Interpreting Services Testing in the DMV
Current and future interpreters must understand the importance of regional and national interpreting standards. These tools ensure that professionals can deliver their services to the widest range of people. In the DMV, our instruments for certifying, measuring, and improving these skills are the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS), Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA), and National Interpreter Certification (NIC). To learn more about stipulations for testing in your area, seek a local sign language translation service.
Residents of Baltimore, MD, can turn to HIS Sign for translation services. As an industry-leading provider of ASL Interpreting, TypeWell, and CART services, HIS Sign strives to deliver assistance at any time of day, either on-site or remotely. We specialize in educational and medical interpreting, but our professionals can work in any setting. Contact us today at (877) 458-7408.
Below, we describe interpreter testing options in the DMV:
Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS)
The VQAS measures the skills, knowledge, and abilities of American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters and Cued Speech Transliterators (CLT) in Virginia. Administered by the state’s Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the test conforms to the Department’s regulations for interpreter services.
The screening is not a certification process and can only be taken by qualified individuals. It evaluates 3 forms of transliteration and 3 forms of interpreting:
- Sign to Voice Transliterating
- Interactive Transliterating
- Voice to Sign Transliterating
- Sign to Voice Interpreting
- Interactive Interpreting
- Voice to Sign Interpreting
Candidates must score at least a 90% on the written portion to qualify for the performance screening. The latter is divided into separate skill areas: one for transliterating, one for interpreting, and a combined category of Voice to Sign, Sign to Voice, and interactive. Candidates earn a proficiency score for each skill area with possible scores ranging from 1 to 4.
VQAS aims to provide candidates with diagnostic feedback for improving their skills. It also allows them to understand which assignments are suited to their interpreting competencies. HIS Sign urges our interpreter applicants to seek VQAS certification, though we do not require it.
Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA)
The EIPA measures the voice-to-sign and sign-to-voice skills of interpreters in elementary and secondary classroom settings. It evaluates interpreters who work with children and teens reliant on ASL, Manually-Coded English, Pidgin Sign English, and Cued Speech.
The assessment does not evaluate professional skills but rather the following:
- Grammatical skills
- Sign-to-voice-interpreting
- Vocabulary
- Ability to convey a message’s entire sense
Both written and performance assessments factor into the EIPA. Although a nationally recognized assessment, interpreter qualification score varies by state. A score of 3.5 is required for educational interpreters in Virginia, while Washington, DC, and Maryland have no minimum required score. Interpreters can use the practice EIPA videos to prepare for their assessment.
National Interpreter Certification (NIC)
The NIC is a nationally-recognized exam administered by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). It measures test-takers’ interpreting knowledge and practical skills. Successful Candidates of the NIC meet or exceed professional standards for interpreting and transliterating through a range of assignments.
Candidates must be 18 years of age and meet the RID’s educational requirement to take the NIC. The certification process begins with a knowledge exam, after which candidates must submit proof of their exam status to the RID to apply for the interview and performance exam. Once approved, the candidate must complete the exam’s second portion within 5 years of the first.
HIS Sign encourages applicants as well as our contract interpreters to seek NIC certification, but we do not require it. Instead, we screen all candidates in an evaluation process that ensures they meet our standards.
HIS Sign: Sign Language Translation Services in Baltimore, MD
Turn to HIS Sign for Sign Language Translation services in Baltimore, MD. Our team of qualified professionals delivers effective interpreting services, including ASL, TypeWell, CART, and captioning/transcription. Moreover, we maintain ties to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities throughout the region to advocate for their interests. Contact us to learn more at (877) 458-7408 or to request a service.