RID Position Statement on Misrepresentation of Certifications and Credentials

The official RID certifications are listed on this webpage: www.rid.org/available-certification/.  Anything other than those listed are not recognized by RID as valid credentials or certifications. This includes labels such as “pre-certified”, “NIC candidate”, “SC:Legal Candidate”, and “Qualified Deaf Interpreter (QDI).”  We understand that some prior documents from RID may have used these terms (or others like them) to describe a particular group of people – but they were never intended to be used or listed as official designations or credential look-alikes on business cards, signatures on emails, website listings, etc. Their use is deceptive and can lead to the perception that someone is more qualified or credentialed than they really are.  This ultimately harms the Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind communities that we serve, by placing them at risk.

RID takes these misrepresentations very seriously.  If you come across any examples of this, please contact the Certification Department at certification@rid.org. Thank you.