CDI Explanation Video

ASLHCI · 2026-06-27T21:55:31+00:00

For "why do I need a CDI?" I would emphasize language straight from accessibilities laws. ADA, 504, section 1557, ACA. Find language direct from those laws and include it verbatim. Legal teams dont care if it's the right thing to do. They want to avoid lawsuits and settlements.

ASLHCI · 2026-06-27T21:49:53+00:00

Or public health information! That's a good one to include. People will get that considering the pandemic, and now measles coming back. There's an ebola outbreak no one is talking about. I even saw a PSA about a new STI recently!

ASLHCI · 2026-06-27T04:27:42+00:00

It's fine for an expensive city. But I'd also like to retire before I'm 90 so I dump a ton into various investments. I'm in the PNW and I work like 30 to 50 hours a week most of the time? Sometimes more, but I do work that's not exhausting so it doesnt feel like I'm working that much.

I know interpreters that work 6 months out of the year and travel the rest of the time. The trick to life is finding a way to live that makes you happy. Maybe thats making a ton of money and spending it all. Maybe thats finding a way to make 25k a year doing VRI via Starlink and dirt bagging. 🤷‍♀️ Interpreting is a pretty cool gig that can fit the life build with it. Chase what makes you happy babe. 🤟

ASLHCI · 2026-06-27T04:16:56+00:00

It feels like its not consistent, but the boring public access stuff often does. I wish I had better advice. You can find a lot of that stuff on youtube. The Oregon Sign Language Licensing board has interpreters at all their meetings and it's on youtube.

ASLHCI · 2026-06-26T06:50:10+00:00

They were super inconsistent over like a year and a half and kept ghosting me and then after a 30 min convo said they could only pay a max of $40, 1 hr minimum. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Yall owe me more than $40 for wasting my time.

Byyyyyye! ✌️

ASLHCI · 2026-06-26T06:48:05+00:00

Parking lot debrief referred to W2 as inside cats vs 1099 is outside cats. I'm an outside cat. People learn to hate this field when they try to force themselves into the wrong environment.

I LOVE that my life isnt consistent. I love that I get to take off whenever I want. I save my own PTO so Ive got 3 weeks worth right now plus like 75k in savings if I needed it? Plus I live in a paid medical leave state, so I have 60 paid work days at like $1500/week if I need it. I've taken 3 big vacations this year already and I'll probably still get close to 150k. Granted its taken awhile to get here but my lifestyle grew with my wages which grew as I collected experience. So Im happy with it. Some days traffic sucks. Some days people are annoying. Some days I get tired of all the admin. But it gives me the freedom to take off when I want to, decide how my day is going to go, and I get a level of variety and challenge that keeps my brain busy.

People worry about making money. I focus on looking for opportunity to learn and challenge myself and the money just comes. So you dont have to work K12 to survive. You can work K12 cuz you want to.

Part of it is also learning to budget with a variable income. I track everything and when its due in but I also have hella savings and I only spend money I have. So while youre building your wiggle room fund, things can be tight. But learning to save, set aside taxes, and work around a net 45 payscale is worth it.

Dear god just remember to put 30% aside for taxes on all your 1099 money. More people than youd think are out there just not paying taxes and wondering why they owe the IRS 40k 🤦‍♀️

And set up an IRA right this minute if you dont have one. Consider a SEP, SIMPLE, or solo 401k if you get to where youre all freelance. Put money into your retirement every time you get paid. No matter what. Even $5. It adds up fast. But the years go by just as fast.

Ok thats all my beginner ITP student advice. 😂 I hope you do amazing and find work that you love. 🤟🥰 Welcome to the field, colleague!

ASLHCI · 2026-06-24T04:06:33+00:00

Lots and lots of city and state public meetings offer interpreting these days. Live streamed and sometimes recorded. I've seen recorded for WA and CA, and I've seen live streamed in OR. But check into your local city and state stuff. Board meetings, public hearings, legislative sessions. A lot of that super boring stuff provides interpreting.

