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 New Orleans, LA

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 New Orleans

• New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The population of the city was 343,829 as of the 2010 U.S. Census. The New Orleans metropolitan area (New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area) had a population of 1,167,764 in 2010 and was the 46th largest in the United States. The New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area, a larger trading area, had a 2010 population of 1,452,502.
• The city is named after the Duke of Orleans, who reigned as Regent for Louis XV from 1715 to 1723, as it was established by French colonists and strongly influenced by their European culture. It is well known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture, as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage. New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine, music (particularly as the birthplace of jazz), and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras, dating to French colonial times. The city is often referred to as the “most unique” in the United States.
• New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana, straddling the Mississippi River. The city and Orleans Parish (French: paroisse d’Orléans) are coterminous. The city and parish are bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany to the north, St. Bernard to the east, Plaquemines to the south, and Jefferson to the south and west. Lake Pontchartrain, part of which is included in the city limits, lies to the north and Lake Borgne lies to the east.
• To start, New Orleans is believed to be one of the most haunted cities in America. From the infamous LaLaurie Mansion to the Sultan’s Palace, there is no shortage of ghosts in this Southern city. If you make it to NOLA one day, there are a bunch of local tour groups where you can learn about the spooky tales of the city, including Haunted History Tours, Witches Brew Tours, and Bloody Mary’s Tours.
• The Buckner Mansion was featured as Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies in the FX anthology series American Horror Story: Coven. A number of other NOLA locations were also used in Season 3, including Round Table Clubhouse, Maison Vitry, and Atchafalaya Restaurant. Don’t forget to pack your all-black outfit to snap a Coven-inspired photo outside Buckner Mansion; it’s one of the most popular photo ops for AHS fans. It has a candlelight vibe and offers a menu of numerous alcoholic concoctions, such as hurricanes and voodoo daiquiris.
• If you fancy a drink, a variety of iconic cocktails gained popularity after being invented in New Orleans. The Sazerac, brandy milk punch, and hand grenade are just a few that were born here. You can credit the French Quarter restaurant Pat O’Brien’s with inventing the hurricane during World War II. It continues to be a popular drink choice in NOLA today.
• Preservation Hall usually holds over 350 acoustic concerts each year — it’s a true jazz lover’s paradise. The band is made up of a collective of more than 50 local musicians. With the intimate setting and unforgettable live music, it’s a must for any jazz aficionado.
• Marie Laveau, better known as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, is said to have a tomb at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. New Orleans has longtime roots in voodoo, which continues to be practiced today. Various voodoo shops are located in the city, including Voodoo Authentica and Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo — not to mention the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum, which is a go-to spot to learn more about the history.
• Speaking of tombs, actor Nicolas Cage has actually prepurchased one in St. Louis Cemetery No. The unique pyramid design is hard to miss, and it’s often visited on cemetery tours.
• The first-ever New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival took place in 1970, and the tradition has continued on ever since. It was originally held in Congo Square and had four stages, but it’s since moved to a bigger venue. Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, and Ray Charles are just a few of the fest’s former headliners.
• Café Du Monde opened in 1862 and serves hot coffee and sugar-dusted French beignets to customers 24/7. While the Decatur Street coffee stand is the original location, there are now a number of other Café Du Monde establishments in Louisiana. (Or just order a pack of their famous beignet mix and try making some at home!)
• Located in Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest continuously used Catholic cathedral in the US. It dates back to the 1700s and is one of the most notable landmarks in the French Quarter.
• Poker fan? NOLA is thought to be one of the places where modern-day poker was developed. The game has ancient roots and was likely influenced by many different cultures. The poker we know today can be traced back to the French game poque, which was introduced to French America in 1803, around the time of the Louisiana Purchase.
• The tradition of eating king cake — a colorful cake with a tiny baby figurine hidden inside — is an absolute must during Mardi Gras season. It’s typically enjoyed at the start of the season from Jan. 6 (aka the King’s Day or Twelfth Night) through Fat Tuesday. Often made of plastic, the trinket is thought to bestow luck on whoever finds it in their piece of cake.
• Best known for penning Interview With the Vampire and The Queen of the Damned, author Anne Rice was born in New Orleans and formerly called the Garden District home. The 1994 film adaptation of Interview With the Vampire was filmed at the nearby Destrehan and Oak Alley plantations outside of New Orleans.
• Bourbon Street, one of the most well-known spots in the city, was actually named after the House of Bourbon (the French royal family at the time). It runs for 13 blocks and dates back to 1718. Today it’s home to an array of bars, restaurants, and other hot spots for tourists and locals alike.
• The first (recorded) New Orleans Mardi Gras parade took place in 1837. However, the city may not actually be able to claim the first Mardi Gras festivities on US soil. The town of Mobile, Alabama, is believed to have hosted its own celebration back in 1703 and claims to have introduced it to NOLA.
• You can thank local dentist Dr. Levi Spear Parmly for the invention of dental floss as we know it. In his 1819 book, A Practical Guide to the Management of the Teeth, Parmly describes using a waxed silk thread to clean between teeth and is often credited with the invention.
• Jazz icon Louis Armstrong is a New Orleans staple: There are two statues in the city honoring him, AND he’s the namesake of the airport and a park. He was born in NOLA on Aug. 4, 1901, and went on to become one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time.
• Dating back to the mid-1800s, City Park is 1,300 acres and one of the United States’ oldest urban parks. Miles of walking trails, two football stadiums, and a botanical garden are just a few things that call City Park home. It’s the perfect spot to get some fresh air and enjoy the Louisiana sun.
• If you’re craving French-Creole cuisine, you can’t go past Antoine’s Restaurant, the city’s oldest restaurant. Opened in 1840, it continues to be owned and operated by fifth-generation relatives of none other than the founder himself, Antoine Alciatore.
• Finally, the motto for New Orleans, “Laissez les bon temps rouler,” means “Let the good times roll. “While this Cajun French phrase is often said during the Mardi Gras season, it’s truly an embodiment of NOLA as a whole. From the delicious local eats to the history throughout the city, you won’t find anywhere else as unusual as this place.

Reference Sources: Buzzfeed, Kiddle Encyclopedia

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

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 New Orleans

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