Decoding Interpreter Education

Interpreter education is in a state of crisis. At the end of 2018, thirty-seven leaders in the field of interpreting and interpreter education were interviewed and asked questions related to three primary themes:

1. Is interpreter education adequate as it stands today? (Note: 35 of 37 stated that it is not; 2 participants mentioned one specific college that had recently won an award for its outstanding interpreting program.)
2. If so, what factors are contributing to its success? If not, what factors are getting in the way of preparing ASL-English interpreters to be job-ready at graduation?
3. Why does it matter? Why is it important to have not only adequate, but effective interpreter education? What are the stakes? 

Interviews were conducted in the interviewee’s primary language. Those conducted in English were later interpreted by a highly experienced Deaf interpreter. Voiceovers were provided for interviews conducted in ASL.