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When you’re looking for a language service provider to translate content for your business, you want your translators to be familiar with the ins and outs of your industry. If you work in healthcare or life sciences, that means finding a language service provider that specializes in medical translations.
 
Medical translation encompasses a wide range of content relating to healthcare, such as training materials for medical devices, health insurance claims, clinical trials, and patient care instructions, just to name a few. Due to the sensitive nature of medical documents, most countries have strict regulations on the way these documents are handled during the translation process, so it’s critical that you work with specialized language service providers who are compliant with said regulations.
 
Medical translations tend to follow a more rigorous process than general translations — i.e., less specialized, non-sensitive texts like administrative documents, letters, and webpage content. Because medical documents often need to be delivered within a short timeframe, translators have to work with extremely short turnaround times, sometimes in as little as 4 hours. At the same time, medical translations cannot skimp on quality — these texts are often quite high-stakes and a decline in a translation’s quality can lead to a decline in the patient’s care.
 
Additionally, regulations like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandate a degree of privacy for patients, requiring language service providers to take special security measures, like masking patient health information (PHI) and storing all data on US-based servers.
 
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the key ways in which the medical translation process differs from general translations. We’ll also explain how these differences ensure timely and high-quality care for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). There are three main ways in which translating medical documents differs from general translation: These aren’t just a matter of access — timely, high-quality medical translations enable improved care of LEP patients. By adopting a more rigorous translation process for these documents, we can create a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system for patients with LEP. Let’s take a closer look at each of these aspects: A delay in care can have a negative impact on a patient’s health outcome — as such, the translation process must take place as quickly as possible. At Avantpage, for example, we often work with health plan providers to translate and mail member letters to patients within seven to eight hours. This fast process allows us to help our clients meet strict regulations that such letters be delivered to the patient within a 72-hour timeframe. Such timeliness is critical because it minimizes any delays in patient care. In turn, this means patients experience improved health outcomes, and also protects healthcare providers from legal troubles. For example, a 2013 report from the National Health Law Program describes a medical malpractice suit in which a seven-year-old boy was misdiagnosed with strep due to his LEP father not receiving language access services in a timely fashion. By the time he was correctly diagnosed with Kawasaki’s disease, the child had experienced damage to his organs; when the case was settled, the provider had to pay more than $100,000 in damages and legal fees. In this case, timely translation services would have saved the boy’s organs and would have cost significantly less than the legal fees associated with the malpractice suit. Although translators typically work on an expedited timeline for medical translations, they can’t sacrifice quality. Due to the vital nature of their content, medical translations have very little room for error — it’s absolutely crucial that they be of the highest quality possible, as even minor errors can have a significant negative impact on the quality of patient care. Medical translations must be culturally and linguistically appropriate so as to ensure that patients can easily comprehend all medical communications — as if they were originally developed in their preferred language. Medical texts often feature complex, highly specific terminology, requiring translators who specialize in and are familiar with such terminology. Errors in medical translation can have a life-or-death effect, potentially worsening a patient’s condition, so it’s important to work with translators who have a proven track record in the medical translation field. The medical translation process also involves a series of in-depth quality assurance (QA) measures, to make sure that the final product meets industry standards. Proofreaders ensure that there are no typographical errors, while QA specialists run various tests to make sure that terminology is translated accurately and clearly. The QA process is particularly rigorous for medical translations, though it’s not uncommon for general translations to undergo a similar QA process. There are various regulations in place that language service providers must comply with when producing medical translations. The most notable is HIPAA, which requires healthcare providers to protect the privacy of their patients. When contracting medical translation services, you should make sure that your provider is equipped to fully comply with these regulations. One way language service providers might do this is by masking any patient health information (PHI) before it gets to the translators. Individual translators should not be able to access any data that could compromise the patient’s privacy, meaning details like name, social security number, address, etc. should all be removed before translation. Once the final translation is complete, these details can be added back in at the very last step. Technology like Avantpage’s AvantShield enables seamless PHI masking and ensures HIPAA-compliant medical translations. Another consideration to keep in mind is your language service provider’s geographic location. In some cases, patient data must be stored on US grounds. Additionally, there may be situations that require projects to be handled only by US-based linguists and project managers. Because of all the special considerations that need to be made during the medical translation process, it’s important that healthcare providers work with language service providers who are deeply familiar with medical translation. To recap, here’s how medical translations differ from the standard translation process: At Avantpage, we work closely with healthcare providers to ensure that medical translations meet their requirements for timeliness, quality and compliance. If you’re looking for a language service provider that can help you provide LEP patients with culturally and linguistically appropriate services, contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040.

