Unparalleled Experience & Resources

ASLI Interpreting Solutions consistently exceeds its clients requirements as a community-based ASL interpreting provider.

We have provided American Sign Language interpreting services to the New York City metropolitan area for more than 30 years, expanding our services to Long Island, upstate New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, DC over the last decade and a half.

Our business relationships succeed by having strong information systems, well-trained personnel, decades of professional experience, and a thorough understanding of the needs of post-secondary settings, vocational training programs, K-12 educational settings, hospital networks, government organizations and other client types. We excel in providing interpreters who are familiar with specialized terminology and have demonstrated expertise and experience, specifically in delivering interpretation both simultaneously or consecutively in a variety of modalities including close vision, tactile, and/or CART services.

Generally speaking, our interpreters have provided services across the age spectrum serving children as young as 5 to adults far into their 90s. Linguistically, our interpreters are able to provide services along a diverse spectrum, from a more English-like sign language, to those using grammatically correct American Sign Language, and everyone in between.

What we do

We work to our motto: “Reliable. Ethical. Just Plain Nice.” Additionally, our mission statement and shared vision is to provide accurate and affordable language services that reduce language barriers and improve communication for the Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, DeafPlus, and DeafBlind communities.

FAQs about ASL

What is ASL?

Simply, it is the visual language used by the Deaf community in the United States. There are regional dialects of ASL based on different parts of the U.S. and different communities.

And yes, there are signed languages in other countries, i.e., British Sign Language, etc. In fact, there are somewhere between 138 and 300 different types of sign language used throughout the world today.

Is it English?

No. It is a separate, distinct language apart from English and it's common that many ASL signs don't translate perfectly to English, just like in other (spoken) languages.

ASL is a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with grammar that differs from English.

How long has ASL been around?

American Sign Language was originally conceived and designed over 200 years ago by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (check out Gallaudet University for more about him). In 1817, Gallaudet established the first national school for the Deaf community in the U.S. in Hartford, Connecticut. But like English and any spoken language, ASL continues to adapt and evolve for those, and by those, who use it.

  • ASL is considered as a foreign language
  • Sign language is not only a sign, gesture language but also a facial expression language
    Sign Language users often use facial expression to change the meaning of signs.
    For example:
    Lowering eyebrows indicates who-what-where-when-why question.
    Raising eyebrows indicates yes/no question.
  • Children acquire sign language in the same way they acquire spoken language
    Through interactions with people around them, deaf babies explore the hand shapes and movements that make up signs by babbling with their hands. In the early developmental stages, deaf children often substitute easier handshapes for more difficult ones.

Assembled from AML-Global Services.

What are misconceptions about being Deaf?

Obviously, these are going to vary from person to person, but here are some ones just from a simple Google search... and check out the video below, from BuzzfeedVideo.

All Deaf people wear hearing aids, and hearing aids restore hearing.
Hearing aids are assistive devices that, at their most basic function, amplify sound. The use of hearing aids is restricted to those who have enough residual hearing to make effective use of them. While many deaf people have some degree of residual hearing, it may not be enough to utilize a hearing aid. Even if it is, a deaf person may choose not to wear one.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) provides more in depth information about Hearing Aids, their purpose, functionality and limitations.

All Deaf people read lips.
Speechreading, historically known as lipreading, is not considered an acquirable skill, but rather an inborn talent. Only a small percentage of deaf people are considered expert speechreaders, meaning they may be able to understand 50-75% of what is said. For the rest, word comprehension may be in the realm of 5%-10%; comprehension of the actual subject matter and concepts being presented is often low due to the strain of attempting to decipher words.

All Deaf people use sign language.
Not all Deaf people communicate in the same way. American Sign Language (ASL), Signed English (SEE), speechreading, writing, gesturing, and speaking are all methods of communication which may be utilized by different Deaf people.

All Deaf people are mute.
Never assume that Deaf people cannot speak. Some can, but choose not to; some cannot. Compare this with hearing people and their ability or inability to sing. Some can and choose not to; some cannot. Those Deaf people who do choose to speak will often have an accent, which is sometimes difficult to understand; however, do not shame a Deaf person who chooses to speak by telling her her voice is incomprehensible. Instead, tactfully suggest it will be easier for both of you to communicate by writing until a better communication method is available.

 

Assembled from Hearing Like Me.com and VAWnet.org.

Contact Us

Let our Interpreting Solutions Team help you book the interpreter you need.

Online Booking Form

1.855.634.2754
interpreters@asli.com

Screening ASL Interpreters: Our Methodology

Our screening process for ASL interpreters typically involves the interpreters providing an interpretation from ASL to English (commonly referred to as voicing), English to ASL (commonly referred to as “signing” or interpreting) and our team providing fictitious scenarios whereby the applicant/interpreter responds with how they would handle it based on the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC). The rubric we use was developed by the National Consortium of Interpreter Education Centers (NCIEC).

Parameters include sign production and vocabulary, grammar, use of space, affect, and pacing/pausing. All candidates must achieve a minimum score of good control in each category in order to join our team. Considering these strong requirements, approximately 66% of the candidates that sit for our screening are invited to join our roster. If we cannot provide an RID or BEI certified interpreter, we will offer a screened qualified candidate.

All interpreters who sign a contractor agreement with us must adhere to the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC) and the EIPA Code of Professional Conduct, for educational interpreters.

Young Black man signing ok to a another man signing help

Deaf People Answer Commonly Googled Questions About Being Deaf from BuzzfeedVideo

 

 

 

Contact Us

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    Headquarters
    7815 N Dale Mabry Hwy
    Suite# 109
    Tampa, FL 33614
    New York Office
    1412 Broadway, #2110
    New York, NY 10018
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    855-634-2754
    VP: 410-695-3608

New to ASLI? Book An Interpreter Today

Our History

Founded in 1987 by Frederic Jondreau, ASLI (American Sign Language, Inc.) began as the first privately-owned ASL school in New York.

As a result of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, interest in the Deaf community and in ASL exploded. In addition to teaching an eight-week course in ASL, Mr. Jondreau also began interpreting for the Deaf community, expanding to become the original ASLI interpreting service.