What is the WRIEC?
The Western Region Interpreter Education Center (WRIEC), a collaborative endeavor of Western Oregon University, in Monmouth, Oregon and El Camino Community College, in Torrance, California is dedicated to the provision of quality education and professional development opportunities for interpreters at all skill levels.
In conjunction with the National Interpreter Education Center and the other Regional Interpreter Education Centers, WRIEC serves as an educational resource center for interpreters, consumers, rehabilitation personnel, interpreter educators, and interpreter referral personnel.
Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration, WRIEC serves the Western United States, including Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
WRIEC is a proud member of the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC).
With shrinking federal dollars that must be stretched further, the National Consortium has implemented innovative strategies to avoid duplication, streamline effective practices in interpreter education and promote interpreting as a profession. For example, www.DiscoverInterpreting.com is a GREAT website for folks interested in exploring the diverse and varied world of sign language interpreting! Check it out!
As a member of the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers,
WRIEC collaborates on a number of work teams through the NCIEC that support enhanced interpreter education, professional development opportunities, and strengthening interpreter networks.
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: maximize resources and reduce 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 this collaborative structure, products and services have been developed as national endeavors. Learn more about WRIEC's role within the NCIEC
Current NCIEC initiatives include identifying and implementing current, best and effective practices around the subjects of:
- AA to BA Transition
- Deaf Advocacy Training
- Mentoring
- Mental Healthcare and Substance Abuse Interpreting
- Medical Interpreting
- Deaf Interpreting
- Interpreting via Video
- Deaf-Blind
We strongly encourage you to visit www.nciec.org/ on a regular basis to learn more about current and future products.