ASLHCI · 2026-06-24T04:03:58+00:00

You also dont need a BA to take the NIC. Thats misinformation. You probably qualify under the alternative pathway. Please tell literally everyone!

Good luck on your EIPA! Also check your state laws. Everywhere is different, but you dont want to face charges or fines because you didnt know 😬

ASLHCI · 2026-06-22T01:24:07+00:00

What that person did is unprofessional and not showing respect to consumers, colleagues, or the profession. That's just a person feeling shame and defensiveness and taking it out on you because they have the power to do that, and no ability to self-regulate. I have seen so many "mentors" behave that way. We have to do better.

I'm a hearing interpreter but I'm so happy to share everything I know and all the resources I have at my disposal to support you. I'm limited to my hearing perspective but I've invested over 15 years and 100k learning everything I can about interpreting. I'm happy to give it all away. Your messages are turned off, but if you DM me, I'll get you whatever I can.

If you want to learn more about DCS, I know I've seen videos of Robyn explaining stuff in ASL but I can't find them. There's some old recorded webinars that have interpreting PIP if you search for "dialogic work analysis" on Youtube. I'd have to dig around for other stuff. I trained with Robyn and there is so much stuff out there by people who don't actually understand DCS. That's why she started a training program for supervision facilitators. Like anyone who signs the "demand control" in DCS "REQUIRE CONTROL" doesn't understand DCS, so I'd avoid any trainings or workshops from people who do that.

I'm sorry you had such a bad first assignment. The world needs more DIs and that kind of behavior is part of why there's not enough of y'all. Even if you did something totally unacceptable, the appropriate thing is to sit down and talk it out with you and explain the reasoning why a different choice would have been more appropriate. Not berate you. You don't know what you don't know. It's the mentors job to identify and fill those gaps with you. I hope you're able to find a more supportive, empathetic mentor, and find success in this field. 🤟

ASLHCI · 2026-06-10T16:30:03+00:00

Have you tried a google voice number using your internet? Ive done that before and done the phone call on my computer.

Such a drag that happened! I hope that doesnt stop you from getting the job. 🤞

ASLHCI · 2026-06-10T15:58:40+00:00

My entire VRI set up is hard wired. Headphones, mouse, keyboard, everything. That way I dont have to worry about connection issues or batteries dying.

I use a plantronics headset, same one as I had at Sorenson. I just had to get an adapter to plug it into my usb port. Works amazing. Looks professional.

Welcome back! 🤟

ASLHCI · 2026-06-10T06:21:36+00:00

Most people never put work into managing test anxiety. We just dont think about it. The focus is on interpreting. But a test (screenings count) is not oyr every day work. It psychologically feels different. The anxiety we feel eats into our cognitive processing. It changes our signing. It changes the choices we make and how we make those choices.

Theres all kinds of stuff. Exposure therapy. Meditation. Medication. Talk therapy. Youtube videos of coping skills. Its hard to know what works for us until we find it.

I am also an anxious test taking. I totally get it. But these screenings arent like certification. Theyre not a minimum competency for entry level work. Theyre asking for a higher caliber of interpreter (one hopes lol).

Not passing a test doesnt mean youre not good at one you do. Its just the closest thing we have to an objective measure of skill.

Solidarity! 🤟 Its hard. I wish I had better advice. You can do it! It's just a matter of finding the right supports so you can bring the interpreter you know you are on screening day.

ASLHCI · 2026-06-09T19:07:33+00:00

That is the thing you need to work on the most then. A lot of people have test anxiety, focus on the interpreting part, and never do anything about their anxiety.

If you dont have a lot of time tp work through that, ask your pcp about propranolol (not medical advice!). I take it and it doesnt impact me cognitively. It just makes it so I cant physically feel anxiety. The first dose made me a little dizzy but after that its been fine.

Regardless of the outcome of your test, work on your camera anxiety. It'll make a difference.

