Sign Language Interpreting Services

The Vendor is required to provide sign language interpreting services.
- American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreting: ASL is a language that uses hand signs, facial expressions, and body postures to communicate ideas. ASL is a rich, complex language on par with spoken languages, and employs rules of phonology, syntax, morphology, etc. using manual/visual modes of communication, where spoken languages rely on the oral/aural modes of communication.
- Deaf-Blind Interpreting: The type and extent of the combined hearing and vision loss determines an individual’s mode of communication and needs regarding visual accommodations. Individuals who are Deaf-Blind employ communication modes including, but not limited to:
•    Sign language at close visual range (less than 4 feet) and/or within a limited visual space (often a small area including and just below the signer’s chin to signer’s chest)
•    Sign language at a great visual range (4/8 feet) to accommodate those individuals with limited peripheral vision
•    Sign language received at close visual range with the use of tracking [hand(s) is/are placed on the interpreter’s wrists/forearms for the receiver to maintain signs within their visual range]
•    Sign language received by sense of touch with one or two hands (tactile)
•    Fingerspelling received by sense of touch (tactile)
•    Sign supported speech
- Real-Time Captioning (RTC): Subtitles for live discussions. Spoken language is translated instantaneously into text and displayed in various forms such as on a computer, monitor, projector, etc.
- Current and valid certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) at the level of Certificate of Interpretation (Cl), Certificate of Transliteration (CT), or CI and CT (Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration) OR
- The contracted Sign Language Interpreter(s) must be proficient in both interpreting the spoken English to ASL (voice to sign) and ASL to spoken English (sign to voice).
- Accuracy: Interpreters shall render the message faithfully, conveying the content, spirit, and cultural context of the original message. This means the interpreter shall interpret everything the speaker or document says without changing the meaning, conveying what is said and how it is said, without additions, omissions, or alterations, but with due consideration of the cultural context of both the sender and the receiver of the message.
- Self-Evaluation: Interpreters shall accurately and completely represent their certification, education, training, and experience.