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MANUAL ON INTERPRETER SERVICES FOR VENDORS WHO WORK WITH
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
2009 Revision
DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION (DVR)
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOE)
December, 2009
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION Page
A. Purpose 3
B. Authority 3
C. Definitions 3
D. Background 4
E. Rationale 4
II. VENDOR INFORMATION: Registration and Essentials 5
A. Vendor Registration 5
B. Interpreting Agencies as Vendors 7
C. Expiration of Vendor Status 7
D. Travel and Per Diem 7
E. Technical Assistance 7
1. Local Technical Assistance 7
2. Statewide Technical Assistance 7
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Florida Department of Education
2002 Old Saint Augustine Road, Building A
Tallahassee, Florida 32301-4862
www.rehabworks.org
Field Services Office: (850) 245-3403 (V)
VR Administrator: (850) 245-3413 (TTY/VP)
Staff Interpreter: (850) 245-3353 (V/VP)
(850)245-3404 (TTY)
Toll Free: 800-451-4327
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I. INTRODUCTION
A. Purpose
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) of the Florida Department of Education
(DOE) recognizes the importance of equal access for its participants and staff who are deaf or
hard of hearing. Among the various methods of accommodations provided to these
individuals is the provision of quality interpreter services.
The purpose of this manual is to establish a uniform DVR guideline for providing effective
interpreter services to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing when providing services to VR
staff or to individuals who participate in DVR programs or activities according to Florida’s
laws and statutes.
The DVR Manual on Interpreter Services for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
was originally devised to serve as a guideline to all staff within DVR to assist in the process
of securing quality interpreter services. This manual is an update incorporating the latest
standards and practices of professional interpreters in the state of Florida. The original
manual was split into two separate manuals. This manual is a guide for vendors and the
second manual is for DVR staff who work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals and
staff. Please refer to that manual for any additional information regarding interpreting
services to this population.
B. Authority
The authority for this manual is contained in Chapter 413.22 of Florida Statutes.
References in this manual are from Title V, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended, by Public Laws 99-506 and 100-630, and subsequently amended by 1992
amendments signed at the end of October 1992, and the regulations implementing that Act in
34 CFR Part 363 et al., Rehabilitation Service Administration Programs; Final Regulations,
and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law 101-336, and its regulations in 28 CFR
Part 35, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government
Services.
C. Definitions
For the purpose of this manual:
"Person who has a disability" means an individual who has a physical or mental impairment
which for such individual constitutes or results in substantial impediment to employment and
who can therefore benefit in terms of an employment outcome from vocational rehabilitation
services (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended).
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"Person with a hearing impairment" means a deaf or hard-of-hearing person as defined in
Chapter 427.703, Part II, Florida Statutes.
"Individual" means a person receiving any aid, benefit, service or training through any
program or activity of DVR, including job applicants, claimants, employers and other
participants in DVR activities.
"Interpreter services" means providing a qualified interpreter for a person with a hearing
impairment, at the time and place of need for such services, in order to access and
participate in DVR programs or activities.
"Qualified Interpreter" as defined in 28 CFR Part 35, is an interpreter who "is able to
interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially both receptively and expressively, using
any necessary specialized vocabulary." DVR ensures that this standard is met by only
utilizing interpreters certified by a national certifying body or the state quality assurance
(QA) system administered by the Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (FRID). The
national certifying bodies include the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID Certified)
and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD Certified). Certifications and qualifications
recognized by DVR are:
RID CI or CT (Certificate of Interpretation or Certificate of Transliteration)
NAD III, IV, or V
NIC, NIC advance or NIC master (National Interpreter Certification)
FRID QA I, II, or III (Quality Assurance)
FRID EIE I, II, or III (Educational Interpreter Evaluation: educational interpreting only)
The above certifications should be used unless special circumstances warrant the use of
other interpreters as determined by the office that oversees Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Services for DVR.
D. Background
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, places special emphasis on improving and
expanding services to persons with disabilities, including those with a hearing impairment.
In addition, Section 504 of the Act mandates nondiscrimination on the basis of a handicap
in federally assisted programs and activities. In 1990, the passage of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, Public Law 101-336, extended the mandate to include state and local
government programs that do not receive federal financial assistance.
DVR has the expertise and the experience to provide leadership in the formulation of policy
on this issue. In the past, DVR has served as the principal contact between DOE and the
providers of interpreter services for persons with hearing impairments. However, each
division/bureau within DOE now bears the responsibility for obtaining interpreters and
other services that will ensure the accessibility of its programs to persons with hearing
impairments.
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E. Rationale
Persons with hearing impairments vary considerably in regard to their mode of
communication. The target population for interpreting services includes persons who
utilize manual interpreters, oral interpreters, tactile interpreters and persons who have
multiple disabilities with hearing impairments (i.e., deaf-blind, deaf-mentally retarded,
deaf-spinal injury, deaf-skeletal/muscular impairment and brain damaged deaf). In some
locations, there are individuals who communicate in other languages. Communication with
these individuals is usually done by combining ASL, oral Spanish, French, Creole, or other
spoken languages. These conditions have special and unique communicative problems that
present major challenges for interpreting.
Providing an interpreter for a person with a hearing impairment is a fundamental way of
enabling the individual to make decisions regarding important issues in the VR process.
The interpreter is the link for communication and culture between the hearing and deaf
individuals.