When you’re looking for a language service provider to translate your content into a language you’re not familiar with, it can be hard to gauge translation vendor quality.  After all, if you’re not a trained linguist who’s literate in the target language, you won’t be able to analyze the final product for linguistic or style errors. And you’ll probably have an even harder time comparing the final translation of one vendor with that of another vendor. Clients seek out language service providers to do what they can’t: translate content from the language they speak into a language they don’t speak. But even if you can’t speak the target language, there are still ways to check the quality of your final product—you don’t have to blindly assume that one vendor is the best one for your project simply because they’re more familiar with the target language than you are. Though it may be difficult—especially if you’re new to purchasing language services—you can indeed evaluate translation vendor quality using means other than language knowledge. Here, we’ve identified seven ways that clients can evaluate the quality of translations you’ve commissioned from a language service provider. If you’ve identified a handful of different translation vendors that you could potentially work with, one way to sort out high quality vendors is to ask about the steps of their translation process. Each provider has their own way of doing things. Typically, they’ll start with a basic translation—either conducted by a human translator, a machine translation tool or both. Many providers will follow this with an editing step, and even a proofreading step (this process is typically referred to as TEP, short for “translation, editing, and proofreading”). To make sure that you’re avoiding any misspellings and stylistic or cultural errors, these last two steps are especially important ways to assure a high-quality translation. Be sure to ask what steps are included in the agency’s standard pricing and what are add-ons. There may be additional steps offered at a slightly higher price point, so keep these things in mind as you compare vendors. Did you know: At Avantpage, we use the traditional TEP process, but have added two additional quality check steps at no added cost. Like many other industries, the language services industry has several certifying bodies that evaluate a company’s overall quality. When researching language service providers, check if they advertise their certifications on their website. The American Translators’ Association is well-recognized for their certifications of individual translators and linguists, while the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has several certifications relevant to the language industry, such as ISO 17100 Translation Services and ISO 9001 Quality Systems Management. Did you know: Avantpage is certified in both the ISO 17100 Translation Services and ISO 9001 Quality Systems Management.  You’ll also want to ask your vendor about their internal quality assurance processes. By doing so, you’ll be able to ensure they have some set of systems in place to maintain translation quality. To start this conversation, you can ask the provider if they have an internally dedicated QA team. If they do, ask them how big the team is and what each person does.  A well-structured QA department indicates that the vendor has a robust system of checks and balances, reducing the likelihood of errors in your translations. Additionally, vendors with internal QA teams, especially those with in-house language experts, may offer cost savings compared to those relying on external freelancers. This level of detail reflects the vendor’s commitment to consistent, high-quality work. Did you know: Avantpage has a dedicated QA department, with on-staff linguistic reviewers to manage quality control and pass savings on to you. Reviews from other clients can provide valuable insights into a vendor’s quality and reliability. Look for feedback on key factors like translation accuracy, adherence to deadlines, communication, and overall satisfaction. Pay extra close attention to reviews or quotes from clients in similar industries to yours, especially if they have similar project types, as their experiences will be more relevant to your needs. If possible, reach out to past clients directly for more detailed feedback. Consistent positive reviews and high client retention rates are strong indicators that a vendor delivers dependable, high-quality work across projects. Did you know: Avantpage shares regular client quotes on our LinkedIn page and on our client website page to help you see what our clients say about us. Language service providers that work in highly regulated industries such as government, life sciences, and healthcare, often have to complete audits for their clients. In doing this work, language service providers are able to document the quality of their work for clients that must comply with the strict regulations of their industry. By asking about their history of audit compliance, you can get a better feel for the provider’s commitment to quality—strong compliance with audits may be indicative of a higher-than-average level of quality. Did you know: Avantpage works annually with many clients to conduct compliance audits so they can adequately meet and report to overseeing organizations. Look into how long your potential providers have been working in the language service industry. The longer a company’s been around, the more likely they are to have established themselves as a high-quality provider. Additionally, look at the different lineup of clients they’ve worked with—if they’ve worked with high-profile clients in your industry (and maintained a long working relationship with them), they’re likely to be a good fit for your needs. Many agencies will provide case studies on their website or on request—these can provide you with valuable information about their clients and their professional relationships. If one case study strikes you as particularly interesting, you can also ask the vendor for more information about it to learn a bit more. You may also like: our Avantpage Case Studies page showcases the work our partners do to meet language access. Lastly, you’ll want to ask what additional checks and balances the vendor uses to maintain their translation quality. Ask them if they conduct regular quality tests on translations, as well as design and formatting if they’re relevant to your project. If they do, be sure to ask how often they conduct these checks, as well as how thorough these tests are. These tests can come in many different forms: internal assessments, surveys of project-level satisfaction, annual customer surveys, and more. Language service providers with structured processes for internal quality review and testing are more likely to demonstrate a commitment to accountability and continuous improvement. When you work with a vendor that employs a thorough set of checks and balances, you can rest easy knowing that quality is a top priority for them, as these measures help ensure that translations meet a consistent standard of quality, regardless of the project size or complexity. Did you know: Avantpage conducts regular surveys to get feedback from clients, and we have rigorous quality testing thresholds to hold ourselves accountable.  When you’re looking for language service providers to help you out with your next translation project, be sure to ask questions and do your research to make sure you’re getting the best quality possible. Though it can be a daunting task to evaluate a provider’s quality—especially if you’re not familiar with the target language—there are several steps a layperson can follow to assess a translation agency’s quality.  Here are seven that we’ve identified to help you out on your search: If you’re looking for a high-quality language service provider to help you out with your next translation project, Avantpage has you covered. We’ve got more than two decades of experience providing translations to clients across a wide range of regulated industries—contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040 to learn more.

