WRIEC: Past, Present, & Future: A New Beginning of Innovative Approaches and Positive Changes

Western Oregon University (WOU) and El Camino College (ECC) have been providing professional development services to Sign Language interpreters and educators throughout the Western United States since the early 1990's. Now, after more than twenty-five combined years of working independently for a common goal of Sign Language interpreter excellence, the two institutions are pleased to announce their formal collaboration through the establishment of the new Western Region Interpreter Education Center (WRIEC).

With five-year funding (October 2005) from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, WRIEC has been tasked with a set of activities that signify a major departure from its previous programming and original plan of action. Today, WRIEC is now part of a larger collaborative, the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC). This model represents a significant shift in philosophy, structure, approaches and timelines.

Comprised of five interpreter education centers and one national center, NCIEC's overall end purpose is to significantly increase the number of qualified and credentialed interpreters and educators in the field. NCIEC's mission: excellence and effective practices in sign language interpreter education. It's goal: maximizing resources and reducing unnecessary repetition and expense while promoting innovation, strong partner networks and multiculturalism. NCIEC will accomplish these goals by forging collaborative links and facilitating practice and product sharing among interpreter education service providers, practitioners, educators, and consumers nationwide.

Under the new collaborative structure, products and services will be developed as national endeavors. To accommodate the new model, WRIEC has made significant modifications to its initial programming. One of the more noteworthy changes is the temporary reduction or postponement of some of the more traditional services provided by WOU and ECC. For the many of you who were a part of WOU and ECC's pursuit of this funding as a "local partner" or program supporter, you will also note modifications to the initial grant application.

At this moment, the structure and direction of NCIEC is very fluid as it moves toward a true collaborative venture. With evolution in mind, NCIEC has identified a number of initial activities that will be accomplished during the first year of the five-year project. These activities, designed to identify effective practices in interpreting and interpreter education, include but are not limited to the following:

• Establishment of NCIEC working teams to collaboratively develop the national program platform, as well as the corresponding mechanisms and activities needed to carry out the program, both at the national and regional levels;
• Conduction of a nationwide investigation into the needs and issues affecting primary stakeholder groups: interpreters, interpreting educators, interpreting education programs, VR counselors, service providers, consumers and other end-users. Baseline information will be gathered this year and revised and expanded in subsequent years;
• Development of program evaluation methodology, including performance quality indicators to assess effective interpreter education practices, as well as project success;
• Initial development of a national database of resources, products and materials related to Sign Language interpreting and interpreter education;
• Initial development of new interpreter education products and services; and
• Provision of a limited number of professional development opportunities including a small number of intensive trainings and mentorships.

More specific to the Western Region, WRIEC staff is actively engaged with NCIEC, serving on working teams to create the NCIEC identity and the related tools needed to promote the work and services of the collaborative. They are taking the lead in a number of initiatives designed to identify the need and effective practices related to: 1) Deaf interpreting, 2) trilingual interpreting, 3) Deaf consumer advocacy and, 4) interpreter diagnostics. WRIEC staff is also serving on other work teams that are addressing such topic areas as mentoring, articulation from two-year degree to four-year degree programs and team interpreting. Needless to say, WRIEC staff is very busy this first year.

While almost all of the first year initiatives appear to be national in scope, WRIEC is committed to its established local partner networks and intends to involve individuals and institutions throughout the Region during this development phase. WRIEC is further committed to ensuring that the specific needs of our Western United States region are reflected in the programming and products developed through the collaborative efforts of NCIEC.

Over time, WRIEC and NCIEC will offer direct services and educational products that expand and enhance professional development opportunities for hearing and deaf interpreters of all abilities and backgrounds, but they may differ from activities originally proposed. They will include, but are not be limited to:

• Broad-based interpreter education of significant scope and sequence in a variety of topic areas, including: Deaf interpreting, medical, mental health, VR, VRS and VRI, legal, deaf-blind and multilingual settings;
• Full-service mentoring programs, including diagnostics, for interpreters and interpreter educators;
• Comprehensive national data base of information including events, interpreters, mentors, post-secondary interpreter preparation programs, educational opportunities, and materials; and
• Resources and information regarding effective practices for meeting the pending requirement for a Bachelors degree for certification, and assistance to post-secondary programs preparing to meet the requirement.

WRIEC is excited to be a part of this important collaborative and looks forward to the contributions NCIEC will make to our field. We do recognize, though, that with sweeping change may come a level of perplexity. We apologize in advance for any confusion the new collaborative structure may cause during this development phase of the program. We want to assure you that all of the regional centers are working diligently to make the new collaborative structure one that benefits all of us, and that we promise to keep our region informed of project products and services as they become available. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Updated 12/1/07