Member Organizations

ADARA
The ADARA mission is to facilitate excellence in human service delivery with individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. This mission is accomplished by enhancing the professional ompetencies of the membership, expanding opportunities for networking among ADARA colleagues and supporting positive public policies for individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
ACTFL is a national organization dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching and learning of all languages, at all levels of instruction, throughout the United States. ACTFL publishes language standards, sponsors an Annual Convention and World Languages Expo, and offers training and certification for Language Proficiency Testers.

American Sign Language Teachers Association
ASLTA is a national organization with a mission to perpetuate, preserve, and promote American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Culture through excellence in teaching. This includes teaching ASL as a heritage or first language, as a second language, and as part of Deaf Studies. ASLTA manages and implements a teacher certification program and hosts national conferences to foster professional development of ASL teachers.

American Association of the Deaf-Blind
The mission of the American Association of the Deaf-Blind is to endeavor to enable deaf-blind persons to achieve their maximum potential through ncreased independence, productivity and integration into the community.

American Translators Association
The mission of ATA is to benefit translators and interpreters by promoting recognition of their societal and commercial value, facilitating communication among all its members, establishing standards of competence and ethics, and educating both its members and the public.

Association of Late-Deafened Adults
ALDA was formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1987. The marvelous sense of fellowship created there lasted and led to more social gatherings and self help support groups, which swiftly evolved into the Association of Late Deafened Adults (ALDA). Today, ALDA’s membership is international in scope. ALDA works collaboratively with other organizations around the world serving the needs of late-deafened people and extends a welcome to everyone, late deafened or not, who supports their goals.

Children of Deaf Adults International, Inc.
CODA is a membership organization established for the purpose of promoting family awareness and individual growth in hearing children of deaf parents. This purpose is accomplished through providing educational opportunities, promoting self-help, organizing advocacy efforts, and acting as a resource for the membership and various communities.

Conference of Interpreter Trainers
CIT is a professional member association of interpreter educators that provides opportunities for professional development of interpreter educators; promotes high standards in institutions, faculties, programs, and curricula for the education of interpreters; advocates for research relevant to the practice and instruction of interpreting; and encourages collegial relationships with professionals in other related disciplines and organizations.

Critical Link International
Critical Link International is an international, non-profit organization committed to the advancement of the field of community interpreting in the social, legal and health care sectors. Resource page of the website contains myriad guides, manuals, bibliographies of interest to community interpreters.

Hearing Loss Association of America
The Hearing Loss Association of America is the nation’s largest organization for people with hearing loss. The Hearing Loss Association of America exists to open the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, advocacy and support.

Interpreters with Deaf Parents (IDP) RID Member Section
The mission of the IDP Member Section is to promote greater understanding and awareness of the values of the Deaf Community as well as the skills, dedication and sensibilities that interpreters with deaf parents continue to offer to the interpreting profession.

Intertribal Deaf Council
A membership organization dedicated to improving the social, educational, vocational, health and spiritual well-being of American Indians, Alaska Natives and First Nations
Indians through education, information, referral, and
 training.

Legal Interpreting Member Section of RID (LIMS)
The purpose of the Legal Interpreters Member Section (LIMS) is to provide a forum for all interpreters, both deaf and hearing, who interpret in legal and court settings – to collaborate, network, discuss topics relevant to this specialty, and to provide recommendations and input to RID regarding this field of specialized interpreting.

Mano a Mano
A professional organization committed to professional development and increased visibility of sign language interpreters who work in Spanish-influenced settings.

National Alliance of Black Interpreters
The mission of NAOBI is to promote excellence and empowerment among African Americans/ Blacks in the profession of sign language interpreting in the context of a multi-cultural, multi-lingual environment.

National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators
NAJIT’s mission is to promote quality interpreting and translating services provided in the courts and other legal and judicial settings. Members are committed to assuring due process, equal protection and equal access for non-English or limited English proficient (LEP) individuals who interact with the judicial system.

National Association of the Deaf
The mission of the NAD is to promote, protect, and preserve the rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America.

National Black Deaf Advocates
NBDA is the oldest and largest consumer organization of deaf and hard of hearing black deaf people in the United States. It was established in 1982 to ensure that the concerns of deaf and hard of hearing African-Americans are adequately represented in leadership and policy-making.

National Council of Hispano Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The mission of the NCHDHH is to ensure equal access of the Hispano deaf and hard of hearing community in the areas of social, recreational, cultural, educational, and vocational welfare. To this end, the NCHDHH will maintain a national awareness program to educate the deaf and hard of hearing communities as well as social and educational programs and organizations about the needs and issues facing Hispano persons and work collaboratively with them on amelioration.

Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc.
Established in 1964 and incorporated in 1972, RID is a national membership organization of professionals who provide sign language interpreting/transliterating services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons. The RID provides such services as certification testing, a Certificate Maintenance Program, a professional journal, a quarterly magazine, and a resource website including Standard Practice Papers and searchable databases of members, interpreting education program, and publication. RID Member Sections offer special interest forums on areas including:

• Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Intersexed, Transgendered Interpreters / Transliterators
• Deaf-Blind
• Deaf Caucus
• Interpreter Service Managers
• Interpreters and Transliterators of Color
• Interpreters in Educational and Instructional Settings
• Interpreters with Deaf Parents
• Legal Interpreters
• Video Interpreters

World Association of Sign Language Interpreters
WASLI, established in 2003, is committed to the development of the interpreting profession worldwide.