

For many years Bakersfield’s working interpreters as well as the Deaf and Hard of

Hearing communities have discussed the possible benefits of a local interpreter training program.

Could a local interpreting program solve or improve this situation? The process to start a new

program at California State University of Bakersfield is lengthy and detailed. The support from

all stakeholders is crucial in proposing this program to the university, in order to get approval. As

a student of Western Oregon University’s Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies program, I have

learned important skills to help me conduct and analyze the research as well as take part in

discourse with professionals that will decide on approval of this program. This research will

determine the possible need and market from the Bakersfield community of Sign Language

interpreters and the Deaf community for a bachelor’s level interpreter training program on the

campus of California State University Bakersfield.

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Theoretical Framework

In examining the basis of this research, there are a couple aspects that shape its makeup.

A needs assessment is presented as survey research, with both qualitative and quantitative

questions, sent to all stakeholders in the need for a bachelor’s level interpreter training program

in Bakersfield, California. If a need is shown through analyzing the survey data collected, the

next aspect of this research is curriculum development for the program.

A needs assessment was chosen for this research as the research revolves around the

possible needs of a specific community. Survey research was used in order to gain “insider”

information, in order to address the needs of the community of Bakersfield. Kavita Gupta

explains in her book, A Practical Guide to Needs Assessment, “Needs assessment is a process for

examining and framing people-related problems and performance improvement efforts.” (Gupta,

2007 p. 1)

Needs

assessment

Curriculum

development

Establish

an ITP

22

The development and design of curriculum is shaped from the needs of the community,

from collected data, as well as researching other successful programs. According to Kahn et al.

(2015) curriculum is the “heart and soul” of the world’s educational institutions. The qualitative

data collected presented suggestions from participants. The most voiced request was a built-in

course/s for NIC preparedness. Not many existing programs have such courses, so this requires

further research.

Successful programs in California were taken into consideration when developing

curriculum. California State University Northridge (CSUN) has a bachelor level ITP program.

CSUN is ranked 495 out of 2,576 schools in the nation for overall quality on College Factual's

2022 Best Colleges list (Collegefactual.com). California State University Fresno’s program was

reviewed as well as they focus on small class sizes to better support students. Reading each of

their listed requirements for completion of each program, helped to guide the development of

curriculum for a possible program at California State University Bakersfield.

Of course, an internship/capstone course would be required of the students in the last

semester of the program. Other courses would involve skill development, meaning transfer,

interpreting skills, ethics, Deaf culture and foundations of interpreting.

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Limitations of Study

A list of limitations specific to this study are as follows. The surveying of the Bakersfield

area for a local need of qualified interpreters across four different groups. Another limitation is

the use of self-reported surveys from respondents of those surveys. The responses will shape the

outcome and lead to what needs to be done to meet the needs of the surveyed groups. Surveys

were collected from those interested in surveys and those that felt comfortable responding in

written English, which may or may not be a representation of the Bakersfield area.

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Chapter 2

Literature Review

In this chapter, review of relevant literature that guided the structure of establishing an

interpreter training program and incorporating requirements of interpreters and interpreter

education will be explored.

To develop the design and curriculum of an interpreter training program, students must

be aware of how important and crucial it is to know and follow the Registry of Interpreters of the

Deaf (RID) Code of Professional Conduct. RID suggests that interpreters have a four-year

degree, so that interpreters have a basic knowledge of different subjects, and in 2003 RID passed

a motion that to sit for the National Interpreters Certification exam a 4-year degree is required

starting in 2012. (RID.org, 2013) The Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE)

was created in 2006. The CCIE contains ten standards that set expectations for competencies and

basic knowledge for students training to become interpreters (CCIE, 2019). Not only should

challenging and useful curriculum be developed, but also to provide students with educators that

are highly experienced and educated on how to teach interpreting students. Educators should be

educated themselves. They should not only be experienced as an interpreter, but they should also

be highly educated so that they are knowledgeable in the way their students learn, and base their

teachings on research and theories, their students benefit greatly from the educator’s insight

(Roy, 2000).

