Information For Interpreters
Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
The Florida Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (FRID) had their first organizational meeting on January 23, 1971. A small group of people met with a common goal: to provide quality interpreting services to deaf people. The first president, Betty Matthews, and her officers were installed by Mr. Pimentel, Director of the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, now known as the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID).
Today, FRID has more than 700 members. FRID administers two written and performance tests, the Quality Assurance Screening for interpreters in the community and the Educational Interpreter Evaluation for interpreters in the educational settings. Scholarships for these assessments and the RID written/performance tests are given to qualifying interpreters during annual state conferences.
The principal purposes of this Corporation are to initiate, sponsor, promote and execute policies and activities that shall further the profession of interpreting and transliterating, to include, but not be limited to, American Sign Language, English, and Spanish.
FRID, from the very beginning, has worked collaboratively with organizations in Florida to improve the professional lives of interpreters and to improve the quality and accessibility of interpreting services for deaf and hard of hearing Floridians. FRID continues to promote the profession and support other organizations by being a part of the Florida Coordinating Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Interpreting for Deaf-Blind Individuals - Annotated Bibliography
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, RID, has Standard Practice Papers (SPPs) which articulate the consensus of the membership in outlining standard practices
and positions on various interpreting roles and issues.
These SPPs are excellent resources to educate all interpreters as well as to pass out to both hearing and deaf clients, the general public, business contacts, school personnel, doctors and nurses, etc. You may print out these SPPs from the RID's Standard Practice Papers.
Certification and Credentials
Interpreter Training Programs
Whether they are called Interpreter Training Programs (ITPs), Interpreter Education Programs (IEPs), Interpreter Training Tracks (ITTs), Interpreter Preparation Programs (IPPs), or something completely different or in-between, the following are accredited degree programs and programs with interpreter-related courses:
| EDUCATION FACILITY |
TYPE |
LOCATION |
| Daytona Beach Community College | 2 year | Daytona Beach |
| Florida Community College at Jacksonville | 2 year | Jacksonville |
| Hillsborough Community College | 2 year | Tampa |
| Miami-Dade Community College | 2 year | Miami |
| St. Petersburg College | 2 year | Clearwater |
| University of North Florida | 4 year | Jacksonville |
| University of South Florida | 4 year | Tamp |
A national database of training programs can also be accessed through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) at:
RID training program database
Licensure of Sign Language Interpreters in Florida - FCCDHH Recommendations and Report (PDF)
