This article describes the phases of development of an interpreter paraprofessional (IP)program developed in Salt Lake City, Utah. The program was developed by Utah State University and Granite School District in response to the unavailability of certified interpreters to assist in the delivery of special education assessment services of the district's enrollees who are English Language Learners (ELLs), including language assessment. It describes the changes made to the original training program that was designed according to available guidelines for selecting IPs and training speech-language (SL)paraprofessionals (ASHA Committee on Support Personnel, 1981). Analysis of the program development process suggests that current guidelines for the selection of IPs and preparation of SL support personnel do not adequately address issues of selection and training for interpreter paraprofessionals working in education settings. IPs can play a crucial role in providing appropriate SL assessment to ELLs, provided that they are qualified to perform language assessment tasks through job-relevant training, field practice, and team-building experiences with professional personnel.
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