CIRS Quality Control

The Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities, requires that individuals needing sign language interpreting services receive this accommodation from qualified interpreters. The federal regulations define “qualified interpreter” very specifically as, “… an interpreter who is able to interpret effectively, accurately and impartially both receptively and expressively, using any necessary specialized vocabulary” (https://rid.org/).

Interpreters become certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf; however, certification, though not required by federal law, is the best way to ensure interpreters have met national standards that meet federal requirements. To ensure that all CIRS consumers have access to qualified interpreters, even in the absence of certification, CIRS maintains a multi-layered quality control assurance system that exceeds industry standards. It is composed of three primary components overseen by multiple members of the CIRS team:

  • Pre-Assignment (testing, vetting of interpreters, analysis of request requirements)
  • During Assignment (real-time assessment by trained interpreters)
  • Post-Assignment (follow up, feedback)

CIRS’ network of interpreters is highly professional and many are recognized experts in a variety of technical fields (e.g., medicine, law, patents, business/finance, information technology, etc.). CIRS interpreters are required to go through a rigorous recruitment and assessment process that includes the verification of credentials vetted prior to joining the CIRS team. The quality control process is dynamic and CIRS collects and incorporates feedback from stakeholders into its procedures. This allows CIRS to not only keep up with industry standards, but to also be an industry leader.

We look forward to providing you with the interpreting service you need and deserve.