ASL Interpreter Preparation
2019-2020 Program Review

Nationwide, American Sign Language (ASL)-English interpreters are in high demand. In California, the population of deaf and hard of hearing individuals living in the state is estimated to be between three to four million, while there are only 1,100 nationally certified interpreters working in the state. The purpose of the ARC ASL-English Interpreter Preparation Program (IPP) is to provide students with a strong foundation so they are ready to enter the workforce as competent, highly qualified practitioners ready to interpret between individuals who are deaf and hearing. The IPP provides an integrated series of coursework in American Sign Language (ASL) and ASL-English interpretation to prepare students for entry-level employment opportunities in the field of ASL-English interpreting. Upon program completion, students can earn a certificate of achievement or associates degree from the IPP. The IPP prepares students to take and pass national certification and assessment exams. Upon successful completion of the IPP, students may enter the industry as employees of an agency, or they may be self-employed and work as independent contractors.

ARC's mission, "places students first in providing an academically rich, inclusive environment that inspires critical thinking, learning and achievement, and responsible participation in the community." The IPP aligns and contributes to the achievement of this mission by providing coursework that challenges students to think critically about the world in which they live. The IPP is a rigorous two-year program that in addition to preparing students for the mentally, emotionally, and physically taxing work of interpreting, also allows them to explore hegemonic systems of power and oppression. Students enrolled in the IPP learn how to be interpreters, but also learn how they and the consumers they serve navigate systems of oppression on a daily basis. Students are given the opportunity to unpack their own bias and work towards being competent multilingual and multicultural practitioners. Responsible participation within the community is achieved through ongoing partnerships while enrolled in the IPP. This begins at the offset of acceptance into the program where students are exposed to and given the opportunity to interact with community stakeholders. In their first year of the program, students are mentored by Deaf individuals within the greater Sacramento region which guides their responsible participation in the community and helps them to build or strengthen the foundational skills required for the work of interpreting. At the end of the first-year students participate in a Service Learning course that emphasizes reciprocity within the community and gives students the opportunity to tackle a project where they engage with the Deaf community in a student-centered, and community-led endeavor. Once students reach their second year of the program they work with local, qualified ASL-English interpreters and receive mentoring that focuses not only on skill-building, but also takes into consideration the psychosocial needs of the student interpreters as novice practitioners nearing field-based induction. All of this occurs within a Deaf-centered framework that focuses on developing lifelong learners who are prepared for gainful employment and career opportunities in the field of ASL-English interpreting.

Objectives identified over the last six years include: - Engage students early and often - Provide easily recognizable pathways to employment - Provide a high level of service to our students, community, and to one another - Exemplary teaching, learning, and working environment The IPP has made significant progress in achieving the unit goals. Outlined below are the attempts we have made, areas of success, and areas where more support is needed. Engaging students early and often: To engage students early and often the goal was to put students first by increasing student engagement, providing students with personalized and proactive support, and connecting students to people, programs, and services as part of an integrated educational experience. Steps towards achieving this goal have included making faculty aware of and providing faculty professional growth opportunities. In each of the 6 years since the last program review faculty have increased their professional development training to not only include industry-based training but have also incorporated training that focuses on andragogy/heutagogy practices and the incorporation of social justice into instructional practices. Participation in interpreter education symposiums, the Conference of Interpreter Trainers, collaborative efforts with the National Center on Interpreter Education, and department meetings focused on trauma-informed and culturally competent teaching are among the professional development opportunities that faculty have participated in over the last 6 years. Modules for self-study and academic support resources continue to be added to the ASL/interpreting lab. iPads, updated Mac computers, DVDs, test simulation materials, etc have been purchased through Perkins funding to ensure academic success. Additionally, when gaps in knowledge/skills/abilities are present, specific and personalized feedback is given to students. Through 1:1 meetings each semester and conversations with faculty, the department chair is able to reach out to students early when they