When you’re looking for information or services from the federal government, it’s likely that you’ll try to access them online. After all, the government notes that federally run websites attract two billion hits monthly and that digital experiences are “now the default way the public wants to interact with the government.” Not only is it more convenient to access these services online—it also makes things far more accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as those with limited English proficiency (LEP) or disabilities. Historically though, internet users haven’t been all too impressed with the experience that U.S. government websites provide—from awkward design to outdated information, government websites have often left a lot to be desired for users seeking out federal services. The 21st Century Integrated Digital Experiences Act (IDEA), signed into law in 2018, aims to solve that problem. The 21st Century IDEA outlines several requirements for websites run by federal government agencies, including: In September 2023, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued “M-23-22, Delivering a Digital-First Public Experience,” a memo that outlines further guidelines to help agencies meet the requirements of the 21st Century IDEA. The memo requires agencies to complete a series of reporting actions Now that we are nearly a year out from the memo’s publication, most federal agencies should have had plenty of time to implement these guidelines in their websites. However, we know that these kinds of things can be easier said than done, and your agency may find itself struggling to meet all of the requirements of the 21st Century IDEA and M-23-22. In this blog post, we’ve put together some key pointers to help you bring your agency’s website into the 21st Century and meet all of the requirements of the act, with a particular emphasis on the role of language and accessibility.
Below, we’ll break things down by eight of the requirements outlined in M-23-22, and how you can utilize language services and alternative formats to make sure people from all backgrounds can access your website and make use of the services available through your agency’s digital presence. The first requirement outlined in M-23-22 is that federal agencies’ websites must be “accessible to people of diverse abilities.” This means that agencies must make sure that their websites fully conform to the standards outlined in the most recent version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The WCAG sets several standards to make sure that websites are accessible to people with various disabilities, including, but not limited to blindness and hearing difficulties. It’s a good idea to seek out services such as document remediation and alternative formatting to make sure that your website is screen-reader friendly and easy for people from all backgrounds to access. Federal websites also need to have a cohesive design across all platforms. As described in the memo, “this includes consistent and standardized use of everything that comprises the look and feel of an agency’s product or service (such as a logo or seal, color palette, typeface, imagery, voice and tone, or product or service name).” This helps build trust with users and ensures that users are able to easily identify the website as being associated with your agency. When localizing your website for different languages and cultures, it’s important to ensure that the design standards you’ve set for your agency’s English site also come through in a way that’s culturally appropriate. Working with a language service provider that specializes in multicultural and multilingual design is crucial to make sure the localized versions of your website meet this requirement. 14 Common Website Localization Mistakes Federal agencies should prioritize clarity and simplicity in their content, ensuring that the information is accessible to everyone, regardless of their language or literacy level. This involves using plain language to convey complex information, which can then be easily translated into multiple languages. Additionally, content should be structured to allow for straightforward navigation, so users can find what they need quickly. By ensuring that all content is easily translatable will help reach diverse audiences, you can make federal digital services more inclusive and effective for everyone. Our plain language guidelines can help you begin to assess your content’s understandability. Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to follow best practices for search engine optimization (SEO) in all your web content. This helps your site rank better on search engines like Google or Yahoo, allowing users of these tools to easily find your website. The same goes when localizing your website into another language to target people with LEP—you’ll want to work with a language service provider that conducts multilingual keyword research and follows SEO best practices so that your website comes up when people are searching for your services in different languages. It’s absolutely critical that federal agencies integrate robust security measures into every aspect of their digital platforms from the outset. This means you must ensure that all user data, including multilingual information, is protected through encryption and secure access protocols.   By prioritizing security in the design phase, agencies can safeguard against data breaches and unauthorized access, creating a trustworthy digital environment. Moreover, maintaining security standards across all language versions of the website ensures that all users, regardless of language, experience the same level of protection and reliability. Federal agencies’ websites should be designed in a way that makes it easy for users to identify and access their services. To do this, it’s a good idea to seek out and incorporate user feedback to make sure that you’re meeting their needs. This also goes for localized versions of your website—services that are easy to access in the English-language version of your agency’s site should also be easy to find for users who access your site in other languages. As you digitize your agency’s services, be sure to give users the ability to control their experience to a certain extent. This includes providing options to customize features like layout and content display through customizable text size, view configuration (i.e., allow users to view lists, tiles, etc.), and more. This customization enhances user satisfaction by enabling individuals to tailor their interactions to their specific needs, reducing the burden of completing tasks. Language preference is also an important aspect of customization—users should be able to easily identify and select their preferred language so that individuals with LEP have equal access to your services and don’t have to try obtaining them in a language that can’t easily understand. While you may be accustomed to viewing your agency’s website on a desktop computer or a laptop, most people will inevitably end up accessing your website through their mobile phone. As such, agencies should be careful to make sure that their website and any of its localized variants are easily accessible on a mobile device, as it can be confusing for users to navigate a website that has not been optimized for mobile use. It’s important that your multilingual content is available on multiple different platforms so that people from different linguistic backgrounds can make use of your services just as easily as native English speakers. As federal agencies continue to implement the requirements of the 21st Century IDEA, there are many considerations to make about language and the accessibility of your content. Not only do these requirements help bring your agency into the modern, digital era—they also enable people to access your services and programs with ease. If you’re still looking for ways to meet these requirements, Avantpage is here to help. We offer website localization services that can help your agency modernize its web presence for people from all sorts of linguistic backgrounds. Contact us today at (530) 750-2040 or info@avantpage.com to learn more about our services.

