AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE OVERVIEW Three types of programs are designed to meet different needs: * Conversational American Sign Language CE program; short courses for students who want to communicate with Deaf people. * Interpreter Training Certificate Program Linked courses with the Interpreter Training Technology (ITT) program on the academic side. Specific inquiries should be directed to Charles Trevino in Academic 160 or call x 5535. * Interpreter Training Workshop Series CE program; workshops for Sign Language interpreters to brush up or enhance interpreting skills and to maintain State certification. Certification of Interpreter State Examination Test Site NHC is a designated site for State testing by the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing [TCDHH]. Interpreter Training Workshop Series Courses and schedules vary. Check listing in CE schedule or promotional flyers. Conversational American Sign Language Courses CIEL provides a unique opportunity for personal and professional growth by offering two levels of Fingerspelling and five levels of American Sign Language. Foreign and second language instructional techniques are used to help American Sign Language students learn ASL with little or no reliance on spoken English. Persons working with deaf employees in the market place desiring to communicate with their co-workers, parents of deaf children wanting to learn to communicate more effectively in the family unit, and professionals finding a need for basic sign language skills on the job may enroll in this program of study. Sign Language Interpreter Training Certificate Program Earn a workforce development certificate as an interpreter for the deaf or hard of hearing. The Interpreter Training Program prepares graduates for entry-level careers as American Sign Language/English Interpreters. It provides graduates with a strong academic and technical foundation and the interpreting skills necessary for state license and/or national certification. The Interpreter Training Certificate program requires the completion of general academic courses and technical coursework. The program includes a supervised internship as a capstone external learning experience and integrates all instructional components of the program. Courses include: * Beginning American Sign Language I, II * Intermediate Sign Language I, II * Visual/Gestural Communications * Introduction to the Deaf Community * Fingerspelling * Deaf Culture * Introduction to the Interpreting Profession * Interpreting in Educational Settings * Interpreting I, II, III Graduates of the program are prepared to take the Certification of Interpreters State Examination through the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing [TCDHH], which has chosen North Harris College as an official test site. After passing the state examination, students are considered Level I interpreters for educational and community settings. Interpreter Training Workshop Series Professionals in the field present a series of workshops every semester in response to the needs of certified interpreters for professional development and life-long learning. Licensed interpreters can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) awarded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TCHDD) to comply with state and national requirements to maintain their certification status.