Research online associate's and bachelor's
degrees in sign language interpretation. Get information about online
courses, program requirements, career prospects and salary to make an
informed decision about your education.
Online Associate's Degrees in Sign Language Interpretation Overview
Students pursuing an online sign language interpreter associate's
degree will acquire communication skills in American Sign Language (ASL)
and are prepared to begin a career as an interpreter for the deaf and
hearing-impaired community. Some programs focus on interpretation
careers in educational environments.
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees are among the most
common offered online and some schools may require students to
demonstrate proficiency in ASL before acceptance. This requirement can
be satisfied by taking courses in ASL in high school or at the college
level.
Program and Technical Requirements
An online associate's degree in sign language interpretation can
usually be completed in four or five semesters of full-time study.
Students log onto an Internet portal and access lectures, assignments
and exams. Most of these associate's programs can be earned entirely
online and no in-person contact is necessary.
Communication with instructors and other students occurs through
interactive audio and video technology. Students are required to have
access to a computer with a high-speed Internet service, word processing
software and webcam.
Common Coursework
Associate's degree programs in sign language interpretation require
the completion of general education coursework that includes math,
science, English and general psychology. Degree-related courses focus on
studying and perfecting ASL communication skills.
Basics of Interpreting
Students learn how to receive a message visually or verbally and
convert it into the proper format. Emphasis is placed on methods of
relaying accurate emotions and inflections in the delivery.
ASL Linguistics
An analysis of the many world languages and how ALS fits in will be
discussed. Students study the grammatical similarities and differences
between English and ASL and how to apply theories of language to ASL
communication.
Deaf Culture
Students explore the legal issues, history, conflicts and attitudes
of the deaf community. Classes taken while learning basic ASL provide an
introduction into topics covered in this course.
Overview of Online Bachelor's Degrees in Sign Language Interpretation
Graduates of an online bachelor's degree program in sign language
interpretation are prepared to work as highly-skilled interpreters with
knowledge of new research in the field of communicating with the deaf.
Applicants must be high school graduates or hold a GED certificate.
Students usually need prior ASL experience or take additional basic ASL
courses while enrolled in the degree program. Some programs may also
require students to complete an associate's degree program before
applying. Students who only want to learn ASL and not study
interpretation can find online courses in ASL or study ASL in a foreign
language program.
An online bachelor's degree in sign language interpretation is a
4-year program, but could take longer if ASL basic courses are needed or
if the student is not enrolled full-time. Students log into a virtual
classroom, watch lectures and take exams. Some schools provide
interaction technology such as instant messaging and chat rooms to
communicate live with instructors and other students. Depending on the
school, on-campus class work may be required.
Coursework Commonly Encountered
General education requirements in English, math, science and
humanities must be completed in order to earn the degree. Additionally,
ASL proficiency courses may need to be completed before a student can
take courses in the major.
Advanced ASL
Students move beyond basic ASL skills and become more fluent in the
hand motions and emotive expression. Application of spatial use,
non-manual behaviors and register variations are taught in the lab
component of this course.
Discourse Analysis
Coursework includes the study of communication events and the intent
of the message. Students gain an understanding of the filters, signals
and devices used in conversations.
Interpreting for Various Situations
Students are introduced to the vocabulary and skills necessary to
interpret in special settings. Course material covers adaptation
techniques when interpreting in legal, health, religious, artistic and
conference environments.
Career Statistics for Graduates
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the hiring
rate of all interpreters and translators is predicted to increase by 22%
during the 2008-2018 decade (
www.bls.gov). In May of 2010, a
total of 44,200 interpreters and translators were employed in the U.S.
and earned an average annual salary of $49,790.
Based on research from the BLS, interpreters can obtain general
professional certification through the Registry of Interpreters for the
Deaf (RID) and the National Association of the Deaf. RID also offers
certification exams in speech reading, deaf-to-deaf interpreting and
legal interpretation. Although not required for all interpreter
positions, many employers prefer applicants who hold a certificate.
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