The Role and Responsibilities of the Cued Language Transliterator and Pay Parity - A Position Statement of the National Cued Speech Association

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Miles

Defines the role and responsibilities of a Cued Language Transliterator (CLT) in educational and community settings, emphasizing complete and equal access to auditory information for deaf or hard of hearing users. Describes assessment and certification pathways through TECUnit and the EIPA Diagnostic Center at Boys Town National Research Hospital, noting state-to-state differences. Argues for pay parity with professional sign language interpreters or oral transliterators and outlines resource needs to maintain required professional standards.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

What is a Cued Language Transliterator?

Evaluation and Certification

Pay Parity

Resources

The Role and Responsibilities of the Cued Language Transliterator and Pay Parity A Position Statement of the National Cued Speech Association What is a Cued Language Transliterator? The role of the cued language transliterator (CLT) requires study and practice to obtain the nationally recognized standards set forth in the Cued Language Transliterator Code of Conduct (Fleetwood and Metzger, 1989) and the Code of Professional Conduct (The National Association of the Deaf-National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, 2005), as well as to meet the qualification or national CLT certification requirements set forth by each state. A CLT’s primary role is to provide complete and equal access to the auditory information within the environment. In the educational setting, a CLT provides complete and equal access to the auditory information within the environment. This includes access to linguistic, academic, and social developmental information. The CLT’s responsibilities allow other members of a learner’s educational team to perform their duties without interference. Additionally, to preserve the integrity of the CLT’s role, a CLT should not be asked to assume any duty ordinarily assigned to others on the educational team. Like the other members of an educational team, the CLT must have the necessary skills, knowledge, and appropriate strategies for working with individual students to meet the unique job requirements. Similarly, in a community-based setting, the responsibilities of the CLT are to provide consumers who are deaf/hard of hearing with visual access to the same auditory information that is available to people who are hearing in those settings. Similar to CLTs serving in the educational setting, community-based CLTs should not be asked to assume other duties beyond their role of providing access to all the auditory information conveyed. Evaluation and Certification Transliterator assessments are offered through two sources, TECUnit and the EIPA Diagnostic Center at Boys Town National Research Hospital. (Visit Become a Cued Language Transliterator for further information.) Certification requirements for cued language transliterators to work in educational settings vary from state to state, and do not exist in others. Some states require school transliterators to achieve national certification through the Testing, Evaluation and Certification Unit (TECUnit), others utilize a state-level CLT assessment (TECUnit), and others recognize the Cued Speech version of the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA CS) . Community cued language transliterators should hold national TECUnit certification ora state-level CLT assessment of a Level 3 or higher to ensure consumers are receiving the services of a qualified professional. Pay Parity Cued language transliterators are an integral, and often inextricable, part of a deaf or hard of hearing cuer’s academic, work or community-based experience. Given the unique skill set and multifaceted role of a CLT, the NCSA asserts that pay rates for CLTs should be equivalent to the local rate for a professional sign language interpreter or oral transliterator. Factors such as levels of education and certification may affect the determination of a CLT’s salary as long as they do not interfere with aforementioned pay parity. Failing to grant pay parity to CLTs not only implies that their services are less valued than their fellow professionals in the academic environment, but also makes it harder to recruit and retain competent employees. In addition, the job title and description assigned to a CLT should appropriately acknowledge and respect the essential contribution a CLT makes to a deaf cuer’s academic, work, or other community-based experience. Resources The role of the CLT requires a unique set of skills and knowledge of many disciplines that are coordinated in every decision made on the job. Once an individual has become a proficient cuer, further tra

FAQs

What is the primary role of a Cued Language Transliterator (CLT)?

A CLT’s primary role is to provide complete and equal access to auditory information within the environment for deaf or hard of hearing users.

How do evaluation and certification requirements work for CLTs?

Transliterator assessments are offered through TECUnit and the EIPA Diagnostic Center at Boys Town National Research Hospital. Certification requirements vary by state for educational settings, while community CLTs should hold national certification or a state-level CLT assessment of Level 3 or higher.

What does the position statement say about pay parity for CLTs?

It asserts that CLT pay rates should be equivalent to the local rate for a professional sign language interpreter or oral transliterator, without unrelated interference from education or certification factors. It also notes that pay parity affects recruiting and retention of competent employees.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Miles