UNM's Signed Language Interpreting Program earns re-accreditation

The University of New Mexico Signed Language Interpreting Program (SLI) earned re-accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education last month, marking it once again as one of the foremost universities for future interpreters.

Founded in 1983, the SLI Program is believed to be the longest-running, continuous bachelor's degree in signed language interpreting and accepts only about 14 students a year. The program earned its first accreditation in 2013 from the commission, which is the only accrediting agency for signed interpreting education.

"We've been preparing interpreters since our first class graduated around 1987. Since then, we've prepared a vast majority of signed language interpreters in New Mexico," Barbara Shaffer, professor of Linguistics and former SLI Program director, said. Shaffer led the program through its recent re-accreditation.

Only 19 programs are accredited, according to the commission's website. The commission sets detailed standards that university programs must meet in order to earn accreditation. Chief among them are a requirement for a 300-hour supervised internship for students, a curriculum that reflects the values of the deaf community, and exposure to a wide variety of deaf people. UNM passed the accreditation process with flying colors and no stipulations.

UNM SLI Program students intern at a variety of local organizations including the New Mexico School for the Deaf, Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Central New Mexico Community College, local interpreter referral agencies, and University of New Mexico Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services.

In addition to developing fluency in American Sign Language, students take classes in subjects relevant to the culture of the deaf community. New Mexico has seen a recent increase in people who are both deaf and blind. To help meet the needs of more individuals, SLI Program is working to increase teaching about the types of interpretation available to people with blindness and low vision. Other classes help students develop skills for memorization, simultaneous interpretation, educational environments and more.

Upon graduation, students are eligible for a provisional license to interpret in New Mexico and are prepared to begin the process for national certification.

A strong alumni community

Monica Sower has been a local interpreter for more than 17 years. She graduated from SLI Program in 2007 and became nationally certified a year later. In the years since, Sower has worked as a freelance interpreter doing work anywhere she is needed. Her work has taken her into job interviews, medical interactions, postsecondary education classes, rehabilitation services, and more, but she didn't always know she would become an interpreter.

"Without the preparation of the program exposing me to those things from the get-go, I would not have been able to thrive in the settings I have thrived in," Sower said.

When Sower started at UNM she first wanted to become a high school English teacher, but her Intro to Signed Language (ASL) course made her change her mind. She took more ASL courses and during her sophomore year of college she changed majors to Signed Language Interpreting. It was hard work to learn ASL, but she was passionate about it and saw the community need for signed language interpreters.

"I knew no signed language coming in, so that is also a testament to the program that it can take someone who doesn't have any skills in that language and have them develop the language and develop the ability to interpret on top of that," Sower said. "It shows that by the time you graduate the program you are prepared to go and enter the profession and be a working interpreter and they can start from someone who knows nothing, like myself."

Sower said SLI Program's strong alumni community makes it easier for graduates to transition into the complex work of interpreting.

"I think because a lot of us seasoned interpreters have gone through the program, we know what it's like to be those newer interpreters starting out and we have a really good support system to then bring in newer interpreters into our profession, to help mentor them and guide them. That community of alumni we've created has really allowed the camaraderie and the morality of the interpreters to grow, which then in turn helps provide equitable services to the deaf person and what they deserve," Sower said.

The re-accreditation

Program re-accreditation is an extensive process. The SLI program submitted a roughly 280-page self study report outlining the ways faculty and curriculum meet the commission's standards. After the report was reviewed and deemed satisfactory, a site visit was arranged to further assess how well the program prepares graduates to serve the deaf community. A team made up of faculty from other universities visited UNM in early September and met with UNM leadership, SLI Program faculty, students, alumni and members of the local deaf community.

The culminating report detailed several of the program's strengths and the visitors commended the college, department and program "in recruiting, hiring, and retaining such high caliber faculty members in permanent positions."

"As evidenced by numerous comments made by students, alumni, community members and stakeholders, the UNM Signed Language Interpreting program is extremely well- regarded by everyone," the report states. "In fact, when meeting with alumni and community stakeholders a common phrase we heard was 'I LOVE this program.' Obviously over the many years this program has existed, the faculty and staff have done much to foster such a legacy."

The Language Learning Center was also cited as an asset for teaching students ASL and helping them develop conversation skills.

The impact

UNM's impact stretches beyond its preparation of most of New Mexico's interpreters. Each year, more than 700 students enroll in one of around a dozen introductory ASL courses that teach the basics of the language.

"What we find is that deaf people comment when they go out into the community, they're amazed at how many people can sign some and when they ask where those people learned the response is often Intro to Sign at UNM."

The more people who know even just some of the language, the better, Shaffer said.

"Those classes have a huge community impact in that they give everyone a little bit more access to the world. I think that's really important."

If one thing is clear, it's that SLI program's celebrated legacy will only continue to grow.