may be experiencing crises in their home life. Referral for housing, mental health, low-cost food resources, etc. have been made that incorporate both on and off-campus resources. Creating plans to help students achieve their goals, such as coming on campus and utilizing the ASL/interpreting lab on days when they are not in a class, allows them to focus on their studies outside of home environments that may be distracting or lack the resources students need for academic success. Provide easily recognizable pathways to employment: -To provide clear and effective pathways for students so they are prepared for work after graduation, the IPP has implemented advising sessions in early August that occur for students who have been accepted into the IPP prior to the beginning of the semester. These sessions allow the department chair to understand students' specific interests related to interpreting and allow us to customize each student's experience based on areas of identified interest. Students enter the IPP seeking an AA or certificate and then prepare for transfer to a 4-year university, Through one-on-one meetings with the department chair students discuss options for moving through the program and transferring to Bachelor's degree programs in or out of state. This has helped students to feel more confident in their overall academic plan. About half of the students who enroll in the IPP already hold a bachelor's degree. Whether students have a 2-year or 4-year degree at the completion of the IPP, they all will need to acquire certification in order to achieve gainful employment. The IPP has prepared students for and offered the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA), National Interpreter Certification Knowledge Exam (NIC), or the Certified Deaf Interpreter Knowledge Exam (CDI) to students as they complete their studies. Depending on educational attainment and career goals students qualify for different assessments. Completing these assessments provides students with a clear pathway by giving them specific goals to support them in attaining certification. Pathways for students have been clarified through the support of ASL/Deaf culture mentors, interpreting mentors, and trilingual mentors to support our students who are fluent in more than two languages. Trilingual mentoring especially has increased within our program. Students in their first and second years of the IPP who have been identified as trilingual meet weekly with a trilingual interpreting mentor to practice various skills related to the work of trilingual interpreting. Additionally, the mentoring and support students receive through their Mock and Fieldwork courses helps them prepare for field induction. To support the psychosocial needs of our students' identity-based mentors have been incorporated into the IPP as well over the last 6 years. In particular, Deaf, Deaf-parented, and interpreters of color working as mentors support students from similar demographic backgrounds who have systems of oppression that they must navigate as they aim to complete their work. The IPP Advisory Committee has also helped us to clarify pathways for students. By bringing in employers and other relevant stakeholders into the committee participants in the Advisory Committee are more aware of how they can contribute. Over the last six-years, the IPP has helped bridge the gap towards employment. We have worked with three agencies to provide internship experience for our students. One of these agencies continues to provide students with paid internship experience post-graduation. In all instances, this has led to these students being employed immediately upon graduation. In the last year, the IPP has also developed and updated program roadmaps to make sure students have a clear understanding of how to navigate their general education requirements while enrolled in the IPP. Provide a high level of service to our students, community, and to one another: The IPP continues to work with the advisory committee, consultants, and faculty to update informational and recruitment materials about the ARC IPP and to assist with the continued development of online programs and training in technology use through internships and mentoring programs. The ARC IPP webpage continues to be updated and includes FAQs, an online application process, a clearly outlined checklist, and other pertinent information. A resource page was recently created after the web redesign to support providing a more dynamic experience for students so they have the most current and up to date information about the IPP. Additionally, advisory committee members were consulted in terms of recruitment, persistence, and success regarding all interpreting students with particular emphasis on these demographic areas: students of Color, Deaf Parented Interpreters, trilingual interpreters, and Deaf interpreters. As mentioned earlier the IPP is working towards creating baseline assessments that will allow students to see measurable growth from the beginning to end of each semester. Seeing the results of these assessments allows students to see measurable increases in knowledge, skill, and ability thus supporting their overall persistence within the program and eventually the field of interpreting. Exemplary teaching, learning, and working environment: To provide students with a strong work-based learning experience with a sociolinguistic view, based on dialogue with Deaf and interpreting communities, that