ABSTRACT
Educational interpreting focusses on sign language interpreting for Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children from early childhood to the 12th grade and in post-secondary settings. This setting-based specialisation includes the largest percentage of working interpreters in the United States and some other countries (Burch, 2002). Every year, thousands of DHH children attend primary and secondary education along with their hearing peers and study academic subjects through interpreter-mediated instruction. This research in educational interpreting thus emerged in the early 1970s and has expanded in the last five decades.
Educational interpreters require knowledge and skills beyond interpreting processes, sign language and linguistics, and Deaf culture. Interpreting in educational settings for Deaf and hard of hearing children requires additional specialised skills and knowledge of academic subjects such as maths, science, civics, technology, and language arts. This book chapter provides a comprehensive overview of issues and current trends in the field of educational interpreting and illustrates a concise history of educational and special education laws that shifted the educational placement of DHH students, with a focus solely on the United States. Additionally, it summarises the latest research on interpreting for DHH students in schools and colleges and offers suggestions for future preparation training, professional development, and research direction.