An important tool in an interpreter education program was created by Robyn Dean and

Dr. Robert Pollard. The Demand-Control Schema, which provides interpreters with a process to

discuss the work of interpreting. Often times people assume that interpreters take in information

25

from the source language and reproduce the same message into the target language, which does

not even begin to include everything involved in interpreting (Dean and Pollard, 2001). The

Demand-Control Schema is important in an interpreter training program so that interpreters are

able to identify mistakes and ways to correct them in the future. Demand Control-Schema

provides a process for interpreters to become strong decision-makers in the field of interpreting

(Dean and Pollard, 2013). Interpreters that do not go through an interpreter training program may

not know or benefit from the use of the Demand Control-Schema (DC-S). There are many

different categories for which demands arise such as environmental, which is different depending

on specific setting and its environment; paralinguistic, which is the consumers quality of

expressive language, again different for each client; interpersonal, which is specific interactions

among the interpreter and consumer; lastly, intrapersonal which is demands of the individual

interpreter. All of the categories listed above have different demands for each situation. Each of

the demands an interpreter comes across has a control, meaning responses or decisions made to

the demands. Going through the process of different demands and controls is something an

interpreter training program will train interpreters to use, as it is a very important and beneficial

tool for interpreters in the field. The demand control-schema may help Bakersfield area

interpreters be more qualified through reflection of ones interpreting, because the variety of

previously listed demands may be experienced when they get into the interpreting field, and they

may be better equipped to navigate these demands through the use and practice of the DC-S.

Interpreters in an education program must be aware of the importance of Deaf culture.

Deaf culture cannot be explained in a few short sentences, it must be studied and fully

understood by interpreters in the field as they must take their Deaf client’s cultural norms and

values into perspective when interpreting. According to Baker-Shenk and Cokely in their book,

26

American Sign Language, a Teacher’s Resource Text on Grammar and Culture, there are two

perspectives of Deaf culture. First, there is the Clinical-Pathological perspective, which is the

view that the Deaf community is a group of individuals with a hearing impairment which causes

learning and psychological problems to the individual who is therefore treated differently than

the hearing majority. The other perspective is cultural, which is when a minority group that

shares the same language, culture, experiences and is how many Deaf people identify (Baker-

Shenk and Cokely, 1980). A better understanding of the Deaf community, their norms, values

and preferences must be familiar to the interpreter before being placed in a setting that may

require one or all of these demands. Interpreters are to be allies with the Deaf community in

which they serve. An interpreter ally according to RID is an interpreter that respects and supports

the rights of the Deaf clients to make their own decisions and interpreter perspective of who the

Deaf community is. RID lists the ways interpreters are to be allies for the Deaf community

including, interpreters know the struggles of the Deaf community and the negative way that

some of the hearing majority treats them, this is explained in Reading Between the Signs by

Anna Mindess (2014). When working with a minority group one cannot use the excuse,

“ignorance is bliss”. As interpreters deal directly with other’s lives and influence decisions made

by those they interpret for, even if one means no harm, interpreters hold a lot of influence over

the decisions of others, based on the decisions they make. An interpreter must be trained in the

ways of Deaf culture in order to properly do their job (Mindess, 2014).

27

Chapter 3

Methodology

There is little to no data about interpreting in Bakersfield, California. In order to gather

more information specific to Bakersfield, a mix of qualitative and quantitative data was

collected. The use of qualitative and quantitative research is important in gauging the need for an

interpreter training program from the community’s perspective. The decision to do surveys was

to get a good picture of what each group needs and wants to see happen in the community of

which they live. The Deaf community was surveyed to get a perspective of the quality of

interpreting they experience and how often. The current ASL students were surveyed to see the

possible interest in a community. If there was no interest, then there would be no way to get

support from the university to establish a program. Working interpreters were surveyed to check

for possible interest as well as how many participants were already certified. The agencies were

surveyed to find how many interpreter requests go unfilled and what are the possible reasons for

unfilled assignments. Quantitative data in this research will show how many people from each

group experience the same feelings or desires. Qualitative data using open-ended questions will

allow for individuals to share more information personal to them and their experiences. The Deaf

and Hard of Hearing community is a special population, and the motivation behind this research,

to find a way to provide them with more qualified interpreters. Designing surveys in a way that

allows the Deaf community to express their concerns, frustrations and suggestions by mixing

both qualitative and quantitative methods (Rea, 2014).

28

Four surveys were created for four different groups- Deaf and hard of hearing consumers

of interpreting services, current ASL students, current working interpreters and interpreting

agencies that service the Bakersfield area. All of the participants are over the age of 18 to comply

with the IRB restrictions.

Client/consumer Survey (Deaf and Hard of Hearing)

Surveys were sent via email and as people agreed to take the survey, were asked if they

knew of others that would like to take part in this research. Most of the client survey takers were

recruited through word of mouth and through friends in the Deaf community, also known as the

snowball method. Interpreting services were offered, should they be needed, however, no one

requested services when taking the survey. The purpose of the client/consumer survey was to

gauge the perceived quality of services provided by interpreters in Bakersfield. The surveys

asked for specific areas the client/s were satisfied or dissatisfied. Clients were able to write in

specific information they wanted to share as to why or why not they were satisfied or

dissatisfied. All questions focused on interpreting services received in the last six months.

