The DeafBlind Interpreting National Training & Resource Center (DBI) is charged with preparing interpreters working with DeafBlind individuals in the language and culture of the DeafBlind community. For those interpreters who work in communities with greater concentrations of DeafBlind individuals, DBI is offering the training to new cohorts in the 2019 DeafBlind Interpreting Institute (DBII) . These are small cohorts with a limited number of participants to maintain small mentor-to-student ratios and cohort experiences. Each cohort is a community of practice, sharing their newly-applied learnings, skills, knowledge and resources with each other and their instructors and mentors.

Applications are now open for the 2019 DeafBlind Interpreting Institute (DBII) cohort. We have piloted this program with the 2018 cohort and revised and improved our training and are ready for 2019! Now is the time to apply!

There is no other intensive, immersion opportunity preparing interpreters to work with DeafBlind folks and their language. We are grateful to the amazing DeafBlind leaders, teachers, trainers, and mentors who are partnering with DBI to make this program and its content a reality! 

Under the direction of DeafBlind leaders and DBI staff, cohort participants will learn more about DeafBlind culture and protactile ASL through an 80-hour intensive experience, including a 6-week online learning community, 1-week onsite for protactile ASL immersion, and 10+-hours of service and applied learning (induction) in the participant's home community with DeafBlind individuals.

DBI has already received a high volume of interest in this training and we can only admit a total of 48 participants for the 2019 cohorts (24 in each cohort), so be sure to spread the word and encourage folks to apply!

The call for applications will close on Sunday, February 17th at 9PM PST. 

Check out the 2019 DBII webpage for full details!