Special Education

Memorandum on New Requirements for Registration of Sign Language Interpreters Who Work in Educational Settings

The Department of Education (DOE), in conjunction with the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), announces new requirements for registration of sign language interpreters who work in educational settings.

Beginning immediately, any staff members providing educational interpreting^* for students who are deaf or hard of hearing in schools, including private special education schools or collaborative schools, must be registered through the MCDHH. Existing staff members providing educational interpreting services must register before the end of this school year. New hires must register no later than one week after employment begins and may register prior to employment at any time. Educational interpreters will receive documentation of registration and must provide this documentation to school districts, private special education schools, or collaborative schools to be maintained with documentation of other staff licensure. Beginning in the school year 2007-8, Program Quality Assurance, as part of its monitoring activity, will review evidence of registration of educational interpreters employed in educational settings.

This initial registration activity results from several years of cooperative efforts between the DOE, MCDHH, professionals and stakeholders in the educational community to improve knowledge and quality of sign language interpretation provided by educational interpreters. Registration through MCDHH will ensure that DOE and MCDHH are aware of the use of educational interpreters across the Commonwealth and will ensure that educational interpreters are aware of training opportunities. Additionally, DOE and MCDHH will be communicating with educational interpreters as we develop specific requirements to ensure that educational interpreters possess the appropriate training, experience, and skill levels to meet the communication needs of Deaf/Hard of Hearing students.

We appreciate your cooperation with this requirement and welcome your input as we continue to move forward to ensure that all of our students, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, have the best opportunities to learn that this Commonwealth can provide.

To register with MCDHH, please go to http://mass.gov/mcdhh and follow the link for "Educational Interpreter Registration," or contact Janice Cagan-Teuber at 617-740-1655 or janice.cagan-teuber@mcd.state.ma.us.

^* This may include a staff member who is identified as an educational interpreter or an oral transliterator or someone who fulfills that role, but is not identified as an interpreter.