Clients were asked how often they use interpreting services and were not asked demographic

information other than how they identified- Deaf, hard of hearing or fill in the blank if something

other than the two options. No names were asked or saved on file.

ASL student survey

The purpose of this survey was to measure the amount of interest for a bachelor level

interpreting program. Surveys were emailed and some printed and all were filled out

anonymously by Bakersfield College students currently in ASL 2 or higher, and students

29

currently in the interpreting program at Bakersfield College as well. The survey asked if students

would be interested in enrolling in a bachelor level interpreting program if it were to be offered

at the local university. There were demographic questions asked such as age, gender, hearing,

Deaf or Hard of Hearing. The students were also asked if they had taken ASL at any other

college or university.

Agency survey

The main purpose of this survey was to see how many interpreting assignments go

unfilled daily, weekly and monthly. There are only two agencies that serve the Bakersfield area,

so this was a very small sample, but it clearly represents Bakersfield’s needs and possible gaps.

The survey asked how many Deaf people the agency serves each week and how they fill

requests, for example if they use staff interpreters or contracted interpreters. The survey also

asked how many of their interpreters were certified and if it is a requirement of the agency to

have certified interpreters. There is also a place for agencies to add any information they would

like to share that wasn’t present in the survey.

Working Interpreter survey

Currently working Bakersfield interpreters were surveyed to find out if they were

satisfied with the number of hour’s they are working each week and in what settings they

worked, with the possibility to mark all that apply. Interpreters were asked if they attended an

interpreter training program and if they held any kind of certifications. Interpreters were asked if

they had already attended a program or if they were to attend, what they would like to see in a

program, what they liked about the program they took, or what would they want to change about

30

the program they attended. This would provide information as to what to include in a program or

possibly what not include or focus on. Interpreters were asked if they would be interested in

attending a local program at the bachelor level with explanation as to why or why not.

31

Population and Sample

This survey research is strictly for the Bakersfield California area and the four specific

groups listed: Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults, working interpreters, American Sign language

students and interpreting agencies that serve the Bakersfield area. A total of approximately 200

surveys were sent via email or printed and filled out anonymously.

32

Data Analysis Procedure

Survey analysis was conducted after all surveys were collected from all respondents. All

answers were combined into categories to support the statement of the problem, which is if

members of the Bakersfield community would like to attend a local program, if agencies feel the

need for more qualified interpreters to fulfill assignments, and if the Deaf community feels the

need for more qualified trained interpreters. Answers were compared among the differing groups

to show similar wants and needs.

When reviewing each collected survey, the data was tallied, in individual categories for

each question asked. Information from the open-ended questions was typed on a document

labeled per the specific group of which the response came from. After tallying all responses and

separating open-ended questions individually and tallying same responses, the data was graphed

in order to show clear results. Some survey responses came after the initial analysis, but were

added to the documents as they came in.

33

Chapter 4 Results

Findings

Client/consumer Results

As previously stated, Bakersfield does not have many working nationally certified

interpreters and few educationally certified. This is a small sample of the Deaf community that

receive interpreting services as only 26 responses were filled out and returned. For the

consumer/client surveys 20 of the responses stated that they used interpreting services 2-3 times

a week, 3 reported using services daily and 3 more reported using services once a week.

Figure 1: Reported usage of interpreting services by client/consumers

34

Of the total number of responses those that used services daily all marked dissatisfied

with their experience/s in the last six months. The reason given for their dissatisfaction was that

they did not understand their interpreter and that their interpreter did not understand them. The

others that reported using services 2-3 times weekly 15 responded that they were satisfied while

5 marked dissatisfied with their experience/s in the last 6 months. Among the reasons these

clients were satisfied was that the interpreter was professional, stayed until the job was complete

and the interpreter’s message was clear during the assignment. Three out of the total respondents

said they used interpreting services once a week 2 respondents reported they were dissatisfied

with their experience/s. The reasons marked from respondents for their dissatisfaction was that

they did not understand their interpreter and felt their interpreter didn’t understand them. The

other one marked satisfied and that the interpreter was professional and that the interpretation

was clear.

Figure 2: Client/consumer satisfaction with interpreting services received

35

A noticeable pattern from many of the consumer surveys (7 of 26) was the complaint of

having to use video remote interpreting (VRI). VRI is when the interpreter is in a different

location than the client and interprets from a screen rather than in person on the job site. Many of

the consumers marked that it was hard for their interpreter to understand them, and them

understand their interpreter. Due to the fact that the interpreter wasn’t there in the room, face to

face, the clients felt that they had to repeat themselves often or their questions weren’t answered

correctly or fully. A 100% of all the respondents marked that they had experienced cancelation

of appointment/s in the last year due to the fact that no interpreter was available to take the

assignment/s. All of the respondents marked that they were Deaf. These results show that almost

half of those using interpreting services, that participated in the surveys are not satisfied with the

quality of interpreting they receive, and all have experienced frustration in their ability to retain

an interpreter for their requests.