is infused throughout the Interpreter Preparation Program and culminates with individual mentored experiences we continue to hire mentors to work with students individually and in small groups in practicum experiences including but not limited to DeafBlind, educational, medical, multilingual, performing arts, agency and VRS settings. Additionally, mentors from these demographic areas work with specialized student populations: students of Color, Deaf Parented Interpreters, trilingual interpreters, and Deaf interpreters to support the needs of our students who are non-traditional and economically disadvantaged. The IPP has supported students by ensuring they have access to technology where students can access course materials, streaming video, etc. This includes lab hour availability, iPad use, and facilities use for conversational practice. In particular, we have made an effort to increase the materials provided that are representative of students from underrepresented populations in the interpreting field: students of Color, Deaf Parented Interpreters, trilingual interpreters, and Deaf interpreters. This objective has been met through supporting student learning via current texts, CDs, DVDs, iPads, streaming video access for all students; particularly economically disadvantaged students. Student surveys support this assertion. In response to the specific underrepresented populations mentioned earlier, the Deaf interpreter curriculum, source materials, and mentors were provided with a focus on the specialized Deaf interpreting competencies. Deaf mentors have been hired. Evidence that demonstrates this assertion includes training taken by professors, accessing the new Deaf Interpreter curriculum, developed source materials, and Deaf interpreter mentoring. Throughout the two year cycle, curriculum, source materials, and mentors were provided with a focus on students of diverse ethnic backgrounds as well. To support the preparation of Deaf-parented interpreters in the sign language field, curriculum, source materials, and mentors were provided with a focus on students who are Children of Deaf Adults (CODA). An additional focus group with CODAs also took place adding to the previous focus groups that were held allowing us to look more objectively at the experiences of these students in our program. Evidence that demonstrates these assertions includes training taken by professors, curriculum modifications, and source materials incorporation. Challenges/Growth areas: The cohort size of the IPP is a barrier. Effective language and interpreting based instruction happen in smaller classroom sizes where students can receive additional support. The Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE) offers accreditation to interpreter preparation programs. "The maximum recommended faculty/student ratio is 1:12 for interpreting skill development coursework; and the maximum recommended faculty/student ratio is 1:10 for field experiences (e.g., interpreting practicum or internship)." (Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education). A way to address this challenge may be through offering embedded interpreting mentors within each class to allow each student to receive the academic support they need. Strong workforce funds could be used to support the cost of such mentors. Our program could do more given additional time and funding resources to create a baseline assessment that students take at the onset of the interpreting program. Providing baseline data about their preparation for the work of interpreting with guided steps towards increasing knowledge/skills/abilities in the given subject matter and revisiting the baseline assessment mid-way and at program completion will allow students to see measurable progress and help to implement action steps as they prepare for field induction. Creating a baseline assessment for ASL-English is time-intensive and costly as it requires media production and editing to effectively capture ASL. Perkins and or Strong workforce funding may allow us to accomplish this task. Once baseline assessments are established, advising meetings will also be used to discuss the results of the assessment and provide a plan for remediation for students in need of additional support. Additional faculty time will be needed to help with the scoring of baseline assessments. Related to this is the need for strong ASL skills in order to be successful as an ASL-English interpreter. ARC currently lacks a space on campus for students to improve their ASL skills. Students signing with each other is not enough because students often don't possess language fluency. With the significant number of Deaf students and teachers on campus who use ASL fluently a Deaf Culture Center on campus would create space for students to interact and use ASL outside of the classroom which is vital to their success. As stated above students need to have linguistic competence prior to entering the IPP and this can only be obtained through language instruction unless students are native users of ASL. This requires at least 2.5 years of coursework often at the community college level prior to enrollment in the IPP. Offering a BA degree on the community college campus needs to be explored so students are earning a degree that matches their level of effort. This will have a significant impact on student persistence, as students sometimes exit upon realizing that obtaining a BA degree is at least a 6-year effort.