An inclusive community is one that welcomes and embraces people from all sorts of diverse backgrounds—race, religion, age, and even language. Here in the United States, individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) often face significant struggles to access even the most fundamental services such as government aid and medical services. This has unfortunately led many immigrants and other individuals with LEP to feel frustrated and excluded. But how can we create more inclusive communities?   At Avantpage, we’re dedicated to bridging these gaps and fostering environments in which everyone feels welcome and understood. With nearly three decades of experience providing language services to organizations looking to improve inclusivity in their community, we’ve identified eight simple steps that organizations can take to help LEP individuals feel welcome and comfortable seeking out their services. Inclusive communities prioritize language access plans, detailing local languages for translating vital documents. If all of your documents are written in English, individuals with LEP are bound to have trouble deciphering their meaning. Whether you’re having them fill out routine paperwork, sending out informational brochures, or mailing out health letters, it’s important to take their linguistic background into consideration when providing them with important documents, so that they’re able to easily understand your message. Working with a translation agency to develop accurate and culturally appropriate translations of your most important documents ensures that individuals with LEP are able to access your content and fully understand your message and services. By making your written documents accessible to speakers of languages other than English, you not only enable LEP individuals to access your services and programs—you also create an environment in which they feel more welcome and included. [You may also be interested in: How to identify vital documents for translation] Written document translation is important, but it’s also important that LEP individuals are able to understand conversations with you in order to facilitate an inclusive community. Interpreters enable seamless communication between two or more parties that speak different languages. We recommend working closely with a language service provider that offers remote and in-person interpreting services so that you can contract an interpreter to provide linguistic support during meetings, focus groups, phone calls, and other instances where individuals from different linguistic backgrounds will have to communicate.  Being able to embrace and support individuals from diverse backgrounds is a critical component of creating inclusive communities for individuals with LEP. Cultural competency training is a good way to ensure that members of your organization are able to communicate and interact effectively with individuals from different backgrounds. By requiring your staff to attend regular cultural competence training, you ensure that they are able to work effectively with individuals from multiple different backgrounds and provide them with services in a respectful manner. Creating more inclusive communities requires thoughtful marketing strategies. When you’re marketing your services to English speakers, you probably wouldn’t put out a commercial on TV and call it a day. Instead, you’d create Google Ads, social media campaigns, press releases, and more as part of a larger multimedia marketing campaign. Promoting your services and programs to LEP communities shouldn’t be any different. You should utilize as many different communication channels as possible to ensure that you’re communicating your message as effectively as possible. Different communities may use different platforms—for example, WhatsApp tends to be more common among LEP individuals than it is with their English-speaking counterparts in the US—so be sure to do in-depth research into what channels work most effectively with your local LEP communities. CBOs—as defined by the Carleton University’s Community First initiative are “non-profit, non-governmental, or charitable organizations that represent community needs and work to help them. CBOs may be associated with a particular area of concern or segment of the community.” Partnering with CBOs can be a particularly good idea for those looking to improve their relationship with LEP individuals and help them be more included. CBOs that focus on the needs and interests of immigrants and other linguistically diverse communities can help you learn about and better understand the needs of the communities you’re looking to serve. Another way to better understand the needs of LEP communities is to form focus groups and conduct multilingual surveys. This will allow you to get feedback directly from the people you’re trying to serve. CBOs can help you do this work, but you can also do it with the support of trained interpreters and translators who can make your discussions and surveys accessible to speakers of several different languages. This will give you a better sense of how LEP community members perceive your services and programs and how you can make them better and more inclusive.  Consider employing or partnering with a community liaison to help grow a more inclusive community. This individual can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between your organization and LEP communities, by ensuring that there is a direct and trusted line of communication between your organization and the community members you are trying to reach. Community liaisons can assist in various activities, from helping to spread important information to gathering feedback and concerns from LEP individuals. They can also provide insights into cultural nuances and preferences, making your outreach efforts more effective and respectful. By utilizing community liaisons, you create a more personal and relatable connection with LEP populations, fostering a sense of trust and inclusion. Creating inclusive communities is ongoing work—it doesn’t just end once you’ve translated all your important documents and put your employees through cultural competency training. It’s important to create an ongoing relationship with the LEP communities in your area, so that you can continue to cater your services to their needs and build trust with them. CBOs and community liaisons are excellent resources to help you maintain open communication with LEP individuals in your area.
