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 Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest

• The City of Lake Forest is located in the heart of South Orange County and the beautiful Saddleback Valley. The City’s motto, “remember the past, challenge the future,” is the Lake Forest way of life. The rich heritage of the past is preserved and enhanced in this contemporary city ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future. Lake Forest was incorporated as a city in 1991 to help ensure that it will always be an ideal place for business to prosper and people to live, work and play.
• Don Jose Serrano settled the area, which was originally called Rancho Canada De Los Alisos (the Valley of the Sycamores), through a Mexican Land Grant in 1846. The area then became known as El Toro, named after the bulls that roamed Don Jose Serrano’s ranch. For more than a century, the land remained with Don Jose and his family until financial problems forced him to turn the land over to private interests. In the early 1900’s, Dwight Whiting, a resident of the area, planted 400 acres of fast-growing eucalyptus trees in this growing agricultural community as an answer to the California lumber shortage.
• Shortly following World War II, residential, commercial, and industrial development began to replace the acres of farmland in the area. In the 1960’s, master developer Occidental Petroleum decided to create a master-planned community around the abundant trees and man-made lakes. The eucalyptus trees provided landscaping for the new modern homes and led to the “Forest” in Lake Forest. During the peak of activity at the nearby El Toro Marine Base, the need for new homes and support services increased. Steadily, the Lake Forest area was built into the community we enjoy today.
• The City’s population in 1991 was 54,752. Today, Lake Forest is home to an estimated 87,345 residents.
• The Etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest is the largest staffed public skateboard park in North America.
• The City named a street after Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies Third Baseman and El Toro High School graduate, during a February 2020 ceremony.
• Lake Forest became a debt-free city in 2018 becoming one of the few debt-free cities in California.
• The planning for the City’s Civic Center began in 1999 and was completed 20 years later.
• Both the Lake Forest Sports Park and Civic Center were built without accruing long-term debt.
• The City established Heritage Hill Historic Park to preserve the area’s history. The Park features 4 restored buildings which were built from 1863-1908.
• Lake Forest was incorporated as Orange County’s 31st city on December 20, 1991.
• The Etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest hosts 60,000 visitors each year, or roughly sell-out Angel Stadium and a full house for the Ducks at Honda Center.
• Lake Forest has 31 parks with Portola Park recently opening in November 2020.
• Up until 2020, the City had held a Fourth of July Parade every year since incorporation.
• The Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was decommissioned in 1999. The land was developed into the Orange County Great Park.
• The City has its budget and financial statements displayed as an interactive infographic-based dashboard. It can be found here: www.lakeforestca.gov/554/Budgets-and-Financial-Statements
• The City has three ADA accessible parks throughout the City (Portola Park, Cherry Park, and Pittsford Park).
• The City completed its transition to District Elections during the 2020 General Election.
• The City held community forums with the public to gather feedback on the future designs of the Sports Park and Civic Center.
• The new City Hall is the City’s fourth City Hall. The previous three were located at 23778 Mercury Road, 23161 Lake Center Drive, and 25550 Commercentre Drive.
• The City has a dedicated Homeless Liaison Officer contracted with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
• The City’s Ask Lake Forest (ALF) system allows residents to effortlessly report issues to City staff.
• Lake Forest is a contract city as it contracts municipal services to public or private organizations.
•  The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has a senior citizen volunteer program called the Sheriff’s Team of Active Retired Seniors (STARS). Founded in 1997, STARS assist the City and Lake Forest Police Services.
• Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills were not part of the City’s incorporation in 1991. The City voted to expand city limits to include Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills in 2000.
• Throughout Lake Forest’s 30-year history, the City has only had three permanent City Managers. Gaylord Knapp, Robert Dunek, and Debra Rose.
•  Both lakes in Lake Forest are man-made.
•  The top employer in Lake Forest is Panasonic Avionics Corporation with 1,703 employees.
• Kaitlin Sandeno, Olympic swimming champion, is an El Toro High School graduate.
• There are three OCFA Fire Stations across the City.
• The City has a total area of 17.9 square miles.
•  Before incorporation, mentions of “El Toro” in the press referred to the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.
•  During Richard Nixon’s presidency, Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was used for flight to and from his “Western White House” at San Clemente, California.

Reference Sources: LakeForestCA.gov

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

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 Lake Forest

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