The mission of the ASL Studies/ASL-English Interpretation Program (degrees and certificates) at San Diego Mesa College, is to provide high quality instruction and training in practical and theoretical issues, skills, knowledge, and professionalism. American Sign Language and English are separate and distinct languages that represent different cultures with unique values, norms, and perspectives. This program reflects the changing needs of the students and community and encourages participation from students with diverse backgrounds. An Associate of Arts degree and a Certificate of Achievement is offered for ASL Studies. In the area of ASL Studies, students will obtain knowledge and skills of American Sign Language (ASL); focusing on the uniqueness of ASL as a language, Deaf Culture and Deaf History. An Associate of Arts degree and a Certificate of Achievement is offered for ASL-English Interpretation. In the area of ASL-English Interpretation, students will gain an understanding of the interpretation profession and its code of ethics, cultural mediation, skills in providing communication access between ASL and English speakers, sensitivity to issues between groups and individuals with diverse backgrounds, and the importance of continued professional development and lifelong learning. The Associate of Arts degrees include additional general education courses that provide students with a broad scope of knowledge to enable students to become successful interpreters in a variety of settings. Goals 1. Provide courses to develop competencies and fluency in American Sign Language. 2. Provide students with the history and development of American Sign Language and other communication techniques used among D/deaf people. 3. Provide students with an overview of education for D/deaf and hard of hearing persons, and common technology used by this population. 4. Introduce students to laws pertaining to educational choices and rights of D/deaf and hard of hearing individuals and to the local, state, and national organizations, educational institutions, related businesses, and agencies affecting the D/deaf communities. 5. Provide an introduction and study of theoretical models of interpreting, interpreter roles, functions, responsibilities, communication strategies, and ethical standards applied to consecutive and simultaneous interpreting in a variety of settings. 6. Introduce students to the language, values, literature, norms, socio-political issues, perspectives, and heritage of the Deaf Culture. 7. Provide students with the direct application of the principles, vocabulary, and techniques used in interpreting in educational settings. 8. Provide students with community resources along with interaction with Deaf individuals to promote knowledge and skills necessary for the workforce. 9. Provide students with direction for further self-assessment and professional development for life-long learning. 10. Provide students with a pathway to transfer the AA degree to the university level which applies to the first two years of a BA/BS degree. 11. Encourage/promote continuing education among faculty members. 12. Maintain state of the art teaching techniques and resources

Students who complete the American Sign Language/ Interpreting Program will be able to: Develop receptive and expressive skills in American Sign Language and Fingerspelling. Develop knowledge and awareness of the differences between the Deaf Culture/deaf community and the hearing community. Accurately interpret and transliterate between ASL and English in a variety of settings: face-to-face, small group settings, monologue and/or large group settings. Apply professional standards, practices, and ethics, not limited to the tenets of the Code of Professional Conduct, to their work. Students will be assessed through a combination of performance evaluations, written assignments, and written tests and quizzes.