Exams for RID Certification Eligibility
Depending on which exam you have already taken or will take, and which exam versions are currently being offered by CASLI, there are varying paths to RID certification eligibility.
- Create an account within RID’s member portal (an RID ID number is required) and an account within CASLI Exam System.
- For CDI candidates only: Send us your audiogram showing a hearing loss of 60db or more in your better ear.
- Once all is reviewed and approved, you will be able to purchase your Knowledge exam. You must log into your CASLI Exam System Account and request an exam for us to add to your CASLI Exam System Account for purchase.
- Once purchase is complete, you will receive further instructions from CASLI and ScanTron Corporation for scheduling your exam appointment!
What’s next:
In August of 2015, RID declared a moratorium on the CDI-Performance Exam beginning on January 1, 2016. During that time, CASLI was charged with developing the new CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters, released in 2020.
The CDI-Knowledge exam was developed from a Job Task Analysis (Role Delineation Study) published by RID in 2000, and the new CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters was developed from a Job Task Analysis conducted by CASLI in 2018, there are some gaps in the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) between the 2000 Role Delineation Study and the 2018 Deaf Interpreter Job Task Analysis.Therefore, candidates who have taken and passed the CDI-Knowledge exam will need to complete a bridge plan to take the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters. Once they have passed the bridge plan and the performance exam, they will be eligible for RID certification.
The Bridge Plan for CDI Candidates consists of:
- A short module covering the KSAs between the two versions of the exams. This is NOT scored. Only needs to be completed.
- The Ethical Decision Making and Cultural Responsiveness Case Studies Exam. This IS scored and will be administered along with the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters.
Once the bridge plan is completed and the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters is passed, CDI candidates will become eligible for RID Certification as a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI).
CASLI administered the NIC-Knowledge exam until it was retired in December of 2020. CASLI also continued to administer the NIC-Interview and Performance Exam until they were able to complete the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Hearing Interpreters.
Because the NIC-Knowledge and the NIC-Interview and Performance exams were developed to complement each other, if a candidate has taken and passed the NIC-Knowledge Exam, they may take the NIC-Interview and Performance Exam.
The CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam (CGKE) is administered to all RID certification candidates . The CGKE consists of a two-part exam, with both exams being scored separately. One part is the Fundamentals of Interpreting, a 120 multiple-choice exam, and the other is the Ethical Decision Making and Cultural Responsiveness Case Studies Exam, which consists of eight (8) case studies.
The CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam and the CASLI Generalist Performances Exam are meant to complement each other. Candidates who have taken and passed both parts of the CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam will go on to take the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam. These candidates do NOT need to complete a bridge plan or take the gap test.
Due to COVID-19, CASLI has not been able to complete the development of the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Hearing Interpreters. We will be still administering the NIC-Performance Exam (sans the “Interview” portion of the NIC-Interview and Performance Exam). This is a stopgap measure during the COVID-19 pandemic recommended by CASLI’s psychometrician and implemented by CASLI temporarily until the pandemic is over and we can complete the development of and begin administration of the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Hearing Interpreters.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam (for Hearing candidates) was delayed. Once this is complete, the former NIC-Interview and Performance Exam will be retired. CASLI will then administer the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam (CGPE) for Hearing Interpreters. NIC candidates who have taken and passed the NIC-Knowledge exam and are still in the midst of their testing cycle will have to pass a gap test and also pass the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Hearing Interpreters in order to become eligible for RID National Interpreter Certification (NIC).
The gap test is a way that candidates can transition between the current knowledge exam version and the new adaptation of the performance exam. It covers the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) between exam versions and are necessary for the purpose of maintaining psychometric validity between versions. The gap test will consist of the Ethical Decision Making and Cultural Responsiveness Case Studies Exam.
Those who have passed their CDI-Knowledge exam or NIC-Knowledge exam will a) either complete their testing process, or b) their testing process cycle expires and they must begin a new testing process with the CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam. Eventually, all new certification candidates will take the CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam and then once they pass that, proceed to take the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam.
