ILS is ready to assist you in communicating with deaf or hard of hearing clients and offers the following different forms of sign language interpretation:

American Sign Language
ASL is a visual sign language composed of a combination of finger spelling, signs, gestures, and non manual features to express meaning. Through this system, one can communicate both concrete and conceptual ideas. ASL has its own grammar and syntax, different from English. ASL grammar rules are not based on the English language.

Pidgin Sign English
PSE is a combination of English and American Sign Language with some of the rules of grammar following English word order, but with ASL features.

Signing Exact English
SEE is a method of communicating made of signs as well as English words mouthed on the lips. This mode uses English word order; and by pairing these together supplements particular signs that allow English to be signed just as it is spoken.

Deaf/Blind Tactile and Close-Vision
Tactile allows you to communicate with people who are deaf/blind by using finger spelling and other signs and you do this on the hand(s) of the deaf person. They follow the signs by touch and are able to communicate back and forth. In these situations and depending on the clients, one might use ASL, PSE or SEE.

Close-vision interpreting is used when the client has some sight. The interpreter signs a specific distance from the client and that depends on each individual client. Interpreter tends to use a smaller signing space in front of the body due to the tunnel vision effect they have from Usher's Syndrome.

CART
Communication Access Real Time Translation. This form of communication provides the deaf client with visual English typed out on a screen in real time. This is called real time captioning and used in a presentation type of setting. It is useful for deaf and hard of hearing clients who prefer to see the English words as well as having the option to watch an interpreter.

To request a sign language interpreter, please click here.