Collaborating With Interpreters and Translators: A Guide for Communication Disorders Professionals. (2002). By Henriette W. Langdon & Li-Rong Lilly Cheng. Thinking Publications, 424 Galloway St., Eau Claire, WI 54703. 224 pages, $39. Reviewed by Amy Mathews-Perez, Hewitt, TX.

This is a book that includes discussion questions, case studies, procedural suggestions, assessment tool lists, resources, and sample forms to use in implementing the book’s suggestions. It is applicable to speech-language pathologists, audiologists, interpreters, translators, and any other professional that collaborates on solving the dilemma of appropriate practice in serving speakers of languages other than English. The book can be utilized in any setting in which interpreters and/or translators assist in providing speech-language pathology or audiological services, be it a clinic, university training classes, hospital, school, or rehabilitation clinic.

It is most useful in educating speech-language and audiology professionals about the proper/best practice of working with interpreters and translators to ensure ethical, appropriate assessment and treatment of those people suspected of having a disability in either area. It serves as a great intervention tool as it sets forth standards for planning these collaborations, but it also has useful suggestions for making assessment appropriate. As the forward explains, the book can be read beginning to end or can be utilized as a reference by reading specific chapters as needed. It seems to be strictly intended for professionals that work in the arena of utilizing interpreters and translators as opposed to parents or families. This book would be a useful tool in creating/planning programs to meet the dire need for training interpreters, translators, SLPs, and audiologists to work together to serve the growing population of people whose primary language is not English.

This book was useful and directly served the purpose of enabling the collaboration of the individuals listed to work together to serve the population of non-English speakers. It was thorough without being boring or redundant, easy to read, and concise. It addresses federal guidelines and best practices, and gives options for overcoming typical challenges in this area. Each chapter could be read individually in any order as needed or the book could be read as a whole—either way the information was current, direct, and well-organized. The chapter goals at the beginning of each chapter enabled me to know exactly what the chapter would address at a glance.

Although the book’s plan for creating a professional development program to train interpreters, translators, SLPs, and audiologists seems somewhat idealistic, it is excellent in that it provides suggested general components, various criteria, and a proposed syllabus for such a program. The authors are incredibly thorough in citing sources and providing examples and resources in all aspects of the text.

This book is a rare find in that it addresses and educates the reader about the exact topic of its title. My opinion is that the cost of $39 is well worth the resources alone from this book, but the book itself is a "must have" for any SLP or audiologist who wants to be an educated member of their profession as our societies and communities expand to include growing numbers of people who speak languages other than English. I look forward to utilizing it in my practice.