ASL Students and Potential Enrollee Results

The purpose of this survey was to measure possible student interest, in a local bachelor

level interpreter education program. There were 68 responses returned from students. Of those

68 students, 51 responded that they would be interested in attending a local interpreter education

program.

36

Figure 3: Student interest for bachelor level local ITP

For the factors that influenced them to join the interpreting field, with the ability to mark

all that apply, all respondents marked that they had a positive experience with ASL, 40 marked

that they wanted to fill the gap in the demand for interpreting services in the Bakersfield area,

and 49 marked that they enjoyed the personal interaction with the Deaf community. The other 17

of total respondents stated that they were not interested in going into the interpreting field.

37

Figure 4: Influences on student decision to continue education of interpreting

Majority of respondents (47) were between the ages of 18-25 while 12 were between the

ages of 26-35, 8 were between the ages of 36-45 and one respondent was 65+. All respondents

marked that they were hearing.

38

Figure 5: Age of participants for student interest in ITP

A pattern noticed in this groups survey was that many respondents wrote in that a local

interpreting program would be beneficial for them because they were unable to move in order to

attend an in person interpreting program outside of Bakersfield. Some respondents wrote in that

they had families and work here in Bakersfield and that if no local program is available, they

would not be able to continue on in their interpreter education.

39

Interpreter Results

There was 28 currently working interpreters that responded to the survey. Of the 28 that

responded only 11 (39%) said they would be interested in attending a local bachelor level

interpreting program.

Figure 6: Working interpreter’s interest in attending a local ITP

The main reason for almost all 17 uninterested, was that they had already completed a

program outside of Bakersfield. The 11 students that expressed interest are somewhat new to the

field of interpreting and have either completed an interpreter training program at the associate

degree level or no program at all but want to further their education and eventually sit for the

40

National Interpreter Certification exam and want to be prepared. Only one respondent held an

NIC mastered certification while 4 others held an educational K-12 certification.

Figure 7: Certification held by working interpreters

All 28 interpreters marked that they were full time working 30 hours or more a week.

Interpreters working in K-12 made up 8 of total respondents, while 13 were community

interpreters, 6 marked medical and 6 filled in that they interpreted in post-secondary education,

interpreters were asked to mark all that apply to them.

41

Figure 8: Majority setting of which interpreting takes place

The participants were asked if they were satisfied, dissatisfied or neutral with the number

of interpreting hours available to them. The survey showed that half were neutral (14), meaning

they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and the other half (14) was satisfied with the number

of hours offered to them.

One pattern present in this group of surveys was that of the 11 participants interested in

enrolling in a bachelor level interpreter training program, 7 wrote in that they would like to see a

class dedicated to preparation for the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) exam embedded in

the program or some sort of focused preparation for the NIC. Of the 17 disinterested interpreters

that have already completed a program, 4 stated that they still had to attend workshops and didn’t

feel prepared to sit for the NIC directly out of their program and they would have preferred that

they had been more prepared in their program, for the NIC specifically.

42

Figure 9: Number of participants that mentioned the want/ed of a course focused on NIC

preparedness in an ITP program

Agency results

There are two interpreting agencies that serve the Bakersfield area. These surveys were

crucial in showing if there is a demand for interpreters, and the degree to which the Deaf

community may struggle with having their requests filled, daily. For privacy I will label the

agency that responded as “Agency 1”. Agency 1 serves the Bakersfield area and also partners

with the current interpreting program at the community college by allowing interpreting students

to work under mentor interpreters under the agency. Agency 1’s director filled out the survey

response. As the director they are in charge of dispatching interpreters to assignments, they

43

manage accounts payable and receivable, as well as new recruits for the agency. They stated that

they would be willing to work with and mentor students at California State University of

Bakersfield if a program were to be developed. They also expressed that since Amazon has

opened a distribution center in the Bakersfield area, they are having an even harder time filling

interpreter request. They responded that it is difficult to fill requests in the Bakersfield area

because of the lack of qualified and certified interpreters, and competition with other agencies.