Having LEP can make it difficult for people to access services and programs that English speakers take for granted every day. That’s why it’s important for government organizations, healthcare providers, and other agencies that provide critical services to create more inclusive, accessible spaces for LEP individuals. Here are just eight things your organization can do today to create more inclusive communities: At Avantpage, we’re proud to use our language and consulting services to build more inclusive communities. If you’re interested in learning how your organization can contribute to more inclusive and equitable spaces for individuals with LEP, contact us today at (530) 750-2040 or info@avantpage.com to learn more about how we can help you.

These days, access to technology and understanding how to use it aren’t luxuries — they’re necessities. Since its inception, the internet has become a central part of our daily lives, providing access to critical information, services and opportunities. This has made digital inclusion an important consideration for the many organizations that conduct business online. For many people — especially those with limited English proficiency (LEP) and those with disabilities — the services and information we take for granted on the World Wide Web are simply inaccessible. If you’re a native English speaker, you probably won’t have much trouble searching Google for information on how to access critical government services in your city. But the experience of a Bengali immigrant with limited English proficiency is likely to be very different. By emphasizing digital inclusion through language access and accessibility services, we can ensure that these individuals are able to fully participate in our increasingly digital society. Digital inclusion isn’t just about access to the internet and devices; it’s about ensuring that digital content is understandable and usable by all. An essential part of this is digital literacy, which empowers individuals to use technology effectively and confidently. By focusing on digital inclusion, we can help bridge the gaps that leave many at a disadvantage. In this blog, we’ll provide an overview of how your organization can prioritize inclusivity in its digital presence, allowing individuals with LEP and people with disabilities to easily access your services and information online. While there are many ways to support an inclusive and equitable online ecosystem, these three strategies can be especially impactful for individuals with LEP or disabilities that affect their hearing or vision:
One of the most basic, fundamental aspects of digital inclusion is ensuring that language barriers don’t prevent individuals from accessing digital services and content. A truly inclusive digital environment allows individuals to access the services and information they need, regardless of their linguistic background. Digital language support can take many different forms, from translating your website into multiple high-demand languages to offering remote interpreting services for online calls with your support staff. Language access measures like these make information about your services (and even your services themselves) easy to understand and digest for individuals with LEP. Translating your customer portals and other user interfaces not only improves user experience, but also promotes greater participation in your programs and services. To determine which languages you should translate your digital presence into, we recommend doing research into the linguistic background of your key audience. Look into the languages other than English that are spoken most commonly in your community and among the people who use your services most. This can help you determine where there is the most demand and act accordingly.
While many of us take our smartphones and laptops as a given, such tools aren’t so accessible to everyone in our society. The technology we use daily can be extremely costly and inaccessible to underserved populations like those with LEP. Additionally, access to technology tends to be lacking in rural areas, and individuals with LEP or disabilities living in the countryside may have even more trouble accessing technology. Programs that provide low-cost computers, tablets, and smartphones can significantly improve digital inclusivity. Additionally, offering discounts on broadband internet services makes it more affordable for low-income households to stay connected. Community tech hubs are one innovative solution, providing free or low-cost access to computers, internet, and digital literacy training, making it easier for individuals in underserved communities to develop their digital skills and participate fully in the digital world. 
Fostering a sense of digital literacy among historically marginalized groups is essential, as it allows them to navigate the digital landscape effectively and critically. For LEP individuals, tailored digital literacy workshops and educational initiatives can make a significant difference. These programs offer training and resources that cater specifically to the needs of individuals with LEP, helping them become more proficient in using digital tools and accessing online information. Programs like the National Housing Service (NHS) of Queens’ digital literacy programs are prime examples of initiatives that work towards closing the digital divide. By providing workshops and training sessions that are targeted to communities with LEP, the NHS of Queens empowers immigrants and others with LEP to enhance their digital skills, thereby improving their access to educational, economic, and social opportunities.
