When planning your Extension programs and resources, it's critical to keep all of your audiences in mind, including Limited English Proficiency (LEP) individuals. LEP persons do not speak English as their primary language, and have a limited ability to communicate or understand the English language at this time.
In North Carolina, the LEP population includes close to 500,000 people -- that's roughly 1 out of every 20 individuals across the state -- according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.
As a federally-assisted entity, Extension may not exclude LEP persons from participating in or benefiting from our programs. Regulations aside, Spanish-speaking and other LEP groups comprise a significant and essential part of our communities. Extension experts should strive to ensure that your resources are accessible to them.
Translation and Interpretation Services
We've compiled several resources to assist you in connecting with LEP audiences:- State-Approved Translation and Interpretation Services
- The N.C. Department of Administration (DOA) has arranged convenience contracts with multiple vendors for state agencies, universities and others.
- Translators at NC State University
- NC State's Department of World Languages and Cultures maintains a list of faculty that offer professional translation services (often for a fee).
- Spanish Audio and Video Transcription
- Rev.com offers services that include transcribing existing Spanish audio / video resources, as well as translating and transcribing English audio / video content into Spanish. *This service is still in the early stages and final results should be vetted before publishing.
Extension LEP Resources
NC State Extension's Evaluation site offers a variety of valuable Limited English Proficiency (LEP) resources. Among the tools available are:- Phone Interpretation Service | Wallet Card (PDF)
- Extension and Research Language Access Plan (PDF)
- County Language Access Annual Self Assessment (Word)
- Spanish Sign-In Sheet (Word)
- LEP Maps (U.S. DOJ)
Ongoing State Efforts and Tools
As a land-grant resource for North Carolinians, Extension boasts a rich history of working with and supporting all of our state’s communities. In recognition of this ongoing obligation, all of Extension’s county and topical websites, including the main state site, now feature an “en español” button on every page and post, which uses Google Translate to quickly and seamlessly convert the content into Spanish.This effort has expanded to encompass our vast online repository of Extension publications, which includes a growing selection of resources available in Spanish.
Moving forward, Extension must continue to prioritize development of resources that are accessible to our LEP neighbors, along with the translation of existing educational materials for these audiences.
