Interpreter- Deaf and Hard of Hearing I

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF DESOTO COUNTY

INTERPRETER – DEAF/ HARD OF HEARING I

JOB DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Minimum of one is required:

1. National certification from Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)

2. Bachelor’s Degree and *EIPA score of 3.5 or higher

3. Bachelor’s Degree and Sign Language/Transliteration skills assessment during interview

* Education Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA).

1. Satisfactory criminal background checks and drug screening.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) (vocabulary, syntax, morphology) structures. Ability to understand and utilize a variety of communication modes used by students and ability to voice, interpret the signed communications of students. Ability to work in a classroom setting; establish and maintain working relationships with staff, support personnel, counselors, principals, parents, medical personnel, and students.   Demonstrate knowledge of Deaf culture in contrast to hearing culture. Demonstrate skill in oral and written communication. Demonstrate ability to follow oral and written instructions.  Demonstrate ability to work with diverse groups. Experience with industry-standard computer applications.

REPORTS TO:

Director of Exceptional Student Education/Coordinator for students who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing

JOB GOAL

To provide interpreting/transliteration services for students who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing to enable them to successfully participate in academic and vocational educational programs as mandated by District, State and Federal requirements and regulations and in school-related extra-curricular activities.

SUPERVISES:

N/A

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Planning/Preparation

1. Establishes, in conjunction with classroom teacher, appropriate physical setting for communication interaction including seating, lighting and acoustics.

2. Prepares for daily interpreting assignments for each class by studying content areas and course outlines; by reading printed material for the purpose of making notes and explaining vocabulary; by viewing various media; and by reviewing upcoming assignments with classroom teachers.

Intervention/Direct Services

1. Attends academic and vocational classes with students who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing, interpreting classroom instruction and facilitating communication in the classroom to enable these students to be active members of the class.

2. Facilitates communication and interaction of students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing, teachers of students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing, general education teachers and hearing students.

3. Provides voice-to-sign interpretation through comprehension of spoken language, simultaneously converting the spoken message into an appropriate mode of signing at the student’s level of comprehension. (Modes may include Signed English, American Sign Language, fingerspelling, gestural or oral interpretation).

4. Provides interpretation of teacher lectures, instructions, lab presentations, discussions, other students’ responses, classroom comments, announcements, TV news, and other media so that students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing may participate in classroom and extracurricular activities.

5. Provides sign-to-voice interpretation through comprehension of the manual signs, fingerspelling, gestures, and utterances of students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing, simultaneously converting them into a verbalized accurate English equivalent for the teacher and students in the class. 

6. Assists and interprets for students who are Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing during counseling sessions, evaluation sessions, Individual Educational Program (IEP) conferences, disciplinary situations, assemblies, and school-related extracurricular activities.

Collaboration

1. Attends teacher-conducted conferences for the purpose of interpreting and providing information to parents and/or school personnel relative to the student’s functioning in academic and vocational settings, under the direction of the teacher for students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing, itinerant teacher, and/or coordinator foe students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing.

Staff Development

1. Participates in on-going training to refine and increase interpreting skills and to update sign skills to reflect varying sign cultures of students and continually changing signs as language of the deaf evolves.

Professional Responsibilities

1. Records classroom assignments, ensures that students are aware of assignments and have access to complete notes for each class.

2. Collects data regarding students’ behavior and classroom performance on a daily basis and provides information to the itinerant teacher and the teacher for students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing; services as liaison between classroom teachers and teachers for students who are Deaf/Hard-of-hearing. 

3. Upholds the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct and the EIPA Guidelines of Professional Conduct for Educational Interpreters emphasizing the required confidentiality of student information.

4. Ensures adherence to good safety procedures.

5. Performs related work as required. (NOTE: The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to that position).

6. Perform other tasks consistent with the goals and objectives of this position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

 This position requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Ability to stand for prolonged periods. Ability to listen closely – more acute and enduring than normal daily life; ability to simultaneously listen and sign for up to 90 minutes at a time, seven hours per day. Exceptional skill and speed in repetitive use of fingers, hands and limbs; ability to manually interpret conversation at 120-160 words per minute for up to 90 minutes at a time. 

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Salary and benefits shall be paid consistent with the district’s approved compensation plan.

Length of the work year and hours of employment shall be those established by the district.

*Salary will be determined by Level of Certification and Educational Degree.

COMPENSATION:

Compensation for this position is Pay Lane B09

EVALUATION:

Performance of this job will be assessed annually in accordance with provisions of the Board’s policy on assessment of support personnel.