Overall enrollment for the Spring 2019 semester increased by 5.6%. A significant increase in enrollment is noted for students who do not subscribe to gender binary labels. The number of male students enrolled in the IPP continues to increase as well. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of female students enrolled in the program. Students who identify as African American, Filipino, Native American, and Other non-white declined in enrollment while students from Asian, Hispanic/Latino, multi-race, and unknown backgrounds saw enrollment gains. Overall the IPP cohort continues to include a diverse group of students while still being predominantly white. Overall enrollment for the Fall 2018 semester was down by 7% Influencing factors: The long time chair and program coordinator for the department retired. This led to a change in the program environment. The newly hired chair/coordinator had less time to engage with students due to being required to participate in new faculty activities, despite the new chair/coordinator being a part of the department for the past 5 years. Since the IPP only has one full-time faculty person, being pulled away for the New Faculty Academy, while great as an opportunity to connect with members across disciplines, didn't provide a substantial increase in knowledge in terms of how to navigate the responsibilities of being full-time and a program coordinator, and actually made it difficult to keep up with the responsibilities of coordinating a department and maintain student contact. Overall student engagement and access to program leadership were less during this term. There were also challenges that occurred related to the classroom environment and students carrying/exhibiting extensively more trauma than in previous semesters. This was exacerbated by several students being displaced or rehoming families who were displaced due to the regional fires. The data set shows that female student enrollment was negatively impacted as was enrollment among African American, and Hispanic/Latino populations. Decreasing female student enrollment aligns with discussions the department chair had with several female-identified students who seemed to bear a larger responsibility in supporting their families. As a result, the program coordinator referred instructors to trauma-informed teaching workshops and also allowed for case-conferencing discussion among faculty to discuss how to approach trauma in the classroom. A developer course was created in Canvas for all program instructors to engage with each other and support each other's instructional practices. This has also allowed faculty to communicate relevant information with each other as the cohort of students progresses through the program. While enrollments for African American and Hispanic/Latino students decreased, the interpreting classroom was overall more diverse. The IPP only accepts 25 students per year. It's normal to see that with an increase in general across other ethnic groups, there would be some decrease in enrollment for demographic populations that held more space in the classroom in prior semesters. Numbers for white students are down, but they consistently stay higher on average than any of the other ethnic groups. Department set standards were not met during the 2018-2019 year overall. A closer look at this data shows that students struggled more in the second-year courses. These courses are progressively more challenging and when a strong foundation in American Sign Language is not possessed or obtained during the first year success ratings can be predicted to be lower for students during their second year. A significant factor that department faculty have noticed is the increased number of students from DI backgrounds enrolled in the IPP. The IPP needs to position itself to respond effectively to these students who need more faculty support. To help further contextualize this data I pulled metrics from ARC's Precision Campus portal which looks at Fall enrollments and I used this data to compare student demographic characteristics within our program to the overall institution. During Fall 2019, White students were overrepresented in the IPP making up 60% of our enrollment numbers, while as a campus, White students made up 41% of the population at this time. The numbers for the IPP were less in every underrepresented category for BIPOC students with the exception of the Native American demographic which was 2% for the IPP in comparison to 0% for the larger campus community. Students enrolled in the IPP must have completed ASL 4 or higher prior to enrollment. As ASL 4 courses serve as a feeder into the IPP, the lack of racial diversity in ASL 4 classes across the Los Rios district and from other campuses (CSUS for example) can be seen within our program. ASL 1 & 2 courses (the courses where we see students satisfying their GE language requirements) typically have more racial diversity than upper language ASL courses. The IPP has an opportunity to reach out early to students in their ASL 1 & 2 courses to market sign language interpreting as a viable career option so we can continue to see an increase in enrollment from students from diverse racial backgrounds. When looking at gender metrics within the IPP during the Fall 2019 term we see that female students made up 71% of the enrollment, male students 21% and nonbinary students were at 7%. At the institutional level, ARC had 57% female enrollment, 41% male enrollment, and 2% nonbinary enrollment during this same term. These numbers give further evidence to the hardships that were noted among female students in the narrative above and how gender intersects with workload in the home. The interpreting field generally sees an overrepresentation of women, with white women making up about 88% of the field on a national level. So within the IPP we are happy to see that our numbers show movement towards a more diverse group of interpreting practitioners but again, we need to make efforts to reach out early and often in ASL 1 & 2 courses where the greatest diversity in student enrollment exists.

