Opening Slide Image Description: CASLI logo on white background. Test: Star G. Grieser, Director of Testing, Coronavirus PSA, March 12, 2020.

Image Description: White woman with medium length brown hair and dark blue shirt is sitting in front of a blue wall. 

Hi my name is Star Grieser and I am the director of testing here at CASLI, the Center for the Assessment of Sign Language Interpretation. I wanted to share with you some information about how CASLI will be impacted by the Coronavirus. Two things I will talk about are: 1) the daily operations and administrations of our exams – how those will impact our LTAs proctors and candidates, and, 2) our testing development timeline and release. 

For our test sites, it’s important that our proctors follow the policies of their work places. Some places will remain open and operational and some places may close. Proctors are instructed to follow their work place policies and to communicate with us – contact us and let us know at Testing@CASLI.org and to let the candidates who have been scheduled for testing know so that they can make plans or alternative arrangements.

For those test sites that will remain operational, we urge our proctors to refer to the CDC.gov guidelines for preventing further spread of the coronavirus. In between candidates, please clean and sterilize the desk and computers used for administering the exams, sterilize doorknobs, etc. Please visit CDC.gov for those guidelines.

It’s also vital for both proctors and candidates to assess their own health and make wise decisions. If you are exhibiting any symptoms such as fever, coughing or difficulty breathing, then it best to cancel the appointment and stay home. Some candidates will be concerned about forfeiting their exams especially if it occurs under the three-day cancelation period. If the candidate communicates with us by emailing both Testing@CASLI.org and their proctor to inform them they they’re presenting coronavirus symptoms, then we will waive the three-day cancelation policy and the exam fees will NOT be forfeited. However, the policy will hold (and registration fees will be forfeited) if the candidate does NOT communicate and simply is a “no call, no show” (***note: exceptions are for extreme situations like hospitalization. Please just communicate with us as soon as you can).

For test sites that are closing, or LTAs and proctors who are exhibiting symptoms, we ask the same – please stay home and inform us here at CASLI at Testing@CASLI.org, as well as, inform the candidates who are scheduled to take their exams at your site so that candidates know not to travel to the test site. 

Effective communication is critical at this time. Candidates, please communicate with us and with your LTAs and proctors. LTAs and proctors, please communicate with the exam candidates and our testing coordinator, Sean, at Testing@CASLI.org.

Keep in mind that what is happening with the coronavirus has never happened before. We are not sure what to expect or how long this will impact us. We can only keep watching and following best practices. We will update our information as we learn more. 

Regarding Testing Development: we will see a huge impact from the coronavirus on our exam development.  Our testing committee meets at regular intervals to develop, review, and make determinations regarding our exams and now coronavirus will interrupt any travel plans for testing committee face-to-face meetings. Also, we’ve been scheduling filming for the exams – we were set to film next week, but those plans were canceled due to concerns related to travel so we’re postponing filming and instead we will be shifting our efforts to what we can accomplish online. 

We have already filmed the Generalist Knowledge exam and the Deaf Interpreter performance exam but were planning to film the hearing interpreter performance exam next week. The hearing interpreter performance exam filming will be held up until further notice. Meanwhile, again, we will shift to completing all editing and finalization of the knowledge exam and Deaf interpreter performance exam and getting those ready for online.

So how much of an impact the coronavirus will have on our release schedule is something we don’t know for sure at this point. I can assure you that we are still committed to doing as much as we can, as best we can, as fast we can.

That’s the news with CASLI. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly at Director@CASLi.org or 703-988-4543 (VP) or for any questions related to test sites, LTAs and candidates, contact our Testing Coordinator at Testing@CASLI.org or 571-257-4761.

Slide 1 Image Description: CASLI logo on white background. Test: Star G. Grieser, Director of Testing, Coronavirus PSA, March 12, 2020.

Slide 2 Image Description: CASLI logo on white background. Exam Candidates: Practice CDC recommended preventative measures https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/. STAY HOME if you have any symptoms (cough, fever, difficulty breathing). COMMUNICATE with CASLI and your exam proctor. Email both Testing@CASLI.org and the proctor for your appointment

Slide 3 Image Description: CASLI logo on white background. Test Proctors and LTAs: Follow your workplace policies regarding closures/operations. Practice CDC recommended preventative measures – CLEAN AND STERILIZE DOORKNOBS, DESKS/COMPUTERS, ETC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/. STAY HOME if you have any symptoms (cough, fever, difficulty breathing). COMMUNICATE with CASLI and your exam candidates. Email both Testing@CASLI.org and the proctor for your appointment to confirm or cancel appointments.

Slide 4 Image Description: CASLI logo on white background. Star Grieser, Director of Testing: Director@casli.org. VP/VRS: 703-988-4543. FaceTime: SGrieser@CASLI.org. CASLI.org.

Slide 5 Image Description: CASLI logo on white background. Sean Furman, Testing Coordinator. Testing@casli.org. VP/VRS: 571-257-4761. CASLI.org.

Slide 6 Image Description: CASLI logo on white background.