The provision of qualified interpreter services to persons with hearing impairments by DVR is
recognized as one of the best means of reasonable accommodation in meeting accessibility
requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Public law 101-336, and its regulations in
28 CFR Part 35. DVR’s primary interest is to make available complete access to
communication and DVR services. DVR recognizes the importance of providing other
accommodations that can serve persons with hearing impairments based on individual
preference of communication. Experience shows that interpreter services, whether provided by
outside vendors or in-house staff interpreters, are viewed as one of the mechanisms to ensure
that the persons with hearing impairments understand and receive proper services provided by
DVR. This is justified as a reasonable accommodation as indicated by the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
Therefore, it is the intent of DVR to notify the persons with hearing impairments and the
staff who work with persons who are deaf and hard of hearing of the availability and
procedures for requesting qualified sign language and oral interpreters to access our
services.
II. VENDOR INFORMATION
Registration and Essentials
A. Vendor Registration.
To work as an interpreter for DVR, each agency or individual must become a registered vendor
with MyFloridaMarketplace and DVR. If an agency is registering as a vendor, each person
who works for the agency and provides interpreting service to DVR must complete a Standard
Vendor Application and submit their credentials. In order to become a qualified vendor, all
individuals and agencies must follow the steps listed below. All interested interpreters must
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possess valid interpreter credentials or certifications as well as a current membership card from
the appropriate organization that is responsible for the credential/certification held by the
individual (e.g., RID, NAD, NIC, or FRID QA or EIE).
To view the vendor certification instructions for both MyFloridaMarketplace and for DVR,
visit: www.rehabworks.org, click on the vendor link and then click on Vendor Certification
Instructions.
Once registered with both MyFloridaMarketPlace, mail or fax the following information to the
Vendor Certification Unit. Be sure to include the following information:
a. Completed DVR Standard Vendor Application
b. Copy of State Level QA/EIE Credential from FRID or National Certification from
RID, NAD or NCI.
When registering with DVR through the Vendor Certification Unit to provide interpreting
services, a vendor should also become certified as a transportation provider. This will allow a
vendor to charge for travel time when providing interpreting services that require travel.
Mail or fax the above information to:
Vendor Certification Unit
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Department of Education
2002 Old St. Augustine Rd. Bldg. A
Tallahassee, FL 32301-4862
Phone: (850) 245-3401
Toll Free: 1-800-451-4327
Fax: (850) 245-3394
vrvendors@vr.fldoe.org
For questions or guidance, contact:
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
Bureau of Field Services
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Department of Education
2002 Old St. Augustine Rd. Bldg. A
Tallahassee, FL 32301-4862
Phone: (850) 245-3403 (V) or (850) 245-3353 (V/VP)
(850) 245-3413 (TTY/VP) or (850) 245-3404 (TTY)
Website: www.rehabworks.org
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B. Interpreting Agencies as Vendors
If an agency registers with DVR as an Interpreter for the Deaf, the agency will be listed as a
payment vendor. The agency will need to send in the appropriate credentials for each
interpreter who both works for the agency and may be sent to an interpreting assignment.
When hired for a job with VR, the agency must submit the name(s) of the interpreter(s) who
perform the job to ensure they are registered in RIMS and meet minimum qualifications.
C. Expiration of Vendor Status
Interpreters will continue to be listed in the RIMS Vendor Directory until their credentials
expire or they have demonstrated inability to perform. Therefore, it is good practice to follow-
up with or provide renewal documentation to the DVR Vendor Certification unit as appropriate.
This will ensure that the vendor’s status is in good standing.
D. Travel and Per Diem
1. General Information
Generally, interpreter vendors will not be paid mileage to any appointment(s) that occur on
a single day since their time of travel, either locally or long-distance, will be covered as part
of the hourly rate as agreed upon when authorizing services. However, if additional travel
expenses are necessary due to assignments that extend beyond one day or out of county
(e.g., staff training, agency meetings), the interpreter vendors shall be reimbursed in
accordance with travel regulations and Section 112.061 F.S. (e.g., per diem meals, lodging,
mileage, common carrier, tolls). VR payments for any travel beyond one day by interpreter
vendors will require advance authorizations. In addition, the vendor must also be certified
as a transportation provider as documented in RIMS.
2. When qualified interpreters are unavailable
There may be occasions when there is no qualified interpreter vendor available in the
official headquarters city, town or area where the interpreter services are needed. Should
this occur, it will be necessary to hire an interpreter vendor from another town or county. In
such cases, travel expenses and mileage can be paid if the vendor seeks such payment. In
order to receive payment for travel expenses, a certified vendor must request that
transportation be added as one of the services offered. This must be documented in RIMS.
E. Technical Assistance
1. Local Technical Assistance
Technical assistance concerning the procurement of qualified interpreter services may be
obtained by calling DVR’s appropriate local area office. Each local area office has a VR
Counselor working with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. They can provide
guidance and advice on issues concerning services to persons who are deaf or hard of
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hearing. A list of those offices and their phone numbers can be found at
www.rehabworks.org.
2. Statewide Technical Assistance
Technical assistance concerning all issues covered in this manual is available from the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing Services at the headquarters office of DVR in Tallahassee. The phone
number is 850-245-3353 (Voice/VP), 850-245-3413 (TTY/VP) or toll-free 800-451-4327.
December, 2009
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