Interpreter Conference – Alabama Baptist Conference of the Deaf

ABCD 2025

The North American Mission Board
is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This Professional Studies program is offered for up to 0.7 CEUs at the Little/None Content Knowledge Level.

Workshop Leaders

Kris & Frances Courson

Kris Courson graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in history and from Golden Gate Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity. He has been a professional interpreter since 1981, providing services in Texas, California, Alabama, and overseas. Currently, he owns and operates Sign Language Interpreting Services, LLC in Alabama, offering comprehensive interpreting services. Kris holds NIC and Ed: K-12 certifications. Beyond his interpreting career, Krishas served as a pastor, missionary, and church planter of the Deaf in Texas, California, Alabama, and Russia. These diverse experiences have enriched his understanding and approach to his work. He is committed to placing interpreters, teachers of the deaf, and Deaf language mentors in K-12 settings, especially in rural areas to ensure they have access to qualified personnel. Kris also serves on the Legislative Committee for the Alabama Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (ALRID), contributing to the professional community. He has completed Project CLIMB training for legal interpreting and IRIS training, a professional development community focused on interpreting in rural areas. He recently served on their council of experts, seeking to improve services in rural areas. He is currently co-pastor of New Deaf Church in Hoover, Alabama. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors on his deck and shopping for deals at Costco and Sam’s Club.

Dr. Frances Flowers Courson received her undergraduate degree in Deaf Education from the University of Montevallo, where she was awarded a scholarship for excellence in teaching Deaf children. She earned her Master of Science in Deaf Education from Texas Woman’s University and her doctoral degree, Ed.D., in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education from Lamar University. Frances lived among the Deaf of Russia in Moscow with her family for 10 years, where she learned Russian and Russian Sign Language. She holds the National Interpreting Certification (NIC) and Educational: K-12 (ED: K-12) certificate from the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf (RID). She has taught all ages/grades of Deaf and hard of hearing children from preschool to high school in her career, as well as served as an educational interpreter in K-12 and post-secondary settings. She is currently an assistant professor in the Education of the Deaf program at the University of Montevallo. Her research interests include teaching writing to Deaf and hard of hearing students and higher education pedagogy for pre-service teachers of the Deaf. She has multiple publications, with others under review, in journals such as American Annals of the Deaf and the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, along with numerous conference presentations. She has also served on the board of the Association of College Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACEDHH). Outside of her professional work, she enjoys spending time with her granddaughters and grandson every chance she gets!

Workshops

The workshop leader, coordinators, and participants are dedicated to having a welcoming, respectful environment for all participants.

Accommodations

Requests for reasonable accommodations should be sent to albcdeaf@gmail.com or contact Jeff Farmer 256- 474 -4234

Accommodations Deadline Request – March 5th, 2025.

Workshop 1

RID Sponsor Name: North American Mission Board
Presenter/Instructor Name: Kris and Frances Courson
Date(s)/Time of Activity: Friday, March 7, 7:00 PM – 9:00PM Title of Activity: Ethics for Christian Interpreters: Respecting Consumers & Colleagues

RID activity Code: 0041.0325.01

Level of Participant’s Prior Knowledge of Topic:
x Little/None
Target Audience:
Christian interpreters at all experience levels, including interpreting students and educators, who seek to integrate their faith with professional ethical standards.

Workshop Description:
This session explores the ethical principles of Respect for Consumers and Respect for Colleagues in Christian interpreting. Through interactive discussions and real-world case studies, participants will examine strategies for maintaining professionalism and ethical integrity while working in faith-based settings.

Educational Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Demonstrate respect for consumers by maintaining ethical boundaries and professional neutrality.
Identify ethical responsibilities in working with colleagues in faith-based interpreting.
Apply strategies for handling ethical dilemmas related to respect in Christian interpreting.

Evaluation & Assessment:
Participants will be assessed through group discussions, case studies, and reflection exercises.

Workshop 2

RID Sponsor Name: North American Mission Board
Presenter/Instructor Name: Kris and Frances Courson
Date(s)/Time of Activity: Saturday, March 8, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Title of Activity: Ethics for Christian Interpreters: Confidentiality, Professionalism, & Conduct
Level of Participant’s Prior Knowledge of Topic:
x Little/None

RID activity CODE: 0041.0325.02

Target Audience:
Christian interpreters at all experience levels, including interpreting students and educators, who seek to integrate their faith with professional ethical standards.

Workshop Description:
This session covers Confidentiality, Professionalism, and Conduct in Christian interpreting. Participants will explore biblical and ethical guidelines for handling sensitive information, maintaining professional integrity, and demonstrating ethical conduct in faith-based settings.

Educational Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Explain the ethical importance of confidentiality in Christian interpreting.
Define professionalism and ethical conduct in faith-based settings.
Apply biblical and professional ethical principles to real-world interpreting scenarios.

Evaluation & Assessment:
Participants will be assessed through small group case study analysis, ethical decision-making exercises, and personal reflection.

Workshop 3

RID Sponsor Name: North American Mission Board
Presenter/Instructor Name: Kris and Frances Courson
Date(s)/Time of Activity: Saturday, March 8, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Title of Activity: Ethics for Christian Interpreters: Business Practices & Professional Development

RID activity CODE: 0041.0325.03

Workshop Description:
This session focuses on Business Practices and Professional Development in Christian interpreting. Participants will explore ethical financial practices, career growth strategies, and maintaining integrity in business dealings within faith-based settings.

Educational Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Recognize ethical considerations in business practices for Christian interpreters.
Identify strategies for ongoing professional development and ethical career growth.
Apply faith-based and professional ethical principles to interpreting assignments.

Evaluation & Assessment:
Participants will be assessed through discussions, ethical decision-making scenarios, and personal action plans for professional development.