34 CFR § 396.1 - What is the Training of Interpreters for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are Deaf-Blind program?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t34/s396.1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "34 CFR § 396.1 - What is the Training of Interpreters for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are Deaf-Blind program?"
title_number: 34
title_name: "Education"
section_number: "396.1"
section_name: "What is the Training of Interpreters for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are Deaf-Blind program?"
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION"
part_number: "396"
part_name: "TRAINING OF INTERPRETERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "Sections 12(c) and 302(a) and (f) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 29 U.S.C. 709(c) and 772(a) and (f), unless otherwise noted."
regulatory_source: "81 FR 55625, Aug. 19, 2016, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "396"
---


# 396.1 What is the Training of Interpreters for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are Deaf-Blind program?

The Training of Interpreters for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are Deaf-Blind program is designed to establish interpreter training programs or to provide financial assistance for ongoing interpreter programs to train a sufficient number of qualified interpreters throughout the country in order to meet the communication needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and individuals who are deaf-blind by—

(a) Training interpreters to effectively interpret and transliterate between spoken language and sign language and to transliterate between spoken language and oral or tactile modes of communication;

(b) Ensuring the maintenance of the interpreting skills of qualified interpreters; and

(c) Providing opportunities for interpreters to raise their skill level competence in order to meet the highest standards approved by certifying associations.

(Authority: Sections 12(c) and 302(a) and (f) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; 29 U.S.C. 709(c) and 772(a) and (f))