American Sign Language Services

The vendor required to provide american sign language (ASL) interpreter in education training to certified ASL interpreters.
- Approved vendors will be required to:
•    The course may have two instructors who share responsibilities, at least one must be a native speaker. 
•    Require that all participants in coursework demonstrate proficiency in ASL.  
•    Maintain electronic records of the course description, attendance, assessments, participant evaluations, and certificates of completion for a period of five years.
•    Facilitate and support the department’s evaluation of the implementation of the course and quality of instruction (by allowing an evaluator to watch a live session, for example).
•    Ensure that every course participant completes an end-of-course evaluation. 
•    The content of the evaluation will be provided by the department, but vendors will be responsible for delivering it and sharing results with dese, as requested.
•    Submit all required data including course schedules, registrations, successful completers, and participant evaluations to the department on a timely basis. 
•    Provide a certification as a trained ASL interpreter in education
•    Ensure that all instructors are familiar with the course content, through personal study or meeting with a program manager at dese.
•    Submit all course schedules as indicated in the procedures for approved providers manual that will be provided during an orientation meeting with dese.
•    Hold course participants to the department’s participant requirements and expectations, which will be stipulated in the contract and the participant manual. 
•    Utilize their own platform for course registration and delivery of the courses. 
•    Digital copies of all course materials will be shared with vendors.
•    Use a proprietary learning management system (LMS) or utilize a combination of systems that satisfy the department’s course delivery requirements:
o    Provide online discussion forums
o    The course includes weekly interactions with other students and discussion boards that require the class members to log in to participate in discussions
o    Allow for synchronous online class sessions (if providing an online course)
o    House readings and other materials
o    Allow instructors to assign work and participants to submit assignments
o    There will be required submissions for graded assignments
o    Allow instructors to grade assignments using approved course rubrics
o    Assignments are regular, posted, and graded by the instructor as indicated on the course syllabus
o    Allow providers to create and maintain course schedules
o    Allow instructors to track attendance and participation 
- For a blended learning format, make quality classroom space available in which to deliver courses. 
•    Vendors must identify the location of the space. 
•    Permitted to conduct training anywhere in the state. 
•    The space must be large enough to train the class size maximum (recommended 20 person maximum)
•    The space must be wheelchair accessible
•    Furniture must allow for flexible grouping, with a table or desk for each participant where they can rest a notebook or laptop
•    Include in its publicity and marketing and in its agreements for payment a list of amenities that will or will not be provided (e.g., free parking, air-conditioned classrooms, etc.)
- For online format with synchronous web meetings replacing the in-person class sessions:
•    The course will be offered as a synchronous course; the vendor will not offer it as a self-paced course
•    The online format requires regular synchronous interaction with the instructor and other course participants
•    Bidders must demonstrate that they have access to zoom, GoToMeeting, or similar technology sufficient to facilitate synchronous sessions
•    Vendors must make clear in the registration process that participants must have access to the necessary technology to participate in the synchronous sessions.

- Contract Period/Term: 1 year