Sorenson VRS®

Sorenson VRS IEP Award of Excellence
for the Class of 2008

The Sorenson VRS^® (SVRS) IEP Award of Excellence, presented by Sorenson Communications, recognizes outstanding Interpreter Education Programs (IEPs). The annual award identifies programs incorporating VRS tracks into their curriculum and those that continually recognize and respond to the broadening communication needs of the deaf community.

Award Overview

Sorenson Communications is dedicated to supporting excellence in ASL English interpreter education in order to provide the highest-quality professional interpreters in the VRS industry. The SVRS IEP award will recognize outstanding IEPs that go above and beyond routine education, to ensure student outcomes that are commensurate with the entry level positions in the field.

The SVRS IEP Award of Excellence is open to all two and four-year IEP programs. IEPs wishing to apply will report on student outcomes of the graduating class of 2008. All applications will be reviewed and final judging will be conducted by a panel of independent IEP industry experts. One or two final winners will be chosen and all decisions regarding the winning applications are final.

Award

One or two IEPs meeting the criteria outlined below will each receive the following:

$10,000 to be reinvested in the IEP program according to an approved spending plan
$1,500 credit to be used at SignMedia (donated by Sorenson Communications)
$4,000 credit to be used at DawnSignPress ($2,500 donated by Sorenson Communications, $1,500 donated by DawnSignPress)
A trip (airfare, transportation, accommodations, and conference registration) for two IEP program directors or instructors from the winning programs to attend the 2010 Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT) Convention, to be held in San Antonio, Texas
IEP award recipient recognition at the 2010 CIT Convention
An award trophy

Award Submission Deadline — Extended!

The online application is available below and must be completed and submitted by midnight MST Tuesday, April 14, 2009.

Award Notification of Winners

Winning IEPs will be notified in July 2009. Sorenson Communications will cover the 2010 CIT Convention registration and travel costs for two (2) IEP faculty members from each winning program to attend the convention.

Winners will be recognized publicly at the 2010 CIT Convention. Award funds will be distributed to award recipients by November 30, 2009.

Award Judges

Carol J. Patrie, Ph.D., CSC, SC:L, CI, CT
Patrie is a national and international expert on interpretation and teaching interpretation. She is Director of Curriculum and Instruction for The Effective Interpreting Professional Education Series™, Language Matters, Inc. though which she offers credit courses for interpreters nationwide. She is a past president of the Conference of Interpreter Trainers and is a recipient of the Mary Stotler Award. In 1998 she was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Faculty award at Gallaudet University where she was professor and director of the MA in Interpretation. She was one of the founding commissioners on the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education. Patrie is the author of the six-volume series, The Effective Interpreting Series and the video series, Interpreting in Medical, Legal, and Insurance Settings, all published by DawnSignPress. Her most recent release is The Effective Interpreting Series: ASL Skills Development. She is currently developing a multi-media package focusing on fingerspelled word recognition and the seventh volume in The EIS, Cognitive Processing in ASL.
Jackie Bruce, MA, RID/NAD Certified, Texas Certified/Alabama Licensed
Bruce has been involved in the profession of interpreting for the past twenty years and presently holds interpreting certificates and/or licenses from Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID), National Association of the Deaf (NAD), and the State of Texas and Alabama. Bruce has a Bachelor's Degree in Deaf Education from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, as well as a Master of Arts Degree in Sign Language Interpretation at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. She has completed doctoral work at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, and holds ABD status. Bruce is a former president of the National Alliance of Black Sign Language Interpreters, Inc. (NAOBI), has previously served as a member of the National Multicultural Interpreting project in El Paso, Texas, and the Alabama Licensure Committee for Sign Language Interpreters, and is a former director of Interpreter Training at Bishop State Community College, Mobile, Alabama. She currently owns CJAGA Sign Language Interpreter Service, LLC.
Thomas K. Holcomb, Ph.D.
Thomas K. Holcomb comes from a multigenerational deaf family where his parents, grandparents, children, and grandson are all deaf. Holcomb is currently Professor of Deaf Studies at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, where he teaches courses related to deaf culture to both deaf and hearing students. Previously, he taught at San Jose State University and NTID. He is also an accomplished storyteller and is the featured performer in the Boys Town Press videotape series Read With Me: Stories for Your Deaf Child. Holcomb is well known for his dynamic presentation style which he uses to bring together deaf and hearing cultures. His two DVDs entitled See What I Mean: Differences Between Deaf and Hearing Cultures and A Sign of Respect: Strategies for Effective Deaf/Hearing Interactions, have received widespread acclaim for its humorous yet effective portrayal of the deaf experience. In addition, his book, Deaf Culture, Our Way illustrates the unique experiences of deaf people living in the mainstream. It is now considered a classic in deaf literature.

