Contact us by email at interpreting@alsglobal.net or via phone at 1-800-951-5020 for a free estimate on our ASL and CART services.

Trusted CART & ASL Services in Monterey, CA

American Language Services has been helping businesses and other entities reach the deaf and hard of hearing community for more than 35 years. While in-person interpreting, at one time, was the only option, recent technological advances opened the door to other options. Since we offer full-service Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), this article will be comparing Virtual American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting with Communication Access Real-Time Translation (AKA- Closed Captioning & Real Time Subtitling) known as CART.

 Please note that according to the American Disability Act (ADA) that deaf and hard of hearing community have the legal right to receive full access through the use of ASL and or CART services. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and providing ASL interpreters for deaf individuals complies with federal law and promotes equal accessibility.

Some interesting Facts About the City of Monterey

• The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, in the Northern Portion of California’s Central Coast. It stands at an elevation of 26 feet (8 m) above sea level, on a land area of 8.466 sq mi (21.93 km2). The 2010 census recorded a population of 27,810.
• Monterey was the capital of Alta California under both Spain and Mexico. It was the only port of entry for taxable goods in California. In 1846 the U.S. flag was raised over the Customs House, and California became part of the United States after the Mexican–American War.
• The city had California’s first theater, public building, public library, publicly funded school, printing press, and newspaper. The city and surrounding area have attracted artists since the late 19th century and many celebrated painters and writers have lived there. Until the 1950s, there was an abundant fishery.
• Among Monterey’s notable present-day attractions are the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, Fisherman’s Wharf and the annual Monterey Jazz Festival.
• Monterey celebrated its Quadricentennial in 2002. Spanish merchant Sebastian Vizcaino was the first European to set foot on the Monterey Peninsula in 1602 and christened Monterey after the viceroy of New Spain, Count de Monte Rey. In March, 1776, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza arrived, shepherding 240 soldiers, settlers and their families. After changing hands a few times, Monterey eventually served as the original capital of California when the state constitution was signed here in 1849.
• Neon signs, billboards and hot dog stands are prohibited in the quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea, and a permit is required to wear high-heeled shoes.
• In 1960, the University of CA at Davis published a report classifying grape growing districts by climate. Monterey County was classified as Region I and II, comparable with the premium regions of Napa, Sonoma, Burgundy and Bordeaux.
• The Monterey Peninsula is a world-renown golf destination with 26 public and private courses. Three courses located in Pebble Beach—Spyglass, Poppy Hills and Pebble Beach itself—are consistently ranked among the top ten courses in the nation.
• As the #1 agricultural region in the United States, the Salinas Valley earned its nickname “Salad Bowl of the Nation,” due to the wide variety of fruits and vegetables grown here. The total economic contribution of Monterey County agriculture is $8.2 billion.
• The Bixby Bridge in Big Sur was built by prisoners eager to earn “good time” off their prison sentences. It is one of the world’s highest single-span bridges at 714 feet long by 260 feet high.
• In 1948, a young woman by the name of Norma Jean was crowned Castroville’s first “Artichoke Queen.” She later gained fame as actress Marilyn Monroe. Castroville, located on Monterey Bay, produces 85% of the nation’s artichokes.
• The Lone Cypress tree located on 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach and a scenic landmark for the Peninsula, is nearly 300 years old. Cypress trees are a species native only to this region, and can live up to 4,000 years.
• The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary covers 5,312 square miles, one and a half times the size of the largest national park in the continental U.S. At its center, is an underwater canyon twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
• Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel hosts a geologic wonder: rocks of four “ages” can be found there, including the unusual Carmel formation dating back to the Paleocene age (over 60 million years old).
• In 1919, green fees at Pebble Beach were $2 for gentlemen, and $1.50 for the ladies. Rates now range from $350-$400 per 18-hole round.
• Although not as well-known as Napa or Sonoma, the Monterey County wine region actually produces the most premium grapes in North America, spread over 40,000 acres.
• Carmel-by-the-Sea has one art gallery for every 34 residents.
• 17-Mile Drive through Pebble Beach is one of only nine private toll roads in the country, and the only one west of Mississippi.
• Nearly 1/4 million tons of sardines were processed on Cannery Row in 1945, the year John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row was published.
• Built in 1844, California’s First Theater in Monterey opened and is California’s first (and still operating) theater. Nineteenth century melodramas have been presented here since the 1930s.
• Carmel is known for attracting various celebrities and artists. Clint Eastwood served as mayor of the village from 1986-1988. Other notable celebrities, artists and writers who have called Carmel home, include Doris Day, John Denver, Ansel Adams, Jack London, Robinson Jeffers, Sinclair Lewis and Upton Sinclair, among others.
• The widely acclaimed Monterey Jazz Festival occurs each September and is the longest continuously running jazz festival in the world. Past jazz greats who have appeared include Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Dizzie Gillespie and Dave Brubeck.
• The oldest standing public building in California is Monterey’s Custom House, built during California’s Mexican era in 1827. It was here that Commodore John Drake Sloat of the U.S. Navy raised an American flag in 1846 claiming California for the United States.
• The Monterey Bay Aquarium attracts nearly 2 million visitors each year to view the 300,000 marine plants and animals that live in this world-class aquarium. The Outer Bay Wing has a million gallon tank that depicts the open ocean, and a three story kelp forest and Deep Seas display show creatures never before brought to the surface.
• The National Steinbeck Center, a 37,000 square-foot facility is believed to be the largest facility devoted to a single American author. Pulitzer prize winner John Steinbeck was born in Salinas in 1902 and lived on the Monterey Peninsula for much of his life.
• Robert Louis Stevenson modeled Treasure Island’s Spyglass Hill after Point Lobos State Reserve near Carmel.

