Open Competition for the Establishment of a Multi-Party Framework Agreement for Provision of Sign Language Interpretation Services for Students who are deaf at Maynooth University

rovision of appropriately qualified and trained Sign Language Interpreters to interpret for students who are deaf in lectures, tutorials and other teaching environments at Maynooth University. About the Maynooth University Access Programme The Maynooth University Access Programme (MAP) encourages under-represented groups to enter third level and provides these groups with support through their time at Maynooth. These groups include under-represented school leavers, mature students, students with disabilities and members of the travelling community. Over 6 percent of full-time undergraduate students are registered with a disability and this is one of the highest participation rates nationally. MAP is founded on 4 pillars: outreach into the community, promoting pathways into University, easing the transition for incoming students to Maynooth and supporting our current students. MAP's supports are personal, academic and financial in nature and are designed to promote confidence and independence. Maynooth University is a national leader in both attracting and retaining school leavers from socio-economic disadvantaged backgrounds, mature students and students with disabilities. From a national perspective, MAP has taken a leadership role in developing national policy in the area of widening participation. From an institutional perspective, MAP has developed a number of models of academic support that support transition to higher education of under-represented groups and are acknowledged as innovative models of outstanding good practice. Tenderers must be able to supply persons to work in the University as an Irish Sign Language Interpreter. An Irish Sign Language Interpreter may be required to carry out the following tasks: • To facilitate communication among Deaf students, their hearing peers, University staff and faculty. • Interpreters must hold a recognised professional accreditation and / or a diploma in ISL / English interpreting from Centre for Deaf Studies / Bristol University. Interpreters must adhere to the code of ethics from the Irish Association of Sign Language Interpreters (IASLI).