Holcomb's academic credentials include a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Gallaudet University, a Master's degree in Career and Human Resources Development from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Rochester. He was honored with the Stephen M. Ryan Teacher of the Year Award from the American Sign Language Teacher Association in 2002.

Award Criteria

Section 1: Training and Education

VRS Track(s) Offered
Submit an executive summary of the video relay curriculum offered. A sample curriculum overview could include topics such as:

VRS introduction and interpreting as a profession. For example, 1) What a Video Relay Service (VRS) call is and how an interpreter facilitates these types of calls; 2) Using VRS technology in an interpreting environment; 3) Handling various VRS call scenarios; 4) Benefits of working in a VRS environment; and 5) Hands-on lab environment in which mock VRS calls are conducted with volunteers from local deaf centers
Testing certification written and performance preparation
Mentoring

Please note that the above topics are for reference and consideration when submitting the IEP video relay curriculum currently offered. Please describe in detail each video relay-related course currently offered along with the educational objectives.

What Sets Your IEP Apart From Others?
Submit a detailed summary of what your IEP does to distinguish itself from other IEPs and why it should receive the SVRS IEP Award of Excellence.

Language Mentorship Opportunities
Submit an executive summary of language mentoring opportunities for students. The executive summary should answer questions, such as:

How long has this program been running?
Does your IEP offer mentorship opportunities with schools, agencies, private organizations, or VRS programs?
How long does a mentorship opportunity typically last within a semester?
How many times do mentorship opportunities appear in the program?
How many language mentors are included in the program?
What is the student-to-mentor ratio?
What analysis tools are utilized to assess program effectiveness?
What training sequences and timelines are in effect?
What types of language features are assessed?
Is there any type of pre-testing or language assessment involved?

Supervised Practicum
Submit an executive summary of supervised student practicum opportunities and processes. A sample outline includes:

Practicum outline and guidelines
Processes including, but not limited to, the following:

Qualifications
Interview
Pre-assessment
Observation
Training
Goal setting
Progress assessment
Completion guidelines

Section 2: Accreditation

Proof of Accreditation or Acceptance into the Accreditation Process
Proof of accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE).

Upon receipt of the SVRS IEP Award application, proof of accreditation of your IEP by the CCIE may be required. You may be requested to submit a CCIE letter verifying that the program has applied for or been admitted for candidacy.

Section 3: Intended Use of Award Funds

Intended Use of SVRS IEP Award of Excellence Funds
Submit a detailed explanation of how funds would be used to improve your IEP should it receive the SVRS IEP Award of Excellence. For example, summaries might include, but would not be limited to, purchases of the following:

Additional IEP library books and DVDs — please list book and DVD titles
ELMO projector(s)
Video recording equipment
Computers equipped with Web cameras
Lab equipment
Testing tools

Additional uses of funds could include, but would not be limited to, the following:

Curriculum revision
Practicum enhancement
Mentorship enhancement
CCIE application and accreditation process, including preparation of the SSR
Development of intraprogram evaluation and assessment tools

Section 4: Post Graduation

Graduates Who Have Passed Local Proficiency or National Certification Tests Within Six Months of Program Completion
Submit the following information:

The total number of graduates.
The number of graduates that have either NAD-RID-National Certification tested or have received state quality assurance screening or certification at an advanced or higher level within six months of program completion. Include numbers on those who have taken the test, but are awaiting results.
Include details on the processes the IEP uses to track graduate certification after program completion.

Graduates Gainfully Employed in the Field of Interpreting by November 1, 2008
Submit the following information:

The number of graduates that were gainfully employed in the field of interpreting by November 1, 2008.
Include details on the processes the IEP uses to track graduates to gainful employment.