Reference Sources: Kiddle Encyclopedia,

Monterey ASL & CART Language Interpreters

American Language Services is known for our high-quality, In-person and Virtual interpreters, as well as the outstanding client services we provide. We work in 200+ languages including Legal and Medical Certified and Qualified.  ASL and CART are the fastest growing languages in Monterey today a language interpreter can be a very underestimated professional in the world today. There are over 100 languages spoken in the Monterey Metro area alone. Many of us know one language, and we specialize in one field of study. Our Monterey Interpreters are fluent in English and at least one other language, and they are knowledgeable in a wide range of specialized fields including legal, medical, technical, manufacturing, and engineering.

A brief history of ASL Interpreting in Monterey

Most people know that ASL stands for American Sign Language. But not everyone knows that it is a distinct language—not simply an offshoot of American English. Though its beginnings are murky, many believe that ASL originated from a merger of French Sign Language (SLF) and local U.S. sign languages. While ASL and SLF are distinct languages, there are still some similarities between their signs.

What actually is ASL?   ASL a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages with grammar however that differs from English. ASL is expressed by movements of the hands and face.  ASL is a language completely separate and distinct from English. It contains all the fundamental features of language, with its own rules for pronunciation, word formation, and word order.  Because of the physical nature of ASL, a two-person team of ASL interpreters is required for assignments longer than 1 hour in duration.

The National Center for Health Statistics claims that 28 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss, though only between two and eight percent of them are natural ASL speakers.  Helping these select individuals translate the audible into the understandable is the job of an ASL interpreter.  If you have ever been to a play, a concert or watched a government briefing, you have probably seen an ASL interpreter signing just out of view.  An interesting side note is that Statista estimates that there are currently around 60,000 active ASL interpreters in the USA.

The Benefits of ASL Interpreting in Monterey

When it comes to communicating with hard-of-hearing or deaf audiences, there are a few reasons you might want to opt for a Monterey ASL interpreter over CART services. These include:

• A More Personal Connection: A real person has several advantages over a computer screen. First, human interpreters have an easier time conveying emotion. Second, they are better equipped to point out speakers and assist with pronunciation issues. Finally, an interpreter gives a deaf or hard of hearing person a chance to bond with another person.
• Enhanced Speed: Skilled interpreters can hold pace with even the fastest speakers. Lack of delay makes it easier for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to keep up with the conversation.
• Cost Effective:  While costs range by the type of ASL you need (Legal, medical, business, etc.) and when the assignment is scheduled, the cost off ASL, across the board, is less money than CART.

What Is CART?

While the majority of people know what American Sign Language is, the same cannot be said for Communication Access Real-Time Translation. Often referred to as CART, this communication method for the deaf and hard of hearing is best described as subtitling for live discussions. Unlike ASL, which relies on a professional interpreter, CART services are provided by a well-trained stenographer or transcriptionist. They transcribe anything said and then broadcast the resulting text to a phone, computer, or TV screen.

CART is often seen as a cost-effective and efficient way to ensure everybody can follow along. While often used to help deaf students in the classroom, CART captioning benefits anyone that can read.  Much like ASL interpreting, it can be done both onsite with a physical transcriptionist or remotely with an offsite one.

Why You Should Consider CART for the Monterey Market

Communication Access Real-Time Translation is growing in popularity due to the following characteristics:

• It Serves a Wider Array of Deaf People: If you do a little math, you will realize that 65 percent of hard-of-hearing people in the USA do not speak ASL fluently. CART makes it so these people can join in on the conversation as well.
• CART Makes It Scalable: While people in the front rows can easily make out what an interpreter is signing, it gets harder as the distance increases. Since captions can be beamed to multiple screens simultaneously, they do not have to factor speaker distance into the equation.
• The Text Provides a Written Record: Having a transcript of everything your professor said would be a godsend come finals. Having a record of a meeting can also provide clarity to all those involved as well. The physical nature of CART recording makes that possible. This ability is one reason so many college students opt for CART over traditional ASL interpreting. 

About American Language Services

Founded in 1985, American Language Services was there to help pioneer the rise in remote ASL interpreting options. Our dedication to quality and client satisfaction in interpreting allowed us to shift from a one-woman agency into one of the most successful language agencies in the world. Our language experts provide ASL & CART interpreting services to people all around the world. Because of our 24/7 availability, you’ll never have to worry about us not being available, on off times, for an assignment.

AML-Global has some of the most impressive linguistic talents in the world. These highly skilled language professionals are recruited, screened, and tested to ensure high-quality work.

Contact us by email at interpreting@alsglobal.net or via phone at 1-800-951-5020 for a free estimate on our ASL and CART services.