The History of American Sign Language Interpreting
The History of American Sign Language Interpreting

Summary/Abstract: This paper focuses on the history of the American Sign Language interpreting profession. In order to resolve the critical shortage of interpreters, which has been apparent since 1964, it is imperative that a history of interpreting be documented. Understanding the role of Deaf people in the establishment of interpreting training programmes and the recruitment of interpreters is vital, as is learning the origins of Deaf education and the influence of Stokoe’s research regarding the validity of American Sign Language and how this has influenced the emergence of the profession of sign language interpreter. It is also important to understand the role of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and how this small organisation, founded in 1964, has now turned into the largest interpreting organisation in the United States.

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