By keeping digital inclusion in mind in your organization’s online presence, you can more effectively enable people with LEP or disabilities to access your services and programming online. Here are three key ways to promote a sense of digital inclusion in your organization: These are just a few ways to contribute to inclusivity in your web presence. If you’re looking to improve your site’s accessibility through language support such as translation, interpreting, or WCAG, Avantpage can help. Contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040.

Interpreters play a critical role in allowing people from different linguistic backgrounds and experiences to communicate seamlessly with one another. Whether it’s helping a patient with limited English proficiency (LEP) communicate with their doctor or enabling people to call helplines based in different parts of the world, interpreting is no small feat.  Still, there are a lot of misconceptions about how interpreting services work. From minor misunderstandings like mixing up interpreters and translators to more serious errors like allowing a child to interpret for their parent, misconceptions about interpreting can make it harder for you to get the best interpreting services possible. In order to ensure that things go smoothly and efficiently, it’s important for buyers of interpreting services to understand the basics of how interpreting works. Here at Avantpage, we have decades of experience providing interpreting services — here are some of the most common misconceptions we hear from clients who are buying interpreting services.
One of the most common misconceptions interpreters encounter is that interpreters and translators are interchangeable. There is, however, a major distinction between the two professions: Interpreters convert speech from one language to another in real time, while translators do so with text after it’s already been written down. While some professionals perform both tasks, this isn’t always the case, so be sure you know which kind of services you need. Interpreters work to enable multilingual communication in meetings, doctor’s appointments, trials, phone calls, and other real-time conversations, while translators work with pre-written documents. For example, an election office would hire a translator to translate a voter’s ballot, while they would hire an interpreter to enable communication with LEP voters at the polls.
While the primary focus may be the person contracting their services and the individual with LEP, interpreters don’t only interpret conversation between these two parties. They must also interpret any audible conversation in the same room. Likewise, interpreters may have to have “side conversations” to provide critical cultural context. While extrapolating too much is largely discouraged, there are some instances where it is necessary.
While interpreters certainly need to be proficient in both languages, bilingualism does not necessarily make somebody a good interpreter. Interpreting involves a combination of different cognitive and communicative skills that not every bilingual individual has — this is especially true when it comes to more specialized interpreting settings like legal or medical interpreting, where an interpreter’s knowledge of certain jargon needs to be extremely precise.
All too often, parents and other family members bring their bilingual children to meetings or appointments to have them interpret for them. Interpreting, however, requires a great deal of training and maturity that children simply don’t have — regardless of a child’s linguistic abilities, they simply aren’t suited to take on the responsibility of an interpreter.
Interpreters are not an active member of the conversation they’re interpreting, nor are they a representative of either party — instead, they should be a sort of “fly on the wall” figure. When speaking to an LEP individual with the aid of an interpreter, you should look at the LEP individual and interact with them, not with the interpreter.
Purchasing interpreting services from a language service provider involves a lot of set-up and training — different companies have different platforms and processes for requesting services, after all. Once you’ve established a relationship with a vendor and trained your staff, you’re good to go, but the training work doesn’t end there. As new staff come in and new technologies are developed, you’ll need to continue training people in your organization and setting up new tech. At Avantpage, we pride ourselves in being helpful and supportive throughout this process. In addition to the initial set-up, we’ll help you with regular check-ins to make sure that your staff are up to date and that our processes are working for you.
While this is certainly important to know, it’s not the only thing you need to keep in mind when requesting interpreting services. After all, many languages have dialectal variation. It’s not enough to request a “Chinese” interpreter — you need to know whether the other party speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, or some other dialect of Chinese.  Your vendor should be able to guide you through this, but try to get a better understanding of the other party’s linguistic background. Knowing where someone grew up or was born can go a long way toward identifying the correct dialect of a given language.
Not all interpreters can be a good fit for your needs — interpreters tend to have different specializations that you need to keep in mind when requesting interpreting services. Fields like law, government, or medicine feature lots of complicated language that may not be familiar to every interpreter, and as such, you need to make sure that your interpreter specializes in your field. Some interpreters take on more general assignments, while others will be better suited to interpreting in a specific setting, so consider the nature of your meeting before requesting service.
While an interpreter’s gender isn’t always important, some individuals—particularly those from certain religious or cultural backgrounds—do prefer to work with interpreters of the same gender. Additionally, in a medical setting or following traumatic events, some LEP individuals will feel more comfortable being interpreted by somebody of the same gender or sexual orientation. As such, if an individual requests an interpreter of a certain gender or an LGBTQ-friendly interpreter, that is their right.
