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 in Alexandria.

ASL & CART Services You can Trust in Alexandria

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 Alexandria

• According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2010 there were 139,966 persons residing here. 21.8% of the population identifies as Black or African American, 60.9% identifies as White, 6% as Asian, and 16.1% identify as of Hispanic or Latino origin.
• Sites of Interest: George Washington Masonic Memorial, Torpedo Factory Art Center, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, Christ Church, and many more.
• Adjacent Counties: Alexandria is bound to the east by the Potomac River and Prince George County, Maryland. To the south and west is Fairfax County, while the northern boundary is shared with Arlington County. We are roughly 4.8 miles south of Washington, D.C.
• Climate: Alexandria is a part of the Humid Subtropical climate zone, which includes hot, humid, summers, mild to chilly winters, and plentiful rain year-round. July is the warmest month of the year, and January is the coldest.
• Careers: The most common occupations in Alexandria (56% of the total) are management, professional, and related occupations. Sales and office occupations make up another 20%, while service occupations are 10% According to Simplyhired.com, approximately 67% of workers in Alexandria work for companies, 23% work for the government and 6% are self-employed.
• Mean household income for total households in Alexandria in U.S. dollars is $110,671.
• There are an estimated 64,361 households here.
• The average household size is 2.14 people.
• 26% of the city’s population is aged 25-34.
• According to The American Community Survey, there are about 106,993 people above the age of 25 in the city. Of those people, some 31,232 have a Bachelor’s degree, and 30,915 have a graduate or professional degree.
• Almost 10,000 veterans live in Alexandria.
• The top two public employers in Alexandria are the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the United States Department of Defense. They have 9,000 and 7,500 employees respectively.
• The George Washington Masonic Memorial took ten years to build.

In 1909, Orville Wright flew from Fort Myer in Arlington to Shutter’s Hill (now the site of the Masonic memorial) and back for the U.S. army, which resulted in the Wright brothers being awarded the world’s first military airplane contract.

• Jim Morrison (lead singer of the rock band The Doors) graduated from George Washington High school here in 1961.
• In the 1860s, what is now The Hotel Monaco was called Marshall House. On May 24, 1861, there was an altercation regarding a Confederate flag that the innkeeper, secessionist James W. Jackson, had decided to fly. Visiting Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, leader of the 11th New York Infantry “Fire Zouaves,” tore down the flag that Mr. Jackson was flying, prompting Jackson to shoot and kill him. Jackson was later killed himself by the Colonel’s troops. In effect, this makes the hotel Monaco one of the first sites of the Civil War deaths.
• The Torpedo Factory was actually a Torpedo and munitions factory for World War II. Today, it is one of the largest visual arts centers in the US, with 160 professional artists who work, exhibit, and sell their art. The center can also boast 1,000 cooperative gallery members and some 2,000 art students.
• Famous African American attorney Samuel W. Tucker was born here in 1913, and staged an important sit-in at Alexandria’s segregated library, leading to the city’s creation of a new library for African Americans.
• Alexandria has four sister cities
  • Dundee, Scotland
  • Helsingborg, Sweden
  • Gyumri, Armenia
  • Caen, France
• Alexandria’s Old Town district was established in 1946 as only the third historic district designated in the United States.
• The median travel time to work is 29 minutes, with most residents (76%) driving to work.
• There are 204 day care centers within Alexandria.
• There are 112 city parks in Alexandria. Using 2010 Census data, that is 1 park per 1249 residents.
• There are 26 polling precincts in Alexandria – this means that, on average, for every 0.59 mi squared there is a polling location.
• There are 13 elementary schools (Charles Barrett, Cora Kelly, George Mason, Maury, Lyles-Crouch, Mt. Vernon, Samuel Tucker, William Ramsay, John Adams, Polk, Patrick Henry, Douglas MacArthur, and Jefferson Houston), three middle schools (George Washington, Minnie Howard, and Francis Hammond), and one high school (T.C. Williams).
• Alexandria is older than the U.S., which means there’s plenty of history to dive into. Whether old wives’ tales or straight up facts, Alexandria continues to entertain locals and tourists alike.
• An English ship captain was Alexandria’s first official “owner.” Sir William Berkeley, the governor of Virginia in 1669, gifted Robert Howson the land known as today’s Alexandria, but the city really gets its well-known name from John Alexander, who purchased the land from Howson for 6,000 pounds of tobacco. Alexander’s Scottish heritage still runs strong through the city today. Annual parades and festivals are dedicated to Alexandria’s Scottish lineage.
• Initially, Alexander’s descendants weren’t deeply interested in developing the city. They had other interests down in the Stafford area. Eventually, Alexander’s great grandson, Gerard, did build a home on the banks of the Potomac River on a site that now sits between Garages A and B at Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport. Take note, incoming families; the airport is under major construction.
• It’s impossible to tour and learn about Alexandria without hearing at least a couple of stories about George Washington. His roots are in the area, and of course his beloved Mount Vernon remains in southern Alexandria today. But, as a young man and surveyor, he was responsible for planning the city’s street systems. Much later, Washington was first publicly addressed as President of the United States in Alexandria’s historic Wise’s Tavern.
• In 2019, Forbes’ online magazine named the city the “Ice Cream Cone Capital of the United States.” Local mainstays like The Dairygodmother in Del Ray and Pop’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Company in Old Town were mentioned as must-try locations. For those who prefer tried and true national brand names like Ben & Jerry’s and Kilwins, you’ll find those available, too.
• Alexandria is frequently nominated for awards. Over the years, major publications like Southern Living, National Geographic Explorer, and Travel Leisure have all consistently named or nominated Alexandria as one of the prettiest cities, happiest cities, best cities in the south, and best boutique shopping, in addition to a host of other categories.
• If you’re data and dog oriented, you’ll love the fact that Expedia voted Alexandria one of the Top 10 Dog-Friendly Vacation destinations in the U.S. Visit Alexandria, VA reports there are an estimated 40,000 dogs dispersed among 160,000 human residents. Locals couldn’t be any more pleased with how welcoming shops and restaurants are to dogs. There are even canine cruises on the Potomac River. If your dog prefers not to find his sea legs, regular yappy hours pop up all over the city.
• In 1830, John Hollensbury built an entire, albeit small, house in his alley to prevent horses and wagons, not to mention drunks, from using his thoroughfare. Alexandria’s Queen Street is the location of today’s private residence, named The Spite House. It is 7 feet wide and 325 square feet total. The Spite House was setting trends in the tiny home scene way before today’s minimalists.

Reference Sources: AlexandriaVA.gov, Militarybyowner

Alexandria 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 Alexandria today a language interpreter can be a very underestimated professional in the world today. There are over 100 languages spoken in the Alexandria Metro area alone. Many of us know one language, and we specialize in one field of study. Our Alexandria 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 Alexandria

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 Alexandria

When it comes to communicating with hard-of-hearing or deaf audiences, there are a few reasons you might want to opt for a Alexandria 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 Alexandria 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.

ASL Interpreting or CART in Alexandria: Which One Better Suits Your Needs?