NAD Issues Call for Deaf Raters for National Interpreter Certification Test

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is seeking deaf consumers and deaf interpreters to serve as raters for the NAD-RID National Interpreter Certification (NAD-RID NIC) test, which will be launched in entirety this year.

Raters will be selected based on criteria provided by the psychometricians involved with the new test. The application deadline for those interested in becoming raters is March 1, 2005.
 
Criteria for All Raters

• Be willing to commit to spending 45 minutes to one hour to evaluate each candidate’s tape.
• Be willing to rate and return tapes within a maximum of two weeks from the date of receipt.
• Have no involvement or conflict of interest with any other testing system.
• Promise to follow the RID and NAD codes of ethics and the RID Ethical Practices System guidelines.
• Send a cover letter addressing why you want to become a rater for the NIC test.

Deaf Interpreter Raters

• Current RID certification (RSC or CDI) plus three years experience working in a variety of community interpreting settings.
• Be a consumer of a variety of interpreting/transliterating services.
• Have experience in evaluating interpreters.
• Include a letter of reference from a deaf consumer, certified member in good standing of RID, employer, or other professional attesting to your ability to remain neutral and unbiased.

Deaf Raters

• Be a consumer of a variety of interpreting/transliterating services.
• Have experience in evaluating interpreters (please include a statement to this effect in your cover letter).
• Include a letter of reference from a deaf consumer, certified member in good standing of RID, employer, or other professional attesting to your ability to remain neutral and unbiased.

The NAD strongly encourages deaf consumers and deaf interpreters to consider becoming raters for the new joint test. For application and related information, please visit http://www.rid.org [2], “Call for Raters for the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) Test” on the main page.

Brief History...

The original NAD-RID Task Force on the National Interpreter Crisis was formally established in 1994. In 1996, the task force agreed to develop a new joint test and certification system for interpreters. In 1998, an extensive stakeholder survey was conducted on the role and function of interpreters, as well as interest in a new test. Town Hall sessions were held across the country during national and regional events, as well as during Task Force meetings to obtain stakeholder input. The Task Force later changed its name to the NAD-RID National Council on Interpreting (NAD-RID NCI).

These grants and donations enabled the NAD-RID NCI to enter into a contractual agreement with Castle Worldwide, a test development company. This company worked with content experts (deaf consumers and hearing interpreters or those with interpreting knowledge) to develop the blueprint for the new NAD-RID National Interpreter Certification test. The first part of this test (knowledge) was released in two formats – computer based and paper/pencil. This spring there will be pilot testing for the remaining two parts (interview and performance), slated for release in the summer of 2005.