Agency 1 was unable to provide me with a number of requests that go unfilled each week

because there are many factors involved with why requests go unfilled. Factors that affect the

unfilled requests are how much notice they are given for the assignment, type of assignment and

time of year. On average Agency 1 fills 26-35 requests a week from Deaf consumers. Agency 1

serves 26-40 hearing clients, trying to request an interpreter for their Deaf patrons, patients or

clients. They serve 26-40 Deaf clients weekly. To fill requests Agency 1 uses a mix of both staff

and contracted interpreters. Agency 1 does not require their interpreters to be certified; however,

if interpreters are not certified they must have completed an interpreter training program and

must be deemed qualified by Agency 1 standards through their in-house evaluation system.

Agency 1 does not require their interpreters to hold a degree, but they are required to have

completed a training program as stated above. Agency 1 has between 11-20 interpreters they

contact to fill requests for the Bakersfield area. Their agency spends 50 or more hours a week

working to fill requests. If a request is unable to be filled, Agency 1 contacts their clients via

email to let them know. Currently Agency 1 has no staff interpreter positions unfilled, but they

stated they are always in need of contracted interpreters in order to better serve the Bakersfield

community.

44

“Agency 2” is the other agency that serves the Bakersfield area, to fill interpreter requests

for the Deaf community in the area. I was unable to get a response from them on my survey.

45

Chapter 5

Discussion

A total of four groups were surveyed in order to find the answer to the question of

whether or not a local bachelor level interpreter training program was needed. The purpose of the

surveys were to gather data and get genuine responses from participants on a range of topics the

most important being, if students would be interested in joining an interpreting training program

if a local one was established, what students would like to see in a program, and the most

important is how the Bakersfield Deaf community feels about the quality of interpreting they

experience. Some of the responses were surprising while others were expected.

For the client/consumer survey the expected responses were to be an average of satisfied

consumers but also expected some low ratings as well, because of the low number of certified

interpreters working in the area. Of the participants, 77% said that they use interpreting services

2-3 times a week, while others varied from once a week or a few times a month. Many

respondents mentioned having to use video remote interpreting (VRI) and that they were not

satisfied with this type of interpreting, because they feel they or their interpreter missed

information. The reason that agencies use VRI is because they are unable to get a local

interpreter to fill the assignment. If there are not enough interpreters to fill assignments it would

seem that a local ITP would at the very least ease this issue, but also would be beneficial to the

Deaf community and the quality of interpreting they receive.

When surveying current ASL students, I was hopeful that many students would want to

further their education in ASL and on to interpreting. Majority of the students (75%) responded

with interest in joining an interpreter training program. For influences as to why they were

46

interested in continuing on to interpreting, all interested participants said that they had a positive

experience with ASL, 78% marked that they wanted to fill the gap in the demand for interpreting

services in the Bakersfield area, and 96% marked that they enjoyed the personal interaction with

the Deaf community. The ASL program in Bakersfield requires students to go to a specific

number of Deaf events, in order for students to be active and make friends in the Deaf

community. This requirement is often what sparks student’s love for ASL along with the culture

of the Deaf community. When proposing a program to the local university, this amount of

student interest should be helpful in showing the demand for the program.

For the currently working interpreter survey I expected that many working interpreters

may not be interested in attending a local program because they are already established in their

career and job placement. Although I was expecting the interest of working interpreters to be

low, I did not expect it to be as low as it was. Only 39% of working interpreters marked interest

in attending a local interpreter training program. The main reason for the low interest in this

group of surveys was that most respondents had completed a program, established in a different

city. Of all the 28 respondents, one holds a National Interpreter Certification and four hold an

EIPA score. This also shows the low number of certified interpreters working in the Bakersfield

area and why a local program may benefit interpreters to better their skill.

Participants from both groups, interested and uninterested, added that they would like or

would have liked a class or classes that prepared them for the NIC specifically. Interpreters that

have completed a program said that they still had to practice for the NIC after completing their

programs. Interpreters that have not yet completed a program mentioned that they would like an

NIC preparedness course as well. It seems apparent that to have a minimum of one NIC

preparedness course embedded would be an asset that could possibly attract more interpreting

47

students, as this seems to be important to both, those who have completed a program and those

who have not yet. As someone who has completed an ITP myself, I think this would be very

beneficial in a program. Many respondents from the surveys stated that they had to take multiple

workshops after completing their program in order to feel better prepared to sit for the NIC. If a

program had a course, or multiple courses for NIC preparedness imbedded it would likely

prepare students straight out of their program to sit for the NIC exam.

The agency survey showed the most needs of our community. They are unable to fill

assignments daily, and things are only getting worse as the Bakersfield area expands and more

jobs for the Deaf are brought to the area. Just as stated in the agency survey, an Amazon

distribution center just opened in the area and they have hired many Deaf employees. This has

created an even higher demand for interpreters that seems impossible to meet. The agency is

willing to partner with the proposed ITP program in helping students get practice with

interpreters already working for the agency. The exact number of requests that go unfilled was

not given by the agency, but they mentioned that it is daily. We also saw in the client/consumer

survey that their requests are denied many times because there is no interpreter to take the

assignment. A possible remedy for this issue may be to offer a training program for interpreters

and prepare them for certification, as all certified respondents had completed a program already.

