The mission of Interpreter Services is to provide high quality, consistent Sign Language interpreting services to all students, staff and faculty, as well as to members of the community who access Metropolitan Community College's programs and services. Sign Language interpreters are trained professionals who may or may not know the deaf* person. All of the interpreters working at the College are licensed by the state of Nebraska through the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Services do not include foreign language interpreting.
*Throughout the information presented, the term “deaf” is used to refer to both deaf and hard of hearing individuals who use Sign Language interpreters.
MCC is committed to assisting students in their goals of academic achievement. Disability Support Services, Interpreter Services, students, faculty and Sign Language interpreters all work together as an educational team for the purpose of creating access to a successful learning environment.
Sign Language interpreters are professional service providers who facilitate communication between people who are deaf and individuals who can hear—conveying the content and spirit of the speaker's or signer’s message. Interpreters serve both hearing and deaf individuals.
- Interpreters are trained in American Sign Language, deaf culture and interpreting from one language to another.
- Interpreters use Sign Language to express what is spoken and verbalize what the deaf person signs while conveying the intent and feeling of the speaker or signer.
- Interpreters abide by the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC), which was jointly developed by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID).
For more information about the interpreter’s role and the field of Sign Language interpreting, see the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf website.
Sign Language Interpreter Services are provided for classes, meetings, tutoring sessions, field trips, etc. for deaf students, deaf faculty and staff as well as for deaf members of the community accessing MCC’s programs and services.
The Coordinator of Interpreter Services can be reached at:
Judy Gouldsmith, M.A., CI and CT
Coordinator of Interpreter Services
jgouldsmith@mccneb.edu
Office: 531-622-2854