EIPA Guidelines for Professional Conduct
As with any profession, especially one that involves children and youth, there are professional practices and guidelines that guide work and decision making.
The recent authorization of IDEA, the law that defines educational practice for students who have an IEP, has identified educational interpreters as a related service provider. As such, the educational interpreter really is a member of the educational team, and is accountable to the same goals – to maximize the student’s educational progress.
There are big differences between interpreting for an adult, who is an autonomous individual, and interpreting for a student with a legal right to educational access. The EIPA Code of Professional Conduct was developed to provide interpreters who work in the public schools with guidelines for practice and decision making. You can download the entire document [download document link], which includes the following assumptions.
- The educational interpreter is a related service provider on a student’s IEP, which means that the interpreter is a legally-defined member.
- The educational interpreter must understand and implement a student’s IEP.
- The educational interpreter is obligated to inform and discuss students’ programs with the educational team. The interpreter is accountable for student progress, as is all other members.
- Educational interpreters can provide information and advice to the educational team.
- Educational interpreters should understand basic information regarding schools, learning, development, and teaching. [Link to Interpreters and Children]
For more information, see the section, Classroom Interpreters - Professional Conduct Guidelines.