Those respondents that were not certified had not yet completed an ITP program.

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Chapter 6

Plans for Future Research

There are more things that require further research. First, there are more Deaf consumers

to survey to gain an even more accurate satisfaction rate of quality in interpreters serving the

Bakersfield area. This research is a start to show there truly may be a need for a program to

better serve our Deaf community and improve the quality of interpreting in our area, however, 26

out of the thousands of Deaf we serve in this area is not a big enough sample size. More time is

needed to continue to send out surveys and wait for more responses.

If a program is established, further research must be done to show if the NIC

preparedness course/s actually support students in sitting for and passing the NIC following

graduation of the program.

Something that came up through talking to others about my research was the possibility

of a 2+2 program. A 2+2 program is when interpreting students go to a community college

associate's level interpreting program and then transfer to the bachelor level interpreting

program. The two programs would work together to guide the students to be ready for the next

part of their journey. For the associate’s level 2-year program they would prepare students to

become interpreters but also prepare them for their next step of a bachelor level interpreting

program. The bachelor level program would prepare students for the interpreting field and the

NIC exam. The possibility of a 2+2 program would need to be further explored and researched

and the community would need to be surveyed again before presenting the idea to the university.

One more topic for future research, about 20 years ago the university had a 2-year pilot

program with Fresno university (about 2.5 hours away), it’s pretty hard to find information or

49

someone that worked in the program at the time, beings that it was 20 years ago. I want to

interview the university and see if I can find information as to why this program did not

continue, what were its success’ and failures. The university is also a stakeholder that was not

surveyed in this research, so future surveying of the university is necessary now that a need from

all other stakeholders has been shown.

50

Conclusion

My findings do show there is an interest and a possible need from the community for a

local interpreting program. In order to present this to the university more research would need to

be done, mostly more survey responses are needed from the Deaf community. I will continue to

keep track of the incoming data and when it is sufficient enough, I will present it to the

university.

Having multiple programs on the campus of the university, would be a great asset to the

interpreting program for students to be able to sit in on class lectures and interpret the specialized

vocabulary used in different topics. Interpreters must have a well-rounded understanding and

knowledge of the types of settings they will be interpreting in. These settings as listed before

include nursing, finance, music and criminal justice. All of these programs listed are settings that

interpreters will come across in the field of interpreting for the Deaf community. More

information would be needed as to what would be required to allow the interpreting students to

sit in on these lectures.

Creating the course work for the program will need more research and data collection

from the community. Researching the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE)

standards, to make sure that this program is in line with their requirements, and suggestions.

Researching other successful interpreting programs and researching what parts make them

successful, is important to building a new program. Since I have created and worked with

surveys so closely for this research project, I will know how to narrow my questions in to get a

sufficient amount of data and what questions will need to be asked. I know from my current

research that an NIC preparation course will have to be created and implemented in the program,

51

as it was mentioned and requested by respondents in open ended questions of the surveys by

many.

It is my hope that the creation of some kind of program at the university whether it be a

2+2 program or an interpreting program all on its own, will help to fill the gap in certified

interpreters in the Bakersfield area. The hope that our Deaf community will have more qualified,

skilled and certified interpreters to better serve their needs.

52

References

Khan, M. A., & Law, L. S. (2015). An Integrative Approach to Curriculum Development in

Higher Education in the USA: A Theoretical Framework. International Education

Studies, 8(3), 66–68. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v8n3p66

http://www.jcreview.com (2020). Journal of Critical Reviews https://doi.org

Seidman, I. (2019). Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education

and the Social Sciences (5th ed.). Teachers College Press.

Fant, L. (1990). Silver threads: A personal look at the first twenty-five years of the Registry of

Interpreters for the Deaf. Silver Spring, MD: Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Inc.

Blogger, A. G. (2018, June 15). 6 Non-Negotiables of Curriculum Design. ASCD Inservice.

https://inservice.ascd.org/6-non-negotiables-of-curriculum-design/

Heritage, M. (2007). Formative Assessment: What Do Teachers Need to Know and Do? Phi

Delta Kappan, 89(2), 140–145. https://doi.org

Rea, L. M. (2014). Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide,

Fourth Edition (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Code of Professional Conduct. (2018) Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

https://rid.org/ethics/code-of-professional-conduct/

53

Standards. (2019). Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education Accreditation Standards.

http://www.ccie-accreditation.org/standards.html

Roy, C. B. (2000). Training interpreters – past, present, and future. In Roy, C. B.

