Announcement: Funds Available towards CCIE Accreditation

Raising the Bar: NCIEC Support for IEPs Pursuing CCIE Accreditation

Congratulations to the Sign Language Interpreting Program at Georgia Perimeter College for becoming the second program to be nationally accredited by CCIE!

The six Centers of the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers are actively engaged in improving the quality of interpreting education across the nation. Ensuring quality interpreting education is highlighted in four of the six NCIEC goals. As part of its mission to promote effective practices, the NCIEC encourages interpreting education programs to become accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE). The National Consortium, through its National Interpreter Education Center and five Regional Interpreter Education Centers, will offer funding support to those courageous and enterprising programs engaging in the process of self-study toward accreditation.

The accreditation process consists of four steps: (1) A directed self-study measuring the program's success in achieving its mission, (2) submission of a self-study report to CCIE for review, (3) an on-site evaluation by trained personnel, and (4) a judgment by the CCIE that the program is or is not in compliance with the National Interpreter Education Standards. The Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE) invites interpreter education programs at the Associate, Bachelor and Masters level to begin the process of accreditation. Information about the CCIE, the National Interpreter Education Standards and application information can be found at the CCIE website, http://www.ccie-accreditation.org/

The Gallaudet University Regional Interpreter Education Center will offer assistance to up to two programs within our region who are actively engaged in the preparation of the Self-Study Report due June 2008. Two programs entering the accreditation process by the March 2008 application deadline may also be eligible for assistance. More specifically, GURIEC will reimburse eligible programs as follows:

$500 Application Fee when the IEP's completed Self-Study Report has been received by CCIE for review; and $1,500 (half of the Site Visit fee) at the time when the Program is notified that it is in compliance with Accreditation Standards.

Any program engaged in the process is assured complete confidentiality through the process. Interpreter Education Program administrators within the GURIEC region who are planning to apply for accreditation are encouraged to contact Beverly Hollrah by email (beverly.hollrah@gallaudet.edu), phone (202-651-6057), or VP (IP: 134.231.98.229) for more details on obtaining GURIEC financial assistance.