More than 5,000 ASL Interpreters Attended Sorenson Communications-Sponsored Educational Events in 2017

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 07, 2018 -- Last year, Sorenson Communications, LLC sponsored educational programs that were attended by more than 5,000 American Sign Language (ASL) community and video interpreters (VIs). Those who qualified and attended were awarded 1,321 continuing education units (CEUs), totaling 13,221 contact hours of instruction. CEUs enable interpreters to continue to work as professional ASL interpreters, either through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf or a state certifying agency, such as the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters.

Since many ASL interpreters perform both VRS and community interpreting work, when Sorenson interpreters’ skills are strengthened, so is the overall quality of community interpreting. In 2017, Sorenson offered a variety of programs to keep pace with the most current training. These programs included community events, webinars, self-paced eLearning activities, mentoring experiences and community and internal workshops.

Stephanie Criner, VRS professional training and development education director, notes, “Sorenson Communications is committed to lifelong learning and growth for the entire interpreting industry.  As the largest private employer of sign language interpreters in the U.S., we provide training opportunities that are unparalleled in our industry.”

Last year, Sorenson sponsored 13 community workshops, open to both Sorenson and community interpreters, which raised funds for local Deaf organizations. Nearly 400 webinars and workshops were provided to Sorenson interpreters. In addition, many Sorenson video interpreters participated in Sorenson’s Language Mentoring Program, which pairs VIs with a Deaf interpreter/ASL coach to refine interpreting skills. This year a new, group mentoring approach was offered that brought together small groups of interpreters from the U.S. and Canada to participate in focused ASL dialogues on specialized topics, such as banking, Social Security, sports and weather.

“As the largest private employer of ASL interpreters in the U.S., Sorenson is committed to supporting the communication needs of the Deaf community,” notes Laura Hartness, Sorenson Communications vice president of interpreting. “To provide accurate and meaningful interpretation for our Deaf SVRS customers, we offer Sorenson video and community interpreters opportunities to receive training, education and professional development while simultaneously earning required CEUs to maintain their professional certification status.”

About Sorenson Communications
Sorenson Communications, LLC^® (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communication products and services for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing. The company’s offerings include Sorenson Video Relay Service^® (SVRS^®), the highest-quality video interpreting service; the Sorenson ntouch^® VP and the ntouch^® VP2 videophones, designed especially for use by Deaf individuals; ntouch^® PC, software that connects users to SVRS by using a PC and webcam; ntouch^® for Mac^®, software that connects users to SVRS by using an Apple^® computer; ntouch^® Tablet, which turns the Apple iPad^® with a front-facing camera into a larger-screen mobile VP; and ntouch^® Mobile, an application empowering SVRS communication via mobile devices.

Disclaimer
If you choose Sorenson as your default provider, you can port your existing 10-digit number to Sorenson from another provider or Sorenson can provide you with one for the geographic area where you live or work. If you later change your default provider, you can port your number to that provider. When selecting Sorenson, you must provide to Sorenson the physical address (i.e., the Registered Location) from which you are placing the call, so that Sorenson can properly route any 911 calls you may make. If you move or change your location, you must notify Sorenson immediately. You can update your Registered Location from your Sorenson videophone by calling 800-659-4810 or by visiting www.svrs.com/moving. Sorenson will confirm receipt of your Registered Location information. Emergency calls made via internet-based TRS may not function the same as traditional E911 service. For example, you may not be able to dial 911 if there is an internet-service failure or if you lose electrical power, and your 911 call may not be routed correctly if you have not updated your Registered Location. For more information on the process of obtaining 10-digit numbers and the limitations and risks associated with using Sorenson’s VRS to place a 911 call, please visit Sorenson’s website: www.sorenson.com/disclaimer. For information on toll-free numbering, please visit www.svrs.com/tollfree.

Press Contact
Ann Bardsley
Sorenson Communications
801-287-9400
[email protected]