SALT LAKE CITY, UT--(Marketwired - Aug 11, 2016) - Today, Sorenson Communications, the leader in breaking down communication barriers between the Deaf and hearing, announced it will expand its offering beyond Video Relay Service by opening Sorenson Community Interpreting Services in New York City. Sorenson has been part of the community since it opened its Manhattan Video Relay Service interpreting center in 2005. The new Sorenson Community Interpreting Services will initially serve the five boroughs -- Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Local government agencies and businesses that serve the public are required by law to provide qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters to Deaf people in most settings. These groups will benefit by having adept interpreters readily available in New York. The landmark 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires this accommodation to ensure Deaf employees and customers can fully participate in their own lives and in the greater community.
Whether the interpreting need is for a medical appointment, a job interview or legal consultation, Sorenson Community Interpreting Services' goal remains the same: provide the best sign language interpreting experience for customers.
"As the largest private employer of sign language interpreters in the country, Sorenson has the most experienced, skilled and diverse interpreter base in the industry," says Chris Wakeland, Sorenson Communications vice president of interpreting.
Unlike most agencies, Sorenson interpreters are employees who have passed a rigorous skills assessment, background check and drug screening. Says Josh Pennise, national director of community interpreting services for Sorenson Communications, "Sorenson's commitment to quality has resulted in providing unmatched resources for interpreter development, training and advocacy. Interpreters who work with Sorenson are supervised and receive ongoing feedback and support from interpreting field experts."
Pennise says with Sorenson Community Interpreting Services, interpreters are assigned by evaluating each job and selecting the interpreter with the appropriate skill set, not the first available or least expensive interpreters.
Sorenson is committed to the professional development of its employees. In 2015, nearly 4,000 interpreters from the greater community participated in community training and workshops Sorenson offered back to the larger interpreter community.
For more information on Sorenson Community Interpreting Services, visit http://www.sorenson.com/interpreting. To arrange for an interpreter or for interpreters to arrange for a job interview, contact Sorenson Community Interpreting Services at:
Telephone: 800-659-4783
Videophone: 844-720-1891
Email: communityinterpreting@sorenson.com
About Sorenson Communications
Sorenson Communications® (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communications products and services for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing. The company's offerings include Sorenson Video Relay Service® (SVRS®), the highest-quality video interpreting service; the Sorenson ntouch® VP videophone, designed especially for use by Deaf individuals; ntouch® PC, software that connects users to SVRS by using a PC and webcam; ntouch® for Mac®, software that connects users to SVRS by using an Apple® computer; ntouch® Tablet, which turns the Apple iPad® with a front-facing camera into a larger-screen mobile VP; and ntouch® Mobile, an application empowering SVRS communication via mobile devices.