Deaf people have a legal right to a qualified interpreter. In legal settings, a qualified legal interpreter will have a specific skill set to ensure that the deaf person’s right to be present and participate is not compromised. Legal interpreting requires highly skilled and trained specialists because of the significant consequences to the people involved in the […]
Tag Archives: deaf
Please “Speak” MY Language
August 20, 2018
It’s always a nice surprise when communities recognize the need to communicate with ALL of their citizens. Kudos to the Little Rock Police Department for taking steps to learn ASL and even make classes available to the rest of the community. This article comes from LATV news in Little Rock. In recent years the Little […]
Deaf Individuals are Seven Times More Likely …
July 20, 2018
I recently came across an article from Beth Adams in Rochester, NY. In this article, she addresses the issue of health conditions affecting the Deaf and Hearing populations. It seems relevant to share the research findings as they highlight the gaps in “access to information” – – especially for deaf individuals growing up in […]
ADA Quick Tips Regarding Sign Language Interpreters
June 25, 2018
TITLE III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) makes it illegal for any business, building or other place that is open to the public to discriminate against people with disabilities. Such places are called “public accommodations” and include restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, private schools, and day care […]
The Chicken and The Egg and The Interpreter
May 21, 2018
The case of the chicken and the egg. Recently, in California’s Coachella Valley, local Deaf residents met with area officials regarding the need for Sign Language Interpreters to service their communication needs in this California desert. Recently, in California’s Coachella Valley, attempts were made to draw Sign Language Interpreters to the area to help bridge […]
Who Hires Deaf People and Those With Special Needs?
April 20, 2018
We recently posted a headline highlighting Amazon’s efforts toward inclusiveness in hiring their employees. For years, our agency has provided interpreting services for deaf employees holding Management and Executive positions in the Los Angeles area. There was a time when the best known company hiring employees needing accommodations was The Goodwill Organization. Now that we’re […]
Anything You Can Do … I Can Do Better
February 28, 2018
Anything you can do, I can do better ……..I can do anything better than you. An old song which sometimes comes to mind when interpreters comment on another interpreter’s skills. She wore nail polish He wore a white shirt They kept surfing their phone during a team assignment She kept messing with her hair […]
A Brief History of Closed Captioning
December 21, 2017
At the First National Conference on Television for the Hearing Impaired in 1971, two possible technologies for captioning television programs debuted. Both technologies displayed the captions only on specially equipped sets for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. Another demonstration of closed captioning followed at Gallaudet College (now Gallaudet University) on February 15, 1972. ABC and […]
Can You Sign “Isolation” ?
November 20, 2017
Cans of cranberry sauce are lining the aisles in the grocery stores. Boxes of stuffing are multiplying next to the jars of turkey gravy. The entire store is now shades of orange and brown with fake fall leaves tucked in between every single item. Holidays are coming. Once again, I flash back to childhood […]
Interpreting Bloopers – Lost in Translation
October 23, 2017
I recently came across a thread where sign language interpreters shared their personal “oops” moments. Voicing for speakers with heavy accents… Signing technical or classroom material… Fatigue and confusion can make for some funny bloopers. Here are some of my favorites. Names have been removed to protect the innocent. After he had been […]
September 26, 2018
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