(ed.), Innovative practices for teaching sign language interpreters. Washington,

Gallaudet University Press.

Dean, R.K. & Pollard, R. Q (2006). From Best Practice to Best Practice Process: Shifting

Ethical Thinking and Teaching. Proceedings of the 10th National Conference of

Interpreter Trainers: A new chapter in interpreter education: Accreditation, research

And technology.

Dean, R. K., & Pollard, R. Q (2005). Consumers and service effectiveness in interpreting work:

A practice profession perspective. In M. Marschark (Ed.), Interpreting and interpreter

education. New York: Oxford University Press.

Baker-Shenk, C., & Cokely, D. (1991). American Sign Language Green Books, A Teacher’s

Resource Text on Grammar and Culture (Green Book Series) (Later Edition Used ed.).

Gallaudet University Press.

Mindess, A. (2014). Reading Between the Signs: Intercultural Communication for Sign

Language Interpreters 3rd Edition (3rd ed.). Nicholas Brealey Publications.

54

References for Proposal

Gallaudet University Press. (2000, May 4). Gallaudet University Press. Gallaudet University.

http://gupress.gallaudet.edu

Interpreter Education. (2018). Interpreter Education. http://www.interpretereducation.org/

Interpreting: An Introduction Revised edition by Nancy Frishberg (1990) Paperback. (2021).

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc.

Educational Interpreter Regulations - Laws, Regulations, & Policies (CA Dept of Education).

(2008). Educational Interpreter Regulations. https://www.cde.ca.gov

Commission on collegiate interpreter education. (2006). http://www.ccie-accreditation.org

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (2015). www.RID.org

California State University, Bakersfield. (2008). CSUB.Edu. https://www.csub.edu/

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). (2021, October 20). Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea

55

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2019). National Institute

on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov

Sign Language Interpreters in the Classroom. (2018). National Deaf Center.

https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org

Colonomos. (1982) The Reflector: A Journal for Sign Language Teachers and Interpreters. The

Reflector: A Journal for Sign Language Teachers and Interpreters.

56

Appendices

Consent to Participate Form

Consent to Participate in a Survey

My name is Leslie McCuan, I am a graduate student at Western Oregon

University, majoring in Teaching Interpreting. The goal of my thesis is a

professional project that will discuss the need for a bachelor level Sign

Language interpreting program at California State University of

Bakersfield. Here in Bakersfield the nearest bachelors level interpreting

program is either 3 hours north or 3 hours south. This is nearly

impossible for interpreters that have families or are working to be able to

travel daily 6 hours round trip plus class time. As well as impossible for

them to pick up and move to either location to be able to attend either

interpreting program. Participants must be at least 18 years old.

Participation is completely voluntary. If you wish, you may withdraw

from the survey at any time. If you choose to withdraw from the survey

all data related to you will be discarded. There is minimal risk to

participating in this survey, questions may cause discomfort, and all

identifying information will be kept confidential, however, because this

57

is an online survey there is always a risk of a data breach. There is no

compensation for participating in this survey. Participation in this study

may benefit you and/or have an impact on Sign Language interpreters,

the Deaf and hard of hearing community and current/future ASL

students in our area by providing information related to this survey. Data

collected from this survey will be used to analyze the need/want for a

sign language interpreting program here in Bakersfield.

If you have questions related to this project, please contact Leslie

McCuan, lmccuan20@mail.wou.mail.edu. In the event you wish to file a

complaint arising from your participation in this research, please

contact:

Amanda Smith

Professor of Interpreting Studies

smithar@wou.edu

Agreement:

I have reviewed the contents of this consent form. I am aware of the

study’s purpose, what I am asked to do, as well as the risks and benefits

58

of study participation. I am aware that I can withdraw from this study at

any time. I do not give up any rights by participating in this study.

By completing the survey, you agree to these terms.

Interpreter survey

1. Do you consider yourself an interpreter who is

Part time

Full time

Occasional- Once a week, twice a month

2. How many hours a week do you interpret?

1-10

11-15

16-25

26-30

More than 30

3. In what setting does most of your interpreting work take place?

59

Medical

Community

Religious

VRS

K-12

Other_____________________

4. Are you satisfied with the number of hours interpreting available to you?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Neutral

Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

5. Did you attend an interpreter training program?

Yes

No

60

6. Did you earn a degree or certificate from you training program? Choose all

that apply.

Certificate

Associates degree

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Doctoral degree

7. If you attended a program, please fill in the state where the program is

based

8. If you completed a program or if you would like to attend a program what

would you like to change or see in an interpreter training program?

