Sign Language and Oral Interpreters

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that employment for interpreters and translators, including sign language and oral interpreters, is expected to grow by 20 percent, much faster than the average for all careers, through 2029. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, "demand for American Sign Language interpreters is expected to grow rapidly, driven by the increasing use of video relay services, which allow people to conduct online video calls and use a sign language interpreter." Additionally, legislation enacted over the last 20 years has increased demand for interpreters. More deaf students are getting a postsecondary education because of access to classroom interpreters. The elderly population is growing as well, a population threatened with a number of disorders that can lead to hearing impairment. Society recognizes the need to involve more deaf people in the larger community and to pay more attention to deaf culture.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that "across all age groups, in the United States, approximately 1,000,000 people over five years of age are 'functionally deaf'; more than half are over 65 years of age." Eighteen percent of American adults 45–64 years old, 30 percent of adults 65–74 years old, and 47 percent of adults 75 years old or older have a hearing loss, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

The role of the sign language interpreter will change as the deaf community changes. An interpreter's job can be greatly affected by the politics of the deaf community. There is much controversy concerning how deaf children should be educated and how involved deaf children need be with the hearing population. Some members of the deaf community want to be classified as a minority group instead of as a disability group; however, this would prevent deaf people from receiving most of the benefits they now receive, including interpreters in the schools. It could also result in difficulty "mainstreaming" deaf students into public schools. Without the interpreters guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the parents of deaf students would have to hire their own interpreters, or send their children to residential schools.

For the last few years, however, legislation has fully supported mainstreaming. Government has even been moving toward "full inclusion," or mainstreaming, of all deaf students. This causes concern among many members of the deaf community—full inclusion could mean deaf students would not be allowed the opportunity of a special education environment.

Many more deaf people are enrolling in postsecondary programs, and occupational opportunities have improved for highly educated deaf people. But the overall employment rates for deaf people have not improved much. Interpreters may become more involved in correcting this imbalance; employee assistance programs will need interpreters to help train and integrate deaf people in new jobs. Businesses may also provide special programs for their deaf employees to help them earn promotions. Social services need also to focus on helping young ethnic-minority deaf persons. A number of problems affect this group. Programs need to be established to help them become prepared for postsecondary education.

Because of such legislation as the Americans with Disabilities Act, opportunities will be good for sign language interpreters. In addition, the increased demand for interpreters in the schools and in the workplace has resulted in a shortage of qualified professionals.