*This webinar, originally scheduled for August 2025, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, August 18, 2026. * This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This presentation explores the systemic barriers faced by Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) individuals, highlighting legal, communicative, and institutional challenges. We will examine the impact of the issues, drawing on real-life accounts. We will also delve into the multifaceted roles of interpreters who often serve beyond their role, navigating complex legal and rehabilitative systems as educators, advocates, and mental health supporters. Finally, we examine advocacy strategies to foster critical reflection on the necessity of equitable access and systemic reform.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This presentation continues this discussion regarding accessibility and communication barriers with a focus on the civil court system. While the provision of reasonable accommodations to deaf and hard of hearing civil litigants is legally required under the ADA, the decades since the passage of the ADA and other related legislation have revealed many failures to act - mirroring the barriers and failures within the criminal legal system. While the criminal legal system has the authority to take away someone’s liberty and/or life, the most serious of punishments, the impact from a civil court system should not be understated. For example, divorce and family courts have the authority to remove children from the home and/or deny visitation rights, dramatically altering many lives. When trying to understand how the civil court system impacts deaf and hard of hearing litigants it is important to recognize one complicating factor, the application of the ADA and other related legislation within the state civil court systems is far uniform. Access to accommodations and in particular interpreters can vary greatly state to state. With this in mind, this presentation will discuss key aspects of the civil court system at the federal and state level, focusing on how federal and state legislation has influenced the experiences of deaf and hard of hearing litigants. This will include a discussion of changes in policies since the early 1990s that have worked to reduce or break barriers as well as continued challenges in redressing lack of enforcement and related financial obligations in providing accommodations. Finally, this presentation will address available resources, or lack thereof, for deaf and hard of hearing individuals seeking access to or involved in the civil court system.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. There is no time like the present to engage in conversations about the relationships between law enforcement and the Deaf community. Law enforcement and their interactions with Deaf persons are at the beginning of the criminal justice system. This workshop focuses on providing information about law enforcement’s role and process in the criminal justice system and empowering interpreters with insights and tools for their work in these interpreting assignments. This workshop will open with insights about law enforcement’s role, process and goals during interactions with citizens. The co-presenters provide interpreters with a “tool kit” with concrete tips and perspectives to apply during related interpreting assignments. The workshop will also create a safe space for the co-presenters and audience to share their experiences and ideas for improving accessibility, presence, and communication between the Deaf individuals, law enforcement, and interpreters. We value the audience’s stories and constructive conversations. “Change is possible when acceptance and understanding of culture are bidirectional.”

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This workshop will help better equip interpreters to provide culturally responsive and ethically sound services to Deaf individuals with substance use issues within the criminal justice system. Often the only consistent communication bridge for Deaf individuals in complex legal and treatment settings, interpreters will explore their role in navigating access and advocacy issues. The session will address the unique challenges and access issues Deaf individuals face when navigating substance use, treatment programs, and the legal system. Participants will gain tools for more effective and ethical interpreting interactions in these complex situations through discussion of current research, case studies, updates on litigation, available resources, and needed improvements in carceral settings, as well as strategies to assist interpreters in navigating the barriers and injustices that Deaf individuals experience in these systems.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Description forthcoming

*Note - this session will not be recorded for asynchronous viewing. Please register only if you plan to attend live on Saturday, March 7, 2026, 1:00pm-4:00pm ET. * This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.30 PS CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Many interpreters experience stress around forgetting portions of the Source message when interpreting. This fear of forgetting creates additional load to the already complex task of interpreting. This seminar will help interpreters understand the limits of short-term memory and provide practice in accessing working memory, which has greater capacity. We will examine strategies for accessing working memory and identify factors that complicate this phase of the interpreting process.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Forensic evaluations play a critical role in legal and court-related settings, yet the process, terminology, and expectations can feel unclear or intimidating—especially for interpreters who are not clinical or forensic specialists. This workshop provides an accessible overview of what forensic evaluations are, why and when they are conducted, and how they differ from other types of assessments. Participants will explore common evaluation processes, key terminology, and the unique role interpreters play in these high-stakes settings. Emphasis will be placed on practical considerations, ethical challenges, and vital information interpreters need to navigate forensic evaluations with confidence, accuracy, and professionalism.

*All sessions in this series will be recorded for asynchronous viewing for those unable to attend any of the live sessions that occur on the third Tuesday of each month beginning August 2025 through August 2026, 7-9pm ET. Access to these recorded sessions will expire December 31, 2026.* This legal education series will delve into legal barriers Americans with disabilities face by our justice system and take sign language interpreters on a journey of breaking barriers, bridging gaps, and illuminating justice. *Viewing the film is not a prerequisite for attending the sessions, but is strongly encouraged, as it provides context and perspectives that are equally beneficial and enhance the overall experience. If you are interested in purchasing the viewing rights for this film, please visit this page: https://education.rid.org/p/film

*Note - this session will not be recorded for asynchronous viewing. Please register only if you plan to attend live on Saturday, February 7, 2026, 1:00pm-4:00pm ET. * This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.30 PS CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. We all know that having information about an assignment beforehand is helpful. We are sometimes provided with materials but are often in the dark until we are actually providing services. There are, however, many ways to prepare that we often overlook or do not access. In this seminar we will examine how to best use resources we have or can obtain in order to be able to predict and guide us in managing these assignments. Through targeted activities and discussions, we can expand our toolbox and have more satisfying outcomes. Join us for a deep dive into strategies and perspectives for how to be more prepared to do our best work.

This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.2 PS-Legal CEUs at the little/none Content Knowledge Level. RID HQ is an approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. Attendees will learn about the nexus that drives deaf students into carceral settings. Deaf people are overrepresented in the carceral system and many factors contribute to this problem. This session will review the contributing factors and provide some recommendations for solutions. Considerations for interpreters will also be reviewed.