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 Madison, WI

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 Madison

• Madison, the capital city of Wisconsin, lies west of Milwaukee. It’s known for the domed Wisconsin State Capitol, which sits on an isthmus between lakes Mendota and Monona. The Wisconsin Historical Museum documents the state’s immigrant and farming history. The city’s paved Capital City State Trail runs past Monona Terrace, a lakefront convention center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
• Madison’s official city bird is a plastic pink flamingo. Voted in 2009, it’s an homage to an infamous prank on Bascom Hill circa 1979.
• Madison is home to the “World’s Largest Brat Fest,” an annual fundraiser that has been held since 1983. In 2010, 209,376 brats were consumed during the festival—which is believed to be a world record for a single festival over a 4-day period.
• In 1937 an electric “W” began decorating the Capitol dome during the college football season. The “W” measured twelve feet high and thirteen feet wide and was lit with 250 red light bulbs that faced the State Street on football weekends.
• The dome of the state capitol is made entirely of granite, making it the largest granite dome in the world.
• In 2013, “Prevention Magazine” ranked Madison #8 on their list of the “Happiest, Healthiest Cities In America.” It was also ranked #5 in “Best Places To Live” by livability.com.
• Remember Chris Farley? He was born and raised in Madison.
• Frank Lloyd Wright also considered Madison home during his more formative years–his teens. 8. Otis Redding, singer of the song “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” passed away when his plane crashed into Lake Monona.
• Dane County Farmers’ Market on the Square is the largest producer-only Farmers’ Market in the country and boasts more than 300 vendors.
• Madison has been the backdrop for more than 10 different films, including “Public Enemies,” “I Love Trouble” and “The Last Kiss”.
• When James Duane Doty (he’s kind of the founder, he first purchased land in what is now Madison) lobbied for Madison to be Wisconsin’s state capitol, he offered the legislators buffalo robes. Maybe it was a bribe or maybe it was because winters have always been rough in this area.
• Between 300 and 1300 AD, Native American “mound builders” once occupied what is now Madison. Where there once were thousands of effigy mounds; today only a few remain. Interestingly enough though, the Madison area has the highest concentration of effigy mounds remaining.
• Madison has a higher percentage of gay couples than any other city in the Midwest, aside from Chicago and Minneapolis.
• On a per-capita basis, the people of Madison buy more books than anywhere else.
• More than half of the population in Madison is under 30. This is no surprise, as it’s a large university town.
• Union Corners, technically East Washington Avenue and Milwaukee Street, gained its name during the Civil War. These corners once housed a bar popular with the Union soldiers, who would stop in for a drink before heading off to fight the confederates.
• There is a state law that limits any building being built within one mile of the Wisconsin State Capitol and no buildings may be taller or overshadow it.
• And while we’re talking about the capitol building, the state capitol dome is the second tallest in the nation. The tallest is, you guessed it, the nation’s capitol dome in Washington, DC.
• Madison is the first city in the country to use zoning to achieve an aesthetic effect. It might have been due to the nationwide “City Beautiful” movement of the early 1900s.
• In 1968, the first bone marrow transplant in the United States is performed at UW Hospital.
• Madison is sometimes described as “The City Of Four Lakes.” Although there are five near Madison, the fifth is often forgotten. The lakes are Lake Monona, Lake Mendota, Lake Waubesa, Lake Kegonsa and the debated Lake Wingra.
• It’s also one of only two cities in the United States built on an isthmus. What’s an isthmus you ask? An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger areas of land, typically with water on either side. The more you know.
• Gates of Heaven is the nation’s 8th oldest surviving Synagogue.
• Madison has more than 260 parks throughout the city, which spreads out to around 6,000 acres of parkland.
• The Henry Vilas Zoo is one of about 10 free zoos in the nation.
• 24 Pulitzers and 17 Nobel prizes have been awarded to University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty or alumni. No wonder there’s so much badger pride.
• “Fighting Bob” La Follette, a former senator and Governor of Wisconsin, lived and schooled in Madison. He is a key figure in Wisconsin’s history of political liberalism and has been called “arguably the most important and recognized leader of the opposition to the growing dominance of corporations over the Government.”
• The documentary “The War At Home” is based on the many, often violent, protests taking place in Madison during the ‘60s and ‘70s.
• Orton Park is Madison’s first city park and encompasses the entire Block 180 of the original plat of Madison. It was originally designated as a cemetery, but was declared a park in 1883 and officially opened in 1887.
• Michael Feldman, NPR host of “Whad’Ya Know” calls Madison home.
• During the Civil War, Madison was the first city to send out troops.
• The Kohl Center, which houses the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s men’s basketball and hockey teams as well as the women’s basketball team, is the second largest indoor venue in Wisconsin.

Reference Sources: Movoto, Wikipedia

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

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 Madison

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