Find a Qualified Sign Language Interpreter in Virginia

The VDDHH Directory of Qualified Interpreters, an online database, provides credentials and contact information for freelance sign language interpreters in the Commonwealth who have granted VDDHH permission to publish their information so they can be contacted directly. These interpreters have taken the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS). 

 

Candidates who participate in the Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS) assessment process may be awarded levels based on the results of that assessment. For more information about VQAS, visit the VQAS page on our website. The following information provides a brief overview of each of the screening levels which may be awarded and general information about the types of assignments interpreters with those levels might be qualified for.

INTERPRETING LEVELS

• I-IV (Interpreting Level IV) – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 95% of the total message and are recommended for situations which are not life threatening, legal in nature or surgical situations.
• I-III (Interpreting Level III) – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 80% of the total message and are recommended for routine medical appointments, childbirth classes, eligibility and Welfare, non-technical meetings and pre-K through 12, and undergraduate course work.
• I-II (Interpreting Level II) – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 65% of the total message and are recommended for Library, parks and recreation, YMCA, arts and crafts, non-academic adult education, on-the-job training (non-computer, non-technical).
• I-I (Interpreting Level I) - Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 50% of the total message and are not recommended for placement without supervision by a mentoring interpreter.

TRANSLITERATING LEVELS

• T-IV Transliterating Level IV – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 95% of the total message and are recommended for situations which are not life threatening, legal in nature or surgical situations.
• T-III Transliterating Level III – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 80% of the total message and are recommended for routine medical appointments, childbirth classes, eligibility and Welfare, non-technical meetings and pre-K through 12, and undergraduate course work.
• T-II Transliterating Level II – Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 65% of the total message and are recommended for Library, parks and recreation, YMCA, arts and crafts, non-academic adult education, on-the-job training (non-computer, non-technical).
• T-I Transliterating Level I - Holders of this screening level demonstrated the ability to convey a minimum 50% of the total message and are not recommended for placement without supervision by a mentoring interpreter.

VDDHH also maintains an online Directory of Certified Interpreters who live or work in Virginia and who have requested to have their information be made publicly available. Participation in this Directory is voluntary, so this list does not include all of Virginia’s nationally certified interpreters.

You may want to use the RID "Search the Registry" tool to look for Nationally Certified interpreters. Be sure to select "Certified" in the section for "Category" so that you know the interpreter names that come up in your search are people who have current, valid certification.

VDDHH also maintains a publication, the Directory of Services for People who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Deafblind. This Directory publication lists many resources for a large variety of needs, including a section with the names and contact information for Interpreter Referral Agencies that consumers can contact directly.