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 Springfield, IL

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 Springfield

• Springfield serves as the state capital for Illinois and is America’s 31st-most highly populated state capital city.
• Nicknames for Springfield include Flower City and Springpatch, the latter moniker recalling a comic book-style patch of sheds. Nicknames for Illinois are the Prairie State and Land of Lincoln.
• Springfield is the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.
• Springfield was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the site where American athlete Justin Stewart achieved the greatest distance via stair climbing over a 12-hour period, covering a formidable 38,203.27 feet (11,644.36 meters) at the Springfield Hilton Hotel.
• Illinois’ capital was also mentioned for another Guinness World Record when 97-year-old Polly Roesch sang with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Her performance at Springfield’s Sangamon Auditorium benchmarks the oldest person to ever debut with a symphony orchestra.
• The City of Springfield’s largest employers are State of Illinois, Memorial Health System, St. John’s Hospital, Springfield Clinic LLP, Springfield Public Schools, University of Illinois, SIU School of Medicine, City of Springfield, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Horace Mann Educators.
• From an international trade perspective, Illinois shipped U$59.924 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2019. Its most valuable exports include light petroleum oils (3.2% of global total for Illinois), blood fractions like antisera (2.8%), off-highway dump trucks (2.7%), medicines in measured doses excluding vaccines (2.5%), modems (2.3%), mobile phones (2.1%), civilian aircraft including engines and other parts (1.9%), corn (1.6%), automotive parts or accessories (1.5%), and soya beans (1.4%) according to United States Census Bureau data.
• Research website Numbeo lacks sufficient data to rank Springfield on its comprehensive global quality of life rating which benchmarks 250 cities worldwide. Numbeo does evaluate the capital city of Illinois on several individual factors. For instance, Springfield did well for traffic commute time (fastest three), property price to income ratio (least expensive 18%), pollution (cleanest 24%) and safety (best 37%). On the negative side, Springfield rates relatively poorly for health care (worst 3%) and climate (bottom 29%).
• There are many famous people in Springfield, such as Abraham Lincoln (16th President of the United States), Ulysses S. Grant (18th President of the United States), Barack Obama (44th & 45th President of the United States), Jane Addams (social worker), Michelle Obama (First Lady), Louis Armstrong (musician), Frank Lloyd Wright (architect), Michael Jordan (basketball), Harrison Ford (Nuclear scientist), and Hillary Clinton (First Lady & Secretary of State).
• Springfield is known for some prominent food items: the corn dog on a stick is claimed to have been invented in the city under the name “Cozy Dog”, although there is some debate to the origin of the snack.
• It is the largest city in central Illinois.
• There are two interstate highways in Springfield. They are I-55 and I-72. I-55 start from Chicago to Springfield and I-72 start from Springfield to St. Louis, Missouri. Smaller roads to other cities also can be seen in Springfield.
• Present-day Springfield was first settled by European Americans in the late 1810s, around the time Illinois became a state.
• The most famous past resident is Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Springfield from 1837 until 1861, when he went to the White House as President. As we know that Abraham Lincoln became the Illinois congressman and the 16th President of the United States. Besides, he was also a lawyer. He stayed in Springfield before his election. After he died, he was buried in Springfield. Then, something which related to Lincoln such as his tomb, home, and law office are open to the publics. Springfield also dedicates a new building with library and museum to Lincoln.
• Major tourist attractions include a multitude of historic sites connected with Lincoln.
• There are many professional sports teams in Springfield, including Chicago Bears (National Football League), Chicago Cubs (National Baseball League), Chicago Bulls (National Basketball Association), Chicago White Sox (American Baseball League), Chicago Blackhawks (National Hockey League), Chicago Sky (Women’s National Basketball Association), and Chicago Machine (professional Lacrosse).
• Henson Robinson Zoo is the zoo in Springfield. Actually, it is a small zoo but there are many animals there. There are around 300 animals from four continents, including  Asia and Africa, Australia, North and South America. Besides, the education activities are also available there such as games, story time, craft, and a discovery walk. Children can also pretend to be Zookeeper and having a pet there
• Springfield’s original name was Calhoun, after Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina.
• Lake Springfield is a 4,200-acre man-made reservoir, the largest municipally owned utility in Illinois.
• As we know that the tallest skyscraper in the United States is One World Trade Center in New York City. Whereas the second-tallest building in the United States is the Willis Tower. It is also known as Sears Tower.
• Wandering poet Vachel Lindsay, most famous for his poem “The Congo” and a booklet called “Rhymes to be Traded for Bread”, was born in Springfield in 1879.

References: 10interestingfacts.com, 10-facts-about.com, worldscapitalcities.com

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

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 Springfield

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