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.

Fort Lauderdale ASL & CART Services

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 Fort Lauderdale

• Fort Lauderdale is also known as the yachting capital of the world and a premium tourist destination.
• Yachting is a way of life in Fort Lauderdale! The city boasts with more than 100 marinas and 50,000 registered yachts.
• It’s also the site of the world’s largest boat show – Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
• Greater Fort Lauderdale includes all of Broward County, Florida, and 31 cities and municipalities.
• Initially, there were three Fort Lauderdales. The first was established in 1838.
• Integrated in 1911, Fort Lauderdale was largely built out by 1970.
• The oldest section of the city is the Himmarshee Historic District with many buildings dating back to the Florida land boom of the 1920s.
• Today Himmarshee Village is a blooming collection of bars, music sites, eclectic clubs, cafes, and restaurants.
• After the 1920s, the area began to develop. What made that possible? The invention of air conditioning!
• Before it was named Fort Lauderdale the city was called ‘Little River Settlement’.
• On the 18th of September 1926, Fort Lauderdale experienced the worst hurricane. The damage caused by the storm represented an ending to the land boom. It literally sent the area into an economic depression.
• Fort Lauderdale has more than 300 miles of inland canals that are also known as the Intracoastal Waterway.
• Safe from many of the hazards of open-ocean travel, the waterways are a fundamental component of the city’s economy, culture, and recreation.
• Clean beaches with perfect sand are a trademark for Fort Lauderdale.
• Six of Fort Lauderdale’s beaches have been “Blue Wave Certified” by the Clean Beach Council: Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Fort Lauderdale Beach, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Hollywood Beach, and Dania Beach.
• Fort Lauderdale Beach is currently under huge $1.5 billion renewal, including a renovation for Los Olas Corridor, a new Aquatics Complex, and an enlarged Las Olas Marina.
• In 1959, the public schools in the city became desegregated.
• Fort Lauderdale quickly became one of the top Spring Break destinations in America for college students after featuring as the setting for the hit 1960 film: “Where the Boys Are”.
• Today, the city is better known for upscale dining, high-end shopping, and well-off waterfront living.
• The city’s average low temperature in January is 58 degrees Fahrenheit, and there are over 3,000 hours of sunshine every year.
• Once there was snow! The day that went down in history was the 19th of January 1977 as the day when the Fort Lauderdale citizens witnessed snow. It melted quickly, but still; snow is snow!
• The airport offers 24 hours service to more than 85 U.S. cities and global networking to more than 62 international destinations in 33 countries.
• In 2013, Greater Fort Lauderdale was visited by more than 13.1 million people spending $10.6 billion on the local economy.
• Greater Fort Lauderdale also boasts of its arts and culture scene. The culture scene encompasses arts districts, festivals, and a county-wide $100 million art in programs for public spaces.
• Greater Fort Lauderdale has become the gambling center of Florida. There are many betting venues, free-standing casinos, horses, dogs, and harness racing.
• We’ve got to mention this fact for the conspiracy theory lovers! Fort Lauderdale is considered the far western tip of the Bermuda Triangle.
• How about ghosts! Fort Lauderdale has its own ghost tour which includes a guided history walk throughout downtown’s most haunted locations.
• By taking on the Las Olas food tour you’ll be able to enjoy the culinary scene in Fort Lauderdale. The tour that lasts for 3 hours will enable you to taste local flavors and see some of the oldest buildings in the city.
• For the dreamers and stargazers out there, the city is the home of the Buehler Planetarium at Broward College.
• What to do with that special someone in Fort Lauderdale?  Particularly popular are dinner and show cruises, allowing you to watch the sunset as you sail along the well-known Millionaire’s Row. Maybe you’ll decide to take on a tropical isle tour. In that case, you’ll be swept away to a lavish island to see exotic birds, lemurs, monkeys, and alligators!

Reference Source: Fact City

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

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 Fort Lauderdale

When it comes to communicating with hard-of-hearing or deaf audiences, there are a few reasons you might want to opt for a Fort Lauderdale 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 Fort Lauderdale 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 Fort Lauderdale: Which One Better Suits Your Needs?