Growing Identity Over a Decade: ASL-English Interpreter Education

The employment context of ASL-English Interpretation programs (ASLIPs) has not been analyzed in a decade. In this study, I compared the institutional type and disciplinary category of 38 ASLIPs operating in 2011 and 57 programs operating in 2021 to determine whether there had been a standardization of academic profile. Over half of the programs in 2021 are in doctoral/research granting institutions (52.6%) compared to only 31.6% in 2011. While the number of programs classified under Schools/Colleges of Education has nearly doubled (11 and 20, respectively), the proportion has remained steady (45.8% and 45.5%, respectively). The proportion of language and/or culturally-related department names has increased (46.4% and 58.8%, respectively); however, a range of disciplinary alignments are evident. Baccalaureate-granting ASL-English Interpretation Programs have asserted themselves as a discipline; however, the placement of programs within the hierarchical structure of the academy indicates a continued fractured positionality in terms of disciplinary alignment.