9. Are you looking to attend an ITP program?

Yes

No

61

10. If you answered no to number 9 why?

_____________________________________________________________

11. If there was a bachelor’s level interpreter training program in Bakersfield

would you be interested in joining the program?

Yes

No

12. If you answered no to number 11, why?

13. What certifications do you hold? Mark all that apply

NIC

NIC Advance

NIC Mastered

ED K-12

CDI

Other ____________________

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14. Is there any information you would like to add?

________________________________________________________________________

Interpreting agency survey

1. Please state what your job duty requirements are…..

2. How many interpreter requests do you fill each week?

0-15

16-25

26-35

36-50

51-75

76-100

More than 100

3. Approximately each week, how many Deaf consumers does your agency

serve each week?

63

0-15

16-25

26-40

41-60

61-80

81-100

More than 100

4. Approximately each week, how many hearing consumers does your agency

serve each week?

0-15

16-25

26-40

41-60

61-80

81-100

More than 100

5. To fill requests do you use

64

Staff interpreters

Independent contractors

A mix of both

Other (please describe)

6. Do you require interpreters to hold certification?

Yes

No

It varies

7. If the answer to number 6 was yes, please specify what certification is

required. If the answer was “it varies,” in addition to the types of

certification required, please describe the reasons.

8. Do you require interpreters to hold a degree?

Yes

No

9. If you answered yes to number 8, what degree do you require?

65

________________________________________________________________

10. How many interpreters would you estimate are in the pool of people that

you contact to fill interpreting assignments?

0-10

11-20

21-30

31-40

41-50

50 or more

11. How many hours per week does your agency dedicate to filling interpreter

requests?

0-10

11-20

21-30

31-40

41-50

50 or more

12. How would you rate the ease you’re able to fill interpreting assignments?

Very easy

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East

Somewhat easy

Difficult

Somewhat difficult

Very difficult

13. What issues impact your inability to find interpreters to fulfill assignments?

(Please check all that apply)

Location

Lack of certified/qualified interpreters

Competition with other agencies

Small numbers of interpreters in your area

Other

14. How often does an interpreting assignment go unfilled for your agency or

organization?

Daily

Once a week

2-3 times a month

Never

Other _____________________________

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15. In a week, about how many interpreting assignments go unfilled?

1-5

6-10

11-15

15-20

More than 20

16. How do you respond to an unfilled assignment?

__________________________________________________________

17. Do you currently have unfilled job openings for interpreter positions?

Yes

No

18. Is there any information you would like to add?

Deaf community survey

1. How often do you use interpreting services?

Daily

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2-3 times a week

1 time a week

1 time a month

1 time a year

Other______________________________________

2. Have your interpreting needs always been able filled with qualified

interpreters?

Always

Sometimes

Never

Other______________________________________

3. How satisfied are you with the interpreting services you’ve experienced in

Bakersfield?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

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4. If you have felt dissatisfied with interpreting services you received in the

last 6 months, why were you unsatisfied with the services? Check all that

apply

Interpreter was not qualified

Interpreter did not understand me

I did not understand the interpreter

Interpreter was late to assignment

Interpreter was unprofessional

Other (Please explain) __________________________________________

5. If you were satisfied with the interpreting services you experienced in the

last 6 months, check all that apply.

Interpreter was professional

Interpreter stayed until appointment was over

Interpreter understood you

Interpreter conveyed information accurately

Interpreter was understood clearly

Other (Please explain) __________________________________________

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6. In the last year have you had an appointment canceled due to lack of

interpreting services?

Yes

No

7. Are you:

Deaf

Hard of Hearing

Hearing

Other (Please explain)

8. Are there other issues related to interpreting that you would like to

address?

9. Is there any information you would like to add?

__________________________________________________________________

_

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ASL (American Sign Language) Student Survey

1. Which of the following applies to you currently?

Enrolled in ASL 1

Enrolled in ASL 2

Enrolled in ASL 3

Enrolled in ASL 4

2. Where are you or did you take ASL?

3. If California State University of Bakersfield offered an interpreter

training program with a bachelor’s degree would you consider

attending?

Yes

No

4. If you answered no to number 3, why?

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5. If you answered yes, please explain why?

6. When considering interpreter education what factors influence you to

join this field?

Positive experience with ASL

Strong demand for interpreting services in your area

Personal interaction with the Deaf community/friends

Possible employment in Bakersfield

Desire for a challenging professional experience

Other_____________________________________________________

7. What is your age

18-25

26-35

36-45

46-55

56-65

65 or older

8. Are you

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Deaf

Hard of Hearing

Hearing

Other (Please explain) _____________________________

9. Is there any information you would like to add?

_____________________________________________________________