Interpreters are trained professionals who aim to face all kinds of situations, but at the end of the day, they’re humans too. Interpreting is not only a very cognitively demanding job — after all, you’re constantly flipping between one language and another — but it’s an emotionally demanding one as well. It’s well-documented that interpreters who have to interpret traumatic or unfortunate stories, may experience “vicarious trauma,” which can be emotionally exhausting.
These are some of the most common misconceptions about interpreting that we encounter here at Avantpage. But they’re not the only ones — in order to ensure smooth and thorough language access, we recommend asking for clarification about anything you’re unsure of regarding interpreting services. If you have any questions about buying interpreting services or need to connect with an interpreter soon, contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040.

When it comes to sign languages, the most common one you’ll come across in the United States is American Sign Language (ASL), but it’s far from the only one. While various sign languages have existed for centuries, standardization came much later, especially in comparison to their spoken counterparts. As deaf students began to engage in formal education here in the United States in the early 19th century, they adopted a modified variant of French Sign Language (though lip-reading served as the predominant mode of instruction until the 1960s, when deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals successfully advocated against this practice). Over time, this modified dialect of French Sign Language would eventually evolve into the modern ASL used commonly in English-speaking America. Today, the two languages are not mutually intelligible. In fact, there are more than 300 different signed languages, with as much variation as you would find among the world’s spoken languages. Given the fact that it was standardized fairly recently, there’s still a lot of regional variance across dialects of ASL, and many individuals who become deaf or hard-of-hearing late in life may not use it with native-level fluency, despite it being their primary mode of communication. As a result, it’s particularly important to be knowledgeable about the different kinds of sign languages used commonly among deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in your locale. When you’re requesting interpreting services from a language service provider, you may need to request a sign language interpreter who is familiar with a sign language variant other than ASL, such as Signed Exact English (SEE) or a particular regional dialect of ASL. Because of the robust variety of sign languages used throughout the US, it’s common for sign language interpreters to engage in an informal conversation with the deaf or hard-of-hearing individual prior to beginning the formal interpretation. This allows them to gauge the individual’s unique speech style and ensure that they’re a good match for the individual as an interpreter. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the particularly common sign languages used across the US. This information will give you a better understanding of the diversity of sign languages and help you make informed choices about the sign language interpreting services you may need. This is the primary language of deaf and hard-of-hearing sign language users in the United States and English-speaking Canada. Derived from French Sign Language, ASL is estimated to draw a little more than half of its signs from Old French Sign Language.   A common misconception among English speakers who aren’t familiar with the intricacies of sign language is that ASL speakers simply spell out English words and sentences in sign form — however, this is far from the case. ASL’s grammar is significantly different from English, so it’s important to make sure you’re working with an interpreter with a deep knowledge of ASL.
Since ASL was standardized fairly recently, there are several regional dialects of the language used among deaf and hard-of-hearing communities throughout the United States. Just as somebody from New York City might speak English a bit differently from somebody born and raised in Milwaukee, there are differences in the ASL used by individuals from different parts of the country. Likewise, dialects like Black American Sign Language utilize different slang, phrases, and accents that interpreters need to keep in mind when interpreting.
While ASL and its regional varieties are all derived from French Sign Language, Signed Exact English is a one-for-one manner of rendering English into a signable format. Signed Exact English utilizes English words and grammar exactly, with signs as the primary medium.   In Signed Exact English, speakers utilize ASL signs for words and fingerspelling, placing them in the same phrase order and sentence structure as English. This form of the language is not particularly common nowadays, thanks to the widespread acceptance of ASL in deaf education in the latter half of the 20th century. However, some individuals do indeed utilize it, so it’s important to be aware of its existence — some people who become deaf or hard-of-hearing later in life may prefer to use Signed Exact English instead of ASL, since they’re already accustomed to the grammar and spelling of English.
Pidgin Signed English is a blend of ASL and English, used by individuals who may be transitioning from spoken English to ASL or by those who interact frequently with both hearing and deaf communities. Unlike ASL, which has its own distinct grammar and syntax, Pidgin Signed English incorporates elements of English grammar and word order, making it a more accessible form of communication for those familiar with English, such as those who lose their hearing later in life.  PSE typically involves the use of ASL signs in English word order, and may also include more fingerspelling and mouthing of English words than traditional ASL. This mode of communication is particularly common among individuals who become deaf later in life and are more accustomed to English, as well as among hearing individuals who are learning ASL.
Tactile signing is a communication method primarily used by individuals who are deafblind, and rely on touch to convey sign language. Deafblind individuals and interpreters must physically touch so that they can communicate, as the deafblind individual will be unable to see the interpreter’s signs. This approach includes several methods, such as hand-over-hand signing, where the receiver’s hands lightly touch the signer’s hands to read the signs through movement and touch.
