North America
American Sign Language (ASL) translation and interpreting services
Qualified American Sign Language interpreters, Certified Deaf Interpreters, DeafBlind interpreting, and CART captioning for agencies, courts, hospitals, schools, and employers, matched to how each Deaf, hard-of-hearing, or DeafBlind person actually communicates.
ASL, in its own words
ASL
ASL interpreting services
Our ASL interpreters work in person and by video, for one-on-one appointments, classrooms, meetings, and public events. We match each assignment to the setting, with credentialed interpreters where the work requires them, send briefing materials ahead so interpreters arrive prepared, and assign two interpreters for long or complex sessions. Every interpreter is bound by a confidentiality agreement.
Grammar you read on the face
In ASL, the eyebrows, eyes, and head carry grammar. The same signs become a statement, a question, or a denial depending on the face that comes with them. Each marker below is described in linguistic research on ASL from Boston University and Rutgers.
- Brows upYes/no questionraised eyebrows, wide eyes, head forward, held over the whole sentence
- Brows downWho, what, when, where, why, howlowered eyebrows and squinted eyes over the question
- Slow head shakeNegationside to side, with or without a sign such as NOT or NEVER
- Brows up, then pauseIf or whenmarks the first clause of a conditional, then the face returns to neutral
- Brows up, head backTopicsets up what the sentence is about
Signs alone are not enough: an interpreter who drops the face drops the grammar. That is why the ADA’s standards for video remote interpreting require a picture large enough to show the interpreter’s face, arms, hands, and fingers, and why we ask about lighting, camera position, and screen size before a video assignment.
What good ASL access takes
ASLSEECART
Match the service to the person
Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and DeafBlind people do not all communicate the same way. Some use ASL; some, often those schooled in it, prefer English-based signing such as Signing Exact English (SEE), which follows English word order; people who lost hearing later in life and do not sign usually need real-time captioning (CART); DeafBlind people may need a tactile interpreter. Ask the person, then tell us before we book.
CDIRID
Bring in a Certified Deaf Interpreter when the stakes are high
A Certified Deaf Interpreter is a Deaf specialist certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). We team a CDI with a hearing ASL interpreter for high-stakes medical, legal, and complex communication. In Colorado, RID’s CDI is one of the credentials that qualifies an interpreter for Status I court and legal work.
VRIon-site
Plan video as carefully as the interpreter
Video remote interpreting works when the connection is real-time and full-motion and the picture shows the face and hands of both the interpreter and the signer. It fails when the person cannot see the screen because of vision loss, an injury, or the way they are positioned; then you need an interpreter on-site.
effectivelyaccuratelyimpartially
Do not ask family members to interpret
The ADA puts the duty to provide interpreters on you, not on the Deaf person, and it bars relying on a minor child except in an emergency when no qualified interpreter is available. Deaf companions count too: a Deaf parent at a school meeting or a Deaf spouse at a hospital bedside is owed effective communication.
More ASL services
Certified Deaf Interpreters
A Deaf interpreter teamed with a hearing ASL interpreter for high-stakes medical, legal, or complex communication.
Trilingual ASL–Spanish interpreting
ASL, Spanish, and English from one interpreter, for Deaf family members in Spanish-speaking households, clinics, and schools.
DeafBlind interpreting and CART captioning
Pro-Tactile, tactile, and close vision interpreting, plus real-time captions for people who do not sign.
American Sign Language in Colorado
Our headquarters is in Aurora, in the Denver metro area, so we schedule on-site ASL interpreters across Colorado and nationwide. Colorado sets its own rules for who may interpret, and where.
- Protected titles
- Under HB19-1069, the interpreter and translator titles for sign language are reserved for interpreters certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or holding a certification approved by the state’s Commission for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind, now SENSE Colorado[10] source
- Courts and law enforcement
- State court and legal work requires a Status I or II legal credential from SENSE Colorado’s Legal Communication Access Services, and law enforcement and prosecutors must use its referral list for arrests and witness or victim interviews[9] source
- Public schools
- Educational interpreters need a Colorado Department of Education authorization, which requires a score of 3.5 or higher on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment in ASL, manually coded English, or Pidgin Signed English[11] source
American Sign Language in the United States
9 in 10 More than 90 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents, so a family’s first conversations about school and health care often cross a language line inside the household.[3] source
- No official count
- No federal survey counts ASL users. The Census Bureau notes that the most recent national estimate, about 500,000 people, dates from 1974 and is outdated[1] source
- Deaf is not the same as ASL
- Not everyone who is deaf uses ASL, and not everyone who uses ASL is deaf[1] source
- Its own language
- ASL is completely separate and distinct from English, with grammar that differs from English; it is the primary language of many North Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing[2] source
- Origins
- ASL arose more than 200 years ago from local sign languages mixed with French Sign Language; modern ASL and French Sign Language are now distinct, and British Sign Language is a different language from ASL[2] source
- Regional variation
- ASL has regional accents and dialects that differ in the rhythm of signing, pronunciation, slang, and the signs used[2] source
- The legal standard
- The ADA requires state and local governments, businesses, and nonprofits that serve the public to communicate effectively with people who are deaf, using a qualified interpreter: one who can interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially[4] source
Our ASL work
Selected ASL projects for our clients.