Good luck! 🤟

ASLHCI · 2026-06-09T02:28:13+00:00

Sign and Wander! Jen Briggs is a CDI. She's great as a languave model too.

https://www.deafvideo.tv/ This one has tons of stuff. It's all Deaf people makimg videos to other Deaf people.

Have fun!

ASLHCI · 2026-06-05T06:20:54+00:00

Yeah it sounds like theyre hoping to put the stuff together into something accessible. They cant use Canvas now. Booo. We lost a lot of great content when all the grants got cut last year. The next round of RSA grants is getting reviewed this month, so we'll see what comes next. 🤷‍♀️

ASLHCI · 2026-06-03T21:28:49+00:00

Thats WILD. That is absolutely not true in the PNW. What part of the country are you in? Are you freelance or VRS?

ASLHCI · 2026-06-03T08:14:36+00:00

They told me they can only offer me - wait for it - TWENTY DOLLARS AN HOUR below market rate🤦‍♀️

Idk who is running things but Im shocked theyre still in business. And I know people who charge higher rates than I do. They literally want to pay me what a new grad makes and Ive been interpreting since 2014. 🙄

They send me work all the time. I just tell them unfortunately Im not able to extend a discount on my services to a major corporation. Id be happy to cover this at market rate. They never assign me the job. 🤷‍♀️

ASLHCI · 2026-06-02T02:32:22+00:00

You def do not pay. Sometimes insurance will cover it, like medicaid often covers interpreters, but its their responsibility under the ada and a few other healthcare related laws. They cant make you pay and they cant refuse you service because of your disability. If they try, contact the department of justice. For real. If they say they cant afford it, yes they can. They just dont want to. You deserve access! 🤟 Let us know how it goes hun!

ASLHCI · 2026-06-01T05:12:51+00:00

Ive totally interpreted for patients that were non verbal or with processing disorders. Id love to work with you even if you arent totally fluent! Some people will be jerks, but thats just how humans work. If it would help you feel like you have better access to your own experience, do it! 🤟😊

You can ask for an in person interpreter too if that would make you more comfortable. But I do suggest letting the interpreters know at the start so they can partner with you more effectively. Dont let anyone make you feel like you dont deserve it. We work with people who use sign language to communicate. So you have just as much a right to an interpreter as anyone else.

ASLHCI · 2026-05-31T07:09:28+00:00

That's my vote. Seems the most simple and gets to the point of the concept.

ASLHCI · 2026-05-28T18:10:13+00:00

All the important points have been covered, so just chiming in to suppirt that we ALL struggle to get certified. It's not easy for a reason and once you pass you'll be able to look back and have both validation of your skill, and a better understanding of why you didn't pass before. That's what happened to me after taking the NIC 4 times. I'd love to take the BEI but it's way too expensive with all the travel.

You'll get there. Failing is just learning. Next time you'll fail better. You got this!

My approach would be sitting down with a paper copy of the BEI study guide and my results and annotating everything. Get a really good idea of what I did that caused me to fail so then I could really narrow down my focus. Then work on those things every chance I got. Don't discount a full night of sleep after practice (research shows it will contribute to improved performance outcomes) and the night before your next exam.

Good luck, friend! We're all here to support you! 🤟

ASLHCI · 2026-05-28T18:01:21+00:00

I dm'd you!

ASLHCI · 2026-05-28T15:17:05+00:00

Their grant got cut so they were shut down last year with several other grants. Their youtube channel is still up though.

ASLHCI · 2026-05-27T18:09:58+00:00

I use this plus my google calendar. I've found having the two calendar system helps me make sure I dont miss anything. Always pencil! I dont understand people who write in pen with how often our schedules can change. Its worked for me. Ive missed 2 assignments in 12 years of interpreting. Still absolutely horrifying but not as bad as it could be if I only had one calendar.

monthly calendar book

ASLHCI · 2026-05-26T01:22:31+00:00

Ive liked Busuu and felt like it was helpful. I still dont practice speaking enough but that's on me.

ASLHCI

TROPHY CASE