The overall data metrics for the department are impacted by the enrollment process which results in a 25-student cohort each year. This process was established in 2008 and is reflected in the current data. Ethnicity Assessment: The numbers in the Interpreter Preparation Program vary greatly in comparison to the general ARC count. This is due to the small number of students in the ARC IPP. One student in any ethnicity can affect the numbers and percentages. However, an analysis of the total numbers can help in identifying DI populations. The number of White students compared to all other students is significant indicating a need for greater recruitment. We have already worked to enhance recruitment efforts. The result of this is observable when looking at the overall increase in students of color who are enrolled in the IPP. While these numbers continue to rise, it remains evident that more outreach is necessary and that we should continue with current efforts and strive to be innovative with how we approach recruitment. Gender Assessment: Again, the number of students enrolled whether duplicate or unduplicated does not change substantially due to the nature of the enrollment process and the cohort group. The disparity in the total number of men and women enrolled in the Interpreter Preparation Program is typical of the field of interpretation as a whole. This is an area of focus in our field. Recent efforts have been made on a national level to develop recruitment materials focusing on recruiting men and people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. In the ARC IPP, we incorporate these materials in our recruitment efforts. As a result, we have seen in the last several years an increase in male students and students who are gender non-binary that are enrolled in our program.

Our ideal future includes the inclusion of baseline assessments, embedded mentors, and a Deaf Culture Center at ARC. These aspirations are important for the reasons mentioned above that I will review again here. Baseline assessments: Students often enter the IPP with the misguided thought that because they have acquired conversational language skills in ASL, they are ready to interpret. They don't realize the rigor that is required to become an interpreter. When classes start and they are intensive, students fail to see why the activities they are engaging in are of importance. Faculty need to consistently explain why these activities are important, but creating a baseline assessment will go a long way in creating a hook for students and supports the self-actualization of skills needed to be successful as an interpreter. Students often over calculate or under calculate their skills. Baselines will help the student who is overconfident realize their limitations and areas for improvement before being of detriment within the community. Baselines will also support those students who lack confidence by allowing them to see their overall progress from the start, midway, and at program completion. To create these assessments we need to make sure we have the materials available to simulate a testing environment on par to the national certification exam that students will sit for. Preparing students as highly competent interpreters creates a more inclusive and equitable environment for members of the local Deaf community therefore aligning with the vision of ARC. Embedded mentors: The current faculty/student ratio is 1:25. Evidence-based research shows these numbers are too high to support the development of strong skills needed for a highly specialized field like sign language interpreting. to mitigate this, the IPP has employed mentors throughout the program. Often mentoring occurs outside of class time, increasing the effort required for students carrying an already demanding load. Having embedded mentors in classes will allow the instructor of record to lecture as they normally would, but ASL-English, trilingual, and Deaf interpreting mentors in the classroom while students practice skill-based activities will support student persistence and increase their overall success rates making them more prepared for work post-graduation. This student-centric approach aligns with the vision and mission of ARC by creating equitable education opportunities and placing students first. Deaf culture center: Students need places to practice their ASL skills with native users of ASL. The Deaf Culture Center will support the skill development of students in the interpreting program, students of ASL-Deaf culture studies, and will support the needs of Deaf students and faculty on campus by creating a Deaf-centered space. These spaces, like those offered in the Hub for students from traditionally DI populations, support students' overall well-being. Deaf students are often overlooked as part of the DI population. When considered, Deaf students are viewed as disabled which comes from a pathological framework that is contradicted by our program. Our program takes a sociocultural view of being Deaf. Deaf people are part of a cultural and linguistic minority group. For interpreters to be effective, they need to become adept in interacting with people who are a part of this population. A Deaf Culture Center on campus would provide that space ultimately leading to a stronger workforce for our students. The establishment of a Deaf Culture Center is fully in alignment with the ARC campus commitment to social justice and equity in that it allows us to uphold the dignity and humanity of every student, especially those students who are Deaf, through transformative leadership practices and community engagement. The IPP supports the mission and vision of the college. We prepare students with rich academic experience and prepare them to enter the workforce. Each year we receive