Cultural Crossroads: Sign Language Interpreting without Borders

A global interpreting experience rooted in Deaf culture, community, and accessibility.

This immersive program is designed specifically for ASL-English Interpretation majors seeking to expand their understanding of interpreting through international experiences. By engaging directly with Deaf communities, interpreter education programs, and accessibility organizations in Germany and Italy, students will explore how language, culture, and social systems influence the interpreting profession around the world.

Highlights

• Connect with Deaf communities and explore how culture, language, and advocacy shape interpreting practices.
• Examine the role of interpreters within German and Italian Deaf communities.
• Visit Deaf schools, organizations, universities, and cultural institutions in Berlin, Hamburg, and Turin.
• Compare international approaches to accessibility, interpreter education, and professional standards.

Before traveling to Europe, students will take a spring course at RIT focused on Deaf culture, accessibility, and interpreting in global contexts. Through coursework and discussions, students will examine how Deaf communities advocate for communication access, how interpreter systems differ across countries, and how cultural perspectives influence the interpreting profession. This foundation will prepare students to engage meaningfully with the communities and organizations they visit abroad.

Germany and Italy offer unique opportunities to explore interpreting within different cultural and accessibility frameworks. In Germany, students will visit Berlin and Hamburg to connect with interpreter education programs, Deaf organizations, and schools while exploring how German accessibility practices compare with those in the U.S. In Italy, students will travel to Turin to learn about Italian Sign Language (LIS), Deaf education, and interpreter credentialing through visits with the Istituto dei Sordi di Torino and T’AMILIS. Through these experiences, students will gain a broader understanding of how interpreters support communication access and inclusion across different Deaf communities.

Course Term: Spring course at RIT, travel to Germany and Italy in early Summer
Summer 2027 Travel Dates: June 11-27, 2027 (estimated)
Credits: 3

Course Details:

• NDLS 280: International Studies Seminar (3 credits)
  Students will be enrolled in a spring 2027 course at RIT and travel to Germany/Italy in early summer.
  
  Course can count towards a minor or immersion in American Sign Language and Deaf Cultural Studies, a Global Perspective, or a Free or Program elective

No course prerequisites, participants must be fluent in ASL.

Open to NTID BS ASL-English Interpreting, BS Community Development and Inclusive Leadership, MS Deaf Education, and MS Healthcare Interpreting majors. 2.5 cumulative GPA or above.

Application Deadline: Sunday, October 18th, 2026

Program Cost & Financial Aid

Program Cost: A budget worksheet outlining all program costs will be available here in late August.

Financial Aid:
Financial aid may cover some program costs. As you review the budget worksheet, please remember that it does not include your RIT financial aid or scholarships, which may cover some of the program costs. The purpose of the budget worksheet is to show all the costs associated with your study abroad program, which will help your RIT Financial Aid Assistant Director determine how your aid and scholarships may be applied. 

To understand how your financial aid and scholarships may apply to your program costs:

• Make an appointment with your financial aid assistant director (call Financial Aid at 585-475-2186) and mention that you are calling for a study abroad appointment
• Upload a copy of your budget worksheet(s) via the Financial Aid upload portal at https://join.rit.edu/register/FA_upload (at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled meeting so they have time to prepare) 
  • Please rename the file name of your budget worksheet before uploading it to the Financial Aid portal based on the instructions provided in the portal (adding your name and student ID)

To find out the name of your financial aid assistant director for your degree program visit: https://www.rit.edu/admissions/aid/contact#counseling-team

We recommend you meet with Financial Aid before the application deadline so you understand how your aid will apply. The RIT financial aid office is located in Bausch and Lomb Center (Bldg. 77), 2nd floor, 2125.

Scholarships:

• RIT Education Abroad Travel Grants ($500-$1,000)
  All students with pending applications in the RIT Study Abroad Compass for this program will be automatically considered for an RIT Education Abroad Travel Grant. You will be informed of your scholarship status shortly after the application deadline. Scholarships are awarded based on financial need, as determined by financial aid and your FAFSA on file.

• Additional Scholarships
  RIT scholarships and national scholarships for study abroad are good options to explore for scholarship funding. Make sure you check scholarship eligibility requirements and note scholarship deadlines. 

To Apply

1) Start an application in the Compass (RIT's study abroad application system)
Once you login to the Compass you will need to complete some profile/registration questions, then use the “Search Programs” tab to search for “Sign Language Interpreting” to complete an application.

2) Watch this video, which goes over all important application steps for RIT Faculty-Led Programs

Contact

Danny Maffia
Principal Lecturer, ASL and Interpreting Education
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
dvmdis@rit.edu