CADRE has collected a variety of resources that may be useful to districts, parent centers, and states as they look to improve IEP meetings where interpreters are needed and support meaningful participation of families who speak languages other than English.
Important Role of Interpreters in Special Education Meetings
Raise Your Voice! Videos - Parental Experiences: These short videos from PACER Center feature actual experiences from parents who speak languages other than English. The parents discuss the important role that interpreters play in special education meetings.
Working Effectively with Interpreters
- Working Effectively with Interpreters: This webinar recording from Open Doors for Multicultural Families offers information on language access, examples of sample meetings involving interpreters, and best practices in virtual meetings. Webinar (PPT)
- Checklist: Working Effectively with Interpreters: This checklist from Open Doors for Multicultural Families includes before, during and after the meeting considerations.
- Checklist for School Staff: Working Effectively with an Interpreter in a Special Education Meeting to Support Parent Participation: This PACER Center checklist is designed to support school staff and offers in depth tips for meetings with interpreters and includes roles and responsibilities for translators, cultural liaisons, interpreters, and advocates.
Training Interpreters
Language Ambassador Training Course - Interpreters in the Education Setting: The Massachusetts Department of Education has established a tiered system for interpreters in education settings. They offer a Language Ambassador Training Course to districts. Their website offers qualifications for tiered interpreters, guidance for districts, and important resources.
- Guidance for Districts to train Language Ambassadors
- Language Ambassador Training Course
- DESE Guidance for the Provision of Interpreters in the Education Setting
- Poster: We Can Help You in Your Language
Consider printing and making this poster available to welcome families in high visibility areas. - Family Feedback Forms
Offer families an opportunity to provide feedback on interpretation services.
Critical Role of Interpreters in Special Education Meetings Training: This PowerPoint from PACER's training could be useful to those seeking to design their own training.
Sample Invitation to Districts for Interpreter Training: An example invitation to districts to send interpreters to special education meeting training.
Interpreter Evaluation Forms
Post-meeting Interpreter Rating Forms: Created by Open Doors for Multicultural Families, these Post-meeting Surveys for Clients (in multiple languages) offer an important opportunity to provide feedback on interpreter performance.
Family Feedback Forms: Offer families an opportunity to provide feedback on interpretation services.