Sign Language Interpreting and Transliterating

BIS offers a wide range of interpreting and transliterating services to match virtually any environment, scenario or audience. Interpreting: The process of transmitting spoken English into American Sign Language and/or gestures for communication between deaf and hearing people. Transliterating: The process of transmitting spoken English into any one of several English-oriented varieties of manual communications between deaf and hearing people.

Languages

In order to facilitate communication between hearing and deaf or hard of hearing people, we provide experienced individuals who can interpret the following languages:

American Sign Language (ASL)
is comparable in complexity and expressiveness to spoken languages. It is not a form of English. It has its own distinct grammatical structure, which must be mastered in the same way as the grammar of any other language. ASL differs from spoken language in that it is visual rather than auditory and is composed of precise handshapes and movements.

Pidgin Signed English (PSE)
is a term that refers to a contact language or blended form of English and ASL. Often used when d/Deaf people and hearing people attempt to communicate.

Manually Coded English (MCE)
utilizes invented manual codes to represent the aural/oral language of English, accompanied by spoken or inaudible mouthed English.

Tactile/Deaf-Blind Interpretation
is a technique where the client places her/his hands over the hands of the interpreter, in order to read signs through touch and movement. Tactile signing can be taxing for interpreters, and may require more frequent interpreter switches or breaks. The interpreter should supply both auditory and visual information to the client. It is important to determine a seating arrangement that is comfortable to both the client and the interpreter. Tactile signing is used by clients who have very limited vision and by those who are blind.

Cued Speech Transliteration
is a sound-based visual communication system that, in English, uses eight handshapes in four different locations ("cues") in combination with the natural mouth movements of speech, to make all the sounds of spoken language look different.

Oral Transliteration
is used to facilitate spoken communication between individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and use speech and speechreading as their primary mode of communication, and other persons. These speechreaders may or may not also know or use manual communication or sign language. Oral transliteration, however, does not normally include any use of sign language. Oral transliterators may also "voice" for speakers who use no voice, or whose voices are difficult for listeners to understand.

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