reports during advisory committee meetings that over time students completing the program have become more skilled and ready for work. ARC IPP graduates have a good reputation and local agencies often reach out to our program in the late Spring with opportunities for our students to begin working in entry-level positions. Additionally, students take either the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) at the end of the program. Between 95-100% of the students pass the RID or EIPA written. The students also take either the RID or the EIPA performance exam with most students taking the EIPA performance exam. Students typically receive between a 3.2 and 4.2. The statewide mandate for working in K-12 educational settings is 4.0. In other settings, it provides a score for interpreting service providers to determine placement appropriateness. Naturally, a skills-based performance exam is much more challenging for students to pass than a knowledge-based one. Likewise, 4.0 is a higher bar that is used in California. Many other states require a 3.5. Since ARC frequently has students who travel from out of state to attend our program, knowing state requirements outside of California is relevant. For example, since most of our students score between 3.5 and 4.0 on the EIPA, those students who reside in California may not be deemed ready for work, unless under supervision. While students returning to their home state following graduation may be ready for immediate employment. Overall ARC IPP students indicate that they are working in beginning interpreting positions or advancing to more in-depth and highly specialized training (such as legal and courtroom interpreting). Our program has applied evidence-based research and methodologies to support our recruitment and retention efforts. We have an increasingly diverse faculty pool and see that reflected in the student population as well. Our program has made overt efforts to infuse social justice through every aspect of the program. Students and faculty are introduced to a wide range of topics each year and are scaffolded through increasingly more complex conversations throughout their academic or faculty tenure. Further, the market for interpreters is strong. However, the need is primarily for certified interpreters with several years of experience. Therefore, there is a need to bridge the gap between program completion and interpreting work. The Department Chair has worked with local interpreting referral agencies to establish internships in order to help students bridge the gap. Several of these agencies including ARC DSPS, Eaton Interpreting Services and Access Language Connection have provided these opportunities. In addition, the local chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf has a committee where recent graduates meet to continue to work on their skills. All aforementioned efforts show that the IPP is well prepared to continue to improve upon academic quality and meet student needs.

A program-level objective is to clarify pathways for students. We intend to apply for Strong Workforce funding to support the inclusion of embedded mentors, and baseline assessments into our program. Successful attainment of this goal will be realized once embedded mentors are incorporated into any of the semester-long course offerings and/or when the first assessments are rolled out to students, and students participate in process mediation where they are given the results of their assessments with an opportunity to discuss remediation efforts. The establishment of a Deaf Culture Center would address all of the IPPs program-level objectives. A Deaf Culture Center would provide a physical space on campus for students to gather around the use of a shared language and culture. Currently, students have access issues with Deaf community events that may occur off-campus. Students would be able to meet their course requirements for engagement within the Deaf community through activities and engagement opportunities hosted at the Deaf Culture Center, thereby allowing us to engage students as early as their ASL 1 courses and often, as they progress through their series of course work. The Deaf Culture Center would also provide a sustained place for students to work on linguistic acquisition and cultural competence. These are the skills that must be demonstrated for students to perform successfully on their certification exams. The quicker program graduates are able to achieve certification, the sooner they are able to achieve gainful employment opportunities. Having a Deaf Culture Center would allow us to provide a higher level of service to our students, would be a hub for community-based events, and as a consequence would result in an exemplary teaching, learning, and working environment for students and faculty in our program and closely related disciplines.

As mentioned before students often have to participate in mentoring sessions outside of their established course time. These sessions are more difficult for students from DI populations to attend as they have other obligations. Mentoring helps propel students ahead in their careers. When students are unable to participate they begin to lag behind their classmates. Ultimately, they drop or withdraw. Building mentors into the classroom environment levels the playing field for all students so they can have more robust discussions in smaller groups within the classroom. Embedded mentors also allow for increased effectiveness among faculty who are trying to manage a large class size with content that is developed for small faculty to student ratios in mind. Continuing to use Perkins and Strong Workforce funding for our efforts allows us to offer resources to students without transferring the costs of such resources on to the student.