TECUnit

NATIONAL CERTIFICATION

The Testing, Evaluation, and Certification Unit, Inc. is the national certifying body for transliterators who work primarily between cued English and spoken English. The TECUnit, Inc. administers the Cued Language Transliterator National Certification Examination (CLTNCE), awarding national certification to those who successfully complete this nationally recognized evaluation of professional knowledge and skill.

STATE-LEVEL ASSESSMENT

The TECUnit also works with agencies of various states to assist in assuring that interpreter/transliterator assessments (including Quality Assurance Screenings, state licensure, etc.) and evaluations are appropriate for all interpreter/ transliterators, including those transliterators who work in either educational or freelance settings primarily between spoken and cued English. Toward that end, we have developed the Cued Language Transliterator State Level Assessment (CLTSLA).

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

Ultimately, the TECUnit is responsible for establishing, maintaining, and promulgating national standards for the profession of cued language transliteration. A working Code of Conduct, derived with regard for both educational and freelance settings, is central to the efforts of the TECUnit.

EVALUATION OF BASIC CUEING SKILLS

In support of national standards, the TECUnit administers the Basic Cued Speech Proficiency Rating (©1983, Beaupré) and the Cued Speech Reading Test (©1986, Beaupré). These evaluations of basic cueing skills are available to all cuers, including adults and children who are hearing, Deaf, or hard-of-hearing.

Identifying an Objective
Prior to 1980, the job of a cueing transliterator existed but was undefined. The first transliterators worked in school systems with mainstreaming as the goal for the deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Since this goal was defined for transliterators, the question that remained was how could a cueing transliterator support mainstream accessibility?

A small group of professionals gathered to pursue research, education and professional certification for cued language transliterators (CLT). In 1985, the first transliterator preparation program was established at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. The following issues were addressed:

What does a CLT need to know and what skills must a CLT have?
Is it possible for a CLT to acquire this knowledge and these skills?
Which of the identified knowledge and skills can be taught?
How can they be taught?
How can possession of the knowledge and skills be tested?

Quantifying the Objective

Codifying the Objective
In 1988, in the commonwealth of Virginia, members of the cueing community gathered to help draft legislation requiring that all interpreters and transliterators in the state be qualified. As a result of these efforts, individuals who serve as interpreters or transliterators in Virginia must demonstrate professional qualifications via either a state assessment or national certification. Other states have since adopted similar mandates.

To allow professional cueing transliterators to comply with these mandates, and in an effort to provide quality services for consumers, a national certification examination for transliterators was designed. The TECUnit administers the Cued Language Transliterator National Certification Examination (CLTNCE) nationwide and awards a Transliteration Skills Certificate (TSC) to those who pass. In addition, a state-level evaluation has been developed for use by states interested in administering a less comprehensive examination that measures for the national standard of practice. The Cued Language Transliterator State Level Assessment (CLTSLA) is administered by the relevant state agency and scored by the TECUnit, Inc.
Recognizing Transliterators Who Support the Objective

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NATIONAL CERTIFICATION

STATE-LEVEL ASSESSMENT

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

EVALUATION OF BASIC CUEING SKILLS

Identifying an Objective

Quantifying the Objective

Codifying the Objective

Recognizing Transliterators Who Support the Objective

	NATIONAL CERTIFICATION The Testing, Evaluation, and Certification Unit, Inc. is the national certifying body for transliterators who work primarily between cued English and spoken English. The TECUnit, Inc. administers the Cued Language Transliterator National Certification Examination (CLTNCE), awarding national certification to those who successfully complete this nationally recognized evaluation of professional knowledge and skill.
	STATE-LEVEL ASSESSMENT The TECUnit also works with agencies of various states to assist in assuring that interpreter/transliterator assessments (including Quality Assurance Screenings, state licensure, etc.) and evaluations are appropriate for all interpreter/ transliterators, including those transliterators who work in either educational or freelance settings primarily between spoken and cued English. Toward that end, we have developed the Cued Language Transliterator State Level Assessment (CLTSLA).
	PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS Ultimately, the TECUnit is responsible for establishing, maintaining, and promulgating national standards for the profession of cued language transliteration. A working Code of Conduct, derived with regard for both educational and freelance settings, is central to the efforts of the TECUnit.
	EVALUATION OF BASIC CUEING SKILLS In support of national standards, the TECUnit administers the Basic Cued Speech Proficiency Rating (©1983, Beaupré) and the Cued Speech Reading Test (©1986, Beaupré). These evaluations of basic cueing skills are available to all cuers, including adults and children who are hearing, Deaf, or hard-of-hearing.