"Greetings!

This message is to inform you of an educational opportunity for K-12 interpreters who are currently working with students who are deaf and hard of hearing.  You have either expressed prior interest in the Educational Interpreting Certificate Program (EICP) or someone who thought this information could be of benefit to your state has referred your name and contact information.

To date. EICP has been offered only through a multi-state partnership, funded in part by member SEAs.  Nineteen (19) SEAs have funded more than 350 educational interpreters in this specialized course of study.  Unfortunately, this partnership model has not been able to accommodate individual interpreters or interested school districtsÖuntil now!

For the 2005-2008 training series, a 30-member cohort will be opened for self-pay students outside the current SEA partnership.  These interpreters must be able to meet the EICP entrance criteria and willing to find their own funding source.  This self-pay cohort is called EICP Cohort 6.  You are asked to consider sharing this announcement with individuals, and/or school districts/SEAs, who may be looking for educational interpreter training opportunities.

EICP is a unique distance learning opportunity, providing intensive academic and skill development experiences to working educational interpreters. It is no longer necessary for these interpreters to quit their jobs and leave their homes in order to find the knowledge and skills training they need to enhance their services to K-12 students.  Unlike traditional on-site sign language interpreter training programs, EICP takes the education to the interpreters through distance technologies.

EICP is a 30-semester hour academic program, delivered over a three-year period, that is designed for working interpreters. It has adopted current approaches in adult education, cutting edge instructional technology, and the expertise of an international faculty to make interpreter education accessible to a wider audience.

The curriculum takes a three-pronged approach:
 

• Academic content is delivered through a combination of written, audio, video, and web-based materials and makes use of telephone, videoconferencing, and internet technologies throughout the academic year; and
• Intensive interpreting skill development is provided during a three-week face-to-face Summer Institute each summer; and,
• Mentors from throughout North America support the skill development during the academic year by video, written, and web interactions.

EICP has been built from the national curriculum, the Professional Development Endorsement System (PDES), creating comprehensive, self-contained one- and two-credit hour modules for many of the courses.  These self-contained modules are taught by subject matter experts, skills specialists, and language mentors to provide an intensive interpreting education for educational interpreters.  Participants who successfully satisfy EICP exit competencies will receive a Certificate in Educational Interpreting from the University of Northern Colorado.

Please note the very stringent timeline of the 3-step application process:

          1.   February 28, 2005 - Interest Forms must be postmarked
          2.   May 13, 2004 - Completed Application Packets must be postmarked
          3.   August 8, 2005 - Cohort 5 & 6 begin their online academic coursework

More detailed information and Interest Forms are available on our website: http://frcc.cccoes.edu/~doit.  You may also request a videotaped information session (available by January 21st) from the website.  If you have other questions, please feel free to contact me.  My contact information is below.

Thank you for your consideration,

Leilani

Dr. Leilani J. Johnson, Director
Distance Opportunities for Interpreter Training Center
FRCC @ Lowry Campus
1059 Alton Way - Box 7
Denver, CO  80230
Phone: 303.365.7688
Toll free:  866.885.6087 ext 6
Fax:  303.365.7677
Email:  Leilani.Johnson@frontrange.edu