- Behavioral health providersOn-site ASL interpreting.
- Medical practices and health systemsOn-site and video ASL interpreting.
- Eye care practicesOn-site ASL interpreting.
- County human services agenciesOn-site and video ASL interpreting.
- CompaniesOn-site ASL interpreting.
- Nonprofit organizationsOn-site and video ASL interpreting.
Why agencies choose us for ASL
Our ASL team carries the credentials courts, hospitals, and agencies ask for.
RID-certified interpreters
Interpreters holding the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
Certified Deaf Interpreters
Deaf interpreters certified by RID, teamed with a hearing interpreter for high-stakes and complex communication.
Legal specialists
Interpreters with RID’s Specialist Certificate: Legal for depositions, hearings, and attorney meetings.
Certified CART captioners
Captioners holding National Court Reporters Association captioning certifications.
Who relies on our ASL linguists
Healthcare
Medical histories, diagnoses, consent, and discharge, with the interpreter booked for the whole visit, on-site or by video.
Courts and legal
Legally credentialed ASL interpreters and Certified Deaf Interpreters for depositions, attorney meetings, and hearings.
Schools and universities
IEP meetings, parent conferences, lectures, and campus events, with interpreters and CART for students and Deaf parents.
Government agencies
Public meetings, hearings, benefit interviews, and staff trainings, with access planned into the event rather than added at the door.
Employers
Interviews, onboarding, safety briefings, and all-hands meetings for Deaf employees.
Video meetings
ASL interpreters on Zoom, Teams, or a tablet, pinned and sized so the face and hands stay visible.
ASL translation and interpreting FAQs
Is ASL the same as signing in English?
No. ASL is a separate language with its own grammar and word order. English-based systems such as Signing Exact English put English on the hands word for word, including endings ASL does not use, and Colorado authorizes school interpreters in ASL, manually coded English, and Pidgin Signed English. Tell us which the person uses and we book an interpreter who works in it.
When is video interpreting enough, and when do we need someone on-site?
The ADA lets you choose video or on-site where either is effective. Video suits short, planned conversations with a strong connection. Book on-site when the person cannot see a screen well, is in a hospital bed or moving between rooms, is DeafBlind, or the conversation is long, emotional, or legal.
Who decides which interpreter or service we provide?
State and local governments must give primary consideration to the aid or service the person asks for. Businesses and nonprofits are encouraged to consult the person. In both cases, ask early: a request for ASL, English-based signing, CART, or a tactile interpreter changes who we send.
What is a Certified Deaf Interpreter, and when do we need one?
A CDI is a Deaf interpreter certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. We team a CDI with a hearing ASL interpreter when the communication is high-stakes, medical, legal, or complex, and when a hearing interpreter alone is not getting the message across. Colorado accepts the CDI as a credential for Status I court and legal work.
Do you provide certified ASL interpreters?
Yes. We provide qualified ASL interpreters on-site and by video for meetings, classrooms, courts, medical appointments, and public events, with two interpreters for long or complex sessions.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Berger, O’Brien, and Otero Class, Using Focus Groups to Improve Surveys for American Sign Language Users (AAPOR, 2021) (opens in a new tab)
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), American Sign Language (opens in a new tab)
- NIDCD, Quick Statistics About Hearing, Balance, and Dizziness (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Justice, ADA Requirements: Effective Communication (opens in a new tab)
- Michael, Yang, Liu, Metaxas, and Neidle, A Framework for the Recognition of Non-Manual Markers in Segmented Sequences of American Sign Language (BMVC 2011; Boston University and Rutgers University) (opens in a new tab)
- Hands & Voices, Do You Know What Is Being Signed to Your Child? (opens in a new tab)
- Vanderbilt University, Language Acquisition in Deaf Children: Manually Signed English (opens in a new tab)
- New Jersey Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Guide to Becoming a Certified Deaf Interpreter (June 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- SENSE Colorado, Legal Communication Access Services (LCAS) (opens in a new tab)
- Colorado General Assembly, HB19-1069 Sign Language Interpreters Title Certification (opens in a new tab)
- Colorado Department of Education, Educational Interpreters (opens in a new tab)
- SENSE Colorado (formerly the Colorado Commission, then Division, for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind) (opens in a new tab)
Tell us what’s at stake. We’ll show you how we’d handle it.
Send your files or describe your event. A language specialist replies with a fixed quote and a delivery date, with no obligation.
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