ASL interpreting for social inclusion has taken a new great step forwards. For the first time ever, in the first quarter of 2022, the White House hired full-time ASL interpreters. One of the main focuses of their work is interpreting livestream broadcasts of addresses from government leaders. Through their simultaneous interpreting services, accessibility will be increased for an often overlooked group.
On top of creating this new position, the White House is including in this task force an interpreter who can hear and an interpreter who is completely deaf. Her name is Elsie Strecker, and she is the first-ever White House ASL interpreter.
Why Now?
ASL interpreters have always been important and needed, especially when translation for international development is concerned. Naturally, it’s especially crucial when the material to be interpreted is a message from the president of the country. So what was the deciding factor that occasioned this change?
Well, with the incidence of the global COVID-19 public health crisis, it seems the world population has known nothing but change. And, as with so many other adaptations, hiring a resident life sciences translation and interpreting team for those who are hard of hearing was a part of that change.
Advocates sued to get live ASL interpreting when they realized it was missing from COVID-19 briefings. The White House addressed the problem and went beyond expectations with these two permanent hirings.
The Effect of ASL Language Interpreting For Social Inclusion
This development, naturally, signifies a stronger front in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI for short). DEI is a relatively new and important endeavor in the professional sphere, which has the ultimate goal of facilitating success in business.
DEI training helps professionals of all different backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities. This is done so they can collaborate in an effective and positive way while managing and benefiting from interpersonal differences. This can include the help of language support such as translation services. Imagine understanding another world that is different from your own. That is the kind of education that DEI provides, in the name of enhanced group dynamics.
ASL Interpreting Going Forward
ASL is its own language, different from the English version sign language, with its own grammar and sentence structure. It is spoken by around half a million people in the United States. Thanks to the new addition of the White House communications interpreting team, nationwide addresses from key figures like the president, the U.S. press secretary, or, more recently with the advent of COVID-19, prominent public health figures like Dr. Anthony Fauci, are accessible to more Americans and to the entire world through international development translation services.
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The industries we support
From corporate town halls to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Language Connections provides professional ASL interpreting that ensures accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing employees, clients, and stakeholders. We help organizations integrate ASL services into workplace communications, training programs, and public events, supporting compliance with accessibility regulations and fostering inclusive company cultures.
Learn more on our Business service page.
Tech companies hosting product launches, webinars, and virtual conferences benefit from ASL interpreting to reach broader audiences and demonstrate commitment to accessibility. Our interpreters are skilled in industry-specific terminology, ensuring technical content is conveyed clearly in ASL for both live and recorded events.
Learn more on our Technology service page.
Court proceedings, client consultations, and compliance briefings require precise, confidential communication. We provide ASL interpreters for law firms, corporate legal teams, and public institutions, ensuring that deaf and hard-of-hearing participants can fully engage in legal processes while maintaining accuracy and impartiality.
Learn more on our Law service page.
ASL interpreting in education supports equal access to knowledge for students, faculty, and participants in academic programs. We work with universities, training providers, and conference organizers to deliver ASL services for lectures, workshops, and seminars — both on-site and via remote platforms — ensuring that learning environments are inclusive and compliant with accessibility guidelines.
Learn more on our Education service page.
Public health briefings, medical conferences, and patient education sessions benefit greatly from ASL interpreting. Our interpreters are experienced in life sciences terminology, enabling accurate, accessible communication during high-stakes discussions, such as clinical trial updates, pandemic response briefings, or healthcare policy announcements.
Learn more on our Life Sciences service page.
In international development, accessibility is essential for community engagement and policy communication. We provide ASL interpreting for development agencies, NGOs, and public forums, ensuring deaf and hard-of-hearing participants can fully participate in discussions on humanitarian aid, public health, and global initiatives.
Learn more on our International Development service page.
From White House press briefings to municipal community meetings, government agencies rely on ASL interpreting to engage constituents and uphold accessibility commitments. We provide interpreters for public addresses, emergency communications, and policy discussions, enabling transparent and inclusive communication for all citizens.
Learn more on our Government service page.
About Language Connections:
Language Connections is one of the top language service companies in the US. Over the last 30 years, we’ve focused on providing the best business translation services, interpreting services, as well as interpreter training and customized language training programs. In addition to top-tier corporate language training, we offer certified corporate interpreters and professional business translation services in 200+ languages. Our network includes linguists with backgrounds in all major industries. They’re ready to meet your needs, whether they’re for technical translation services, legal translation, government translation services, international development translation services, education translation services, life sciences translation, or something else. Reach out to us today for a free quote on our cost-efficient and timely translation services, interpreters, or other linguistic services.
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