Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Kim B. Kurz and Melanie Metzger. (2021). "Signed Language Interpreters in Education: Perspectives on Their Role in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students' Educational Placement." In ADVANCES IN EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETER, 352-369. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/Books/A/Advances-in-Educational-Interpreting
This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the signer and the chapter author.
+++++++
Hello! The title of this chapter is “Signed Language Interpreters in Education: Perspectives on Their Role in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students’ Educational Placement” which was coauthored by myself, Kim Kurz, and Dr. Melanie Metzger.
In 1975, the U.S. Congress passed the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA). This law has a dearth of information; however, my focus related to the law will be on the Individual Education Plan (IEPs). Mandatory membership of the IEP team includes a parent or legal guardian of the deaf child, general or regular education teacher, special education teacher, whoever is well-qualified to interpret and explain test results (e.g., psychologist, reading expert) and a representative from either the Local Education Agency (LEA) or State Education Agency (SEA).
The IDEA also identifies a category known as “Related Service Providers” (RSP). Educational professionals who are categorized as a RSP are not required to serve on IEP teams. Our research question asks educational interpreters whether they are asked to share their input on the deaf child’s progress with any of IEP team members or not and if they agree with the IEP team’s assessment and goals related to the deaf child’s educational placement. Most educational interpreters are with deaf students all day long. Many different questions were included in a survey that was sent to educational interpreters. 275 results were reported through the survey.
Many educational interpreters shared their perspectives regarding the deaf child they work with and their educational placement. Approximately one-third of the results found that educational interpreters were invited to IEP meetings as voluntary participants and felt valued by the IEP team regarding supporting the deaf child in the classroom, the other one-third of respondents said they were invited to IEP meetings on a voluntary basis but not asked for their input nor to share their comments and the last one-third group said that they were never invited to IEP meetings nor asked for their input regarding how they thought the deaf child was doing in classes and if there were any ways they could work together to improve and remove barriers for the deaf child.
The issue here is who determines the mandatory membership of the IEP teams? Should RSPs or educational interpreters be required to serve on the IEP teams in the future or not? What about considering Deaf interpreters who might be able to provide insights in improving language accessibility in the classroom? What about Deaf advocates? What about an expert/professional who is Deaf and competent in evaluating the linguistic, cultural, and social competencies and has the expertise in evaluating and making recommendations in removing or minimizing barriers in the classroom for the deaf child from “Deaf Lens”? More research is needed in this area and how this law regarding the IEP mandatory membership and process are affecting the deaf child’s access to education.
Kim B. Kurz and Melanie Metzger. (2021). "Signed Language Interpreters in Education: Perspectives on Their Role in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students' Educational Placement." In ADVANCES IN EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETER, 352-369. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/Books/A/Advances-in-Educational-Interpreting
This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the signer and the chapter author.
+++++++
Hello! The title of this chapter is “Signed Language Interpreters in Education: Perspectives on Their Role in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students’ Educational Placement” which was coauthored by myself, Kim Kurz, and Dr. Melanie Metzger.
In 1975, the U.S. Congress passed the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA). This law has a dearth of information; however, my focus related to the law will be on the Individual Education Plan (IEPs). Mandatory membership of the IEP team includes a parent or legal guardian of the deaf child, general or regular education teacher, special education teacher, whoever is well-qualified to interpret and explain test results (e.g., psychologist, reading expert) and a representative from either the Local Education Agency (LEA) or State Education Agency (SEA).
The IDEA also identifies a category known as “Related Service Providers” (RSP). Educational professionals who are categorized as a RSP are not required to serve on IEP teams. Our research question asks educational interpreters whether they are asked to share their input on the deaf child’s progress with any of IEP team members or not and if they agree with the IEP team’s assessment and goals related to the deaf child’s educational placement. Most educational interpreters are with deaf students all day long. Many different questions were included in a survey that was sent to educational interpreters. 275 results were reported through the survey.
Many educational interpreters shared their perspectives regarding the deaf child they work with and their educational placement. Approximately one-third of the results found that educational interpreters were invited to IEP meetings as voluntary participants and felt valued by the IEP team regarding supporting the deaf child in the classroom, the other one-third of respondents said they were invited to IEP meetings on a voluntary basis but not asked for their input nor to share their comments and the last one-third group said that they were never invited to IEP meetings nor asked for their input regarding how they thought the deaf child was doing in classes and if there were any ways they could work together to improve and remove barriers for the deaf child.
The issue here is who determines the mandatory membership of the IEP teams? Should RSPs or educational interpreters be required to serve on the IEP teams in the future or not? What about considering Deaf interpreters who might be able to provide insights in improving language accessibility in the classroom? What about Deaf advocates? What about an expert/professional who is Deaf and competent in evaluating the linguistic, cultural, and social competencies and has the expertise in evaluating and making recommendations in removing or minimizing barriers in the classroom for the deaf child from “Deaf Lens”? More research is needed in this area and how this law regarding the IEP mandatory membership and process are affecting the deaf child’s access to education.
