KAYSVILLE — Students have been participating in the American Sign Language Interpreting program at the Davis Applied Technology Center in Kaysville for the last seven years. However, the program will be discontinued in two years, enough time for the currently enrolled students to finish their work.

School officials recently announced the closing of the program because of low completion rates, which is affecting their status with their accrediting body, according to DATC Marketing Director Melanie Hall.

“They have bench marks that all of our programs have to meet. Unfortunately because of low completion rates, the ASL Interpreting program has fallen below the standards, which puts all of our accreditation at risk,” Hall said.

However, one of the program’s current students is concerned about the impact on the local deaf community. Amy Ross of West Point started the program two years ago because of its emphasis on interpreting for ASL.

“They are the only one in the state with a sole focus on interpreting and having students certified here, whereas other schools only have an associate’s degree related to assisting students get certified. None of them are focused on the skills and knowledge associated with interpreting,” Ross said. “This shuts the door for providing the deaf community with access to the interpreters they deserve. They are not bridging the gap anymore. They are creating a canyon.”

Ross is planning to complete the program in a year while the program is still open. But now she says anyone trying to follow in her footsteps will not be able to experience the same journey.

“We need to be aware of what’s going on not just in our own little world, but in other people’s lives and cultures to make sure we are taking care of each other,” Ross said.

However, Hall says the program has seen significantly declining enrollment numbers, in part due to its rigorous course material. Most of the programs at DATC typically range from 10 to 14 months to complete, whereas the ASL Interpreting program takes three to four years.

“That is the challenge with a program like this. The long completion time really falls outside of our normal educational model,” Hall said. “It’s not a lack of belief in this type of program or commitment to serving our students and deaf community, but unfortunately we don’t have the ongoing student enrollment to support it and we can’t put out other programs at risk.”

Once the ASL Interpreter program is shut down, DATC will continue offering basic ASL classes. For students interested in ASL interpreting, the school will refer students to Weber State University, Salt Lake Community College, or Utah Valley University, where similar program are offered.

Ross points out that it is difficult for students who prefer the low cost and flexibility that is offered at DATC rather than a university-type program.

“I had a desire to learn this language and to interpret, but the reason I chose this program was because I didn’t need to have an associate’s degree to get started and it had flexible hours for my family and work,” she said.

According to school records, as of January 2015, the general ASL program had 211 students enrolled. The ASL Interpreting program had 13. The ASL interpreting program classes continue on after the general ASL program.

“When you look at those that make it all the way through the program, supporting such a long-term program becomes a real long-term challenge,” Hall said.

The goal of the ASL Interpreter program is for students to receive their state certification, required for all interpreters in the state. Ross contends that once a student receives their certification, they may not see the need to graduate from the program.

“The program is doing great in certification and job placement, with not enough graduates, but a lot of people who come already have a bachelor’s degree or aren’t looking to graduate because they can finish by getting their certificate,” Ross said.

Though DATC is definitive in their stance to close down the program, Hall says students have the option of talking to their sister program, Employer and Continuing Education, who develops programs on demand.

“They offer a slightly different deliverable model, but if enough people ask, they may be able to offer interpretation training,” Hall said.