Sorenson Communications Awards Thousands of Continuing Education Credit Hours to ASL Interpreters Annually.

VRS Leader Simultaneously Raises More Than $12,000 for Local Deaf and Interpreting Communities Throughout U.S.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Over the course of 2006, Sorenson Communications[TM], the leading provider of video relay services (VRS) for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, provided more than 200 workshops, awarding thousands of hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters nationwide--both internally and externally featuring nationally- and internationally-known experts. Funds raised from the external workshop registration fees totaled more than $12,000 and were directly donated back into various local deaf and interpreter communities.

To maintain state and national certification, ASL interpreters must complete a requisite number of CEUs within a defined timeframe. Sorenson Communications supports the interpreting certification process by providing a variety of workshops for all skill levels. These workshops are offered to community and Sorenson VRS interpreters.

"Sorenson Communications encourages all interpreters to attain the highest level of certification--either with their state certification system and/or national certification through the Registry of the Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). Providing CEU workshops is one way Sorenson Communications empowers interpreters to not only work toward, but maintain their certification," noted Amy Kalmus, director of professional development for Sorenson Communications.

Sorenson Communications offers internal CEU workshops for its interpreters. These workshops provide skill building, mentoring opportunities, and skill enhancement in areas such as call processing, stress management, and customer service, Kalmus says. "Not many companies offer in-house professional development for their VRS interpreters. Sorenson Communications is generous in the professional development benefits it offers, including providing CEU workshops at no charge to its interpreters."

For a nominal fee, community interpreters and students of interpreting educational programs (IEPs) may enroll in external CEU workshops, sponsored by Sorenson Communications in collaboration with community partners. Funds raised from the workshops are given to local deaf and interpreter communities to benefit diverse causes, ranging from Deaf Abused Women and Children Advocacy Services (DAWCAS) in Austin, TX, to the San Diego County RID Scholarship Fund.

"At Sorenson Communications, our mission is to provide the highest quality interpreting services possible," said Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting for Sorenson Communications. "By offering ongoing training and education for community and Sorenson Communications VRS interpreters, we reinforce this goal and contribute to the overall integrity and vitality of the interpreting community."

About Sorenson Communications

Sorenson Communications[TM] (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communication offerings including Sorenson Video Relay Service[R] (VRS), the company's line of videophones, Sorenson IP Relay[TM] (SIPRelay), and Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting[TM] (VRI). Sorenson VRS (www.sorensonvrs.com) enables deaf callers to conduct video relay conversations with hearing friends, business colleagues, and family members through a qualified American Sign Language interpreter. The company's Sorenson VP-100 is the first consumer-based broadband videophone appliance specifically designed for deaf individuals. Sorenson IP Relay[TM] (www.siprelay.com) allows deaf and hard-of-hearing users to place instant text-based relay calls from a PC or mobile device to any telephone user. Sorenson Video Remote Interpreting[TM] (www.sorensonvri.com) is a fee-based video interpreting service ideal for use in situations where an interpreter cannot be physically present to interpret between hearing and deaf individuals who are at the same location.