Review of Sign Language Interpretation Services and Service ...

5.5 QUALITY OF SLI SERVICES DEFINED, MEASURED ANDMANAGEDThis section is concerned with the training and qualifications available for signlanguage interpreters and the regulation of their work, for example thoughregistration systems.The review of interpreter training, registration and regulation across the fivecountries reveals that:• The profession of sign language interpreting is still in its infancy, and SLIservices are accordingly still relatively new• Initially, most interpreter training took the form of short courses• Gradually, accredited interpreter training courses (both academic andvocational) were established at a higher education level, most within thelast 20 years• Initially much of the regulation of interpreters was done by interpretersthemselves, including the setting of standards• More recently, responsibility for regulation through systems of registration haspassed to independent bodies• With the establishment of agreed national standards in interpreting, andpressure from stakeholders, many countries have sought to separate the rolesof professional association and regulatory body• There is very little regulation of SLI agencies but recognition that this needs tobe put in placeThe following table outlines the professional association, training and registrationin each of the countries included as part of this review.page 100 • Review of Sign Language Interpretation Services and Service Requirements in Ireland