Home sign systems are gestural communication methods often spontaneously created by deaf children who aren’t exposed to adequate amounts of ASL, or other standardized sign language. When deaf children are isolated from other deaf individuals, they may develop their own signs for certain concepts for which they don’t have the standardized lexicon to express adequately. Adult speakers may continue to use these signs to some extent as they grow up and are exposed to formal sign languages, or they may eventually drift away, so it’s important for interpreters to be aware of them.
There are several different variations of sign language used throughout the United States. While the primary sign language used in the country is ASL, there are several varieties of sign languages to keep in mind as you’re seeking out sign language interpreting: If you’re looking for sign language interpreting services, Avantpage is here to help. We have a network of specialized sign language interpreters who can help you connect with your deaf and hard-of-hearing clients or constituents — contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040 to learn more about how we can connect you to a sign language interpreter in as little as four seconds.

In the United States, correctional facilities are legally required to provide language access to inmates with limited English proficiency (LEP). Still, many prisons have difficulty providing adequate, equitable language services, resulting in significant challenges for prisoners with LEP. This can prevent inmates from participating in essential programs, have health implications, and isolate them from social interactions. Even worse, when prisoners are unable to communicate with other prisoners and prison staff, they also become vulnerable to mistreatment. For example, a Salvadoran prisoner in Virginia was placed in solitary confinement for more than a decade — an injustice that occurred in large part due to his LEP. His only way out of solitary confinement was a program that was offered only in English, rendering it completely inaccessible to him. While it’s an extreme example, this program is just one of many that are practically impossible for prisoners with LEP to access — other, lower stakes services include libraries, academic programs, re-entry training, GED programs, and more. In one of the country’s most linguistically diverse states, New York, 2,295 incarcerated individuals under custody or on parole were estimated to have LEP in the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision’s 2022 language access plan — that’s about 3% of the state’s overall incarcerated population. Because they make up a fairly small portion of the incarcerated population, it can be easy to overlook this group of prisoners. Additionally, a historical lack of transparency has made it difficult to gauge just how thorough language access in prisons actually is — much of the information available today is from 2021 onward, indicating that this topic is only recently coming to light. Still, language access is a human right — it’s important to ensure that these individuals are able to navigate the justice system effectively and in their own language. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the challenges that prisoners with LEP face in this country, and why it’s important to enact language access measures for this group of particularly vulnerable individuals.
There are several barriers that make it challenging for prisoners with LEP to access the services and programs that they need. Here are some of the biggest ones, and how they can negatively impact prisoners in the system.
Individuals with LEP often face significant barriers in understanding their rights — particularly their right to an attorney and an interpreter, at no cost to them. This misunderstanding begins in the booking stage, and can continue through their stay in prison.  Sometimes, a prisoner’s preferred language is misidentified, often due to the lack of trained staff or the individual’s reluctance to disclose their language out of fear from previous discrimination. The intimidating environment of a correctional facility — be it the presence of armed officers or threatening inmates — may exacerbate this issue.
Correctional facilities enforce strict rules on technology use, limiting access to the internet and other tools that can be used to provide remote interpreting services. Many prisons lack the necessary technological infrastructure to support these services, further complicating efforts to ensure language access. Without reliable access to video interpreters, LEP individuals may not be able to fully participate in essential activities such as legal consultations, medical appointments, and educational programs. This technological gap may prevent them from receiving necessary support and information, ultimately exacerbating the challenges they face within the correctional system.
Language access measures in correctional facilities predominantly focus on Spanish, which is by far the most commonly spoken language other than English in the US. While Spanish-speaking inmates may be able to rely on the word of other Spanish-speaking inmates, speakers of less common languages may be totally isolated.   This, combined with a lack of resources in non-Spanish languages, leaves significant gaps for speakers of other languages, who will face even greater challenges in accessing essential services and programs. How to Provide Language Access for Indigenous Languages
Grouping inmates by shared languages for ease of communication can foster socialization, reducing the extreme isolation that many LEP individuals face. However, the legality of this practice is somewhat murky, and as a result, some prison coordinators may not place emphasis on grouping LEP prisoners of the same languages together. This results in severe isolation, ultimately hindering rehabilitation efforts.  Ensuring that LEP inmates have opportunities to communicate and socialize with others who speak their language can mitigate these harmful effects and promote a healthier, more rehabilitative environment.
Prisoners with LEP are in a particularly unique situation when it comes to language access — although federal law requires prisons to comply with many of the same language access measures that other government agencies must, prisoners with LEP tend to fall through the cracks.   Language access measures in prison have a long way to go — here are a few of the barriers LEP prisoners face today: At Avantpage, we offer translation, interpreting, and language access planning services to government agencies across the country — if you’re looking to improve language access for LEP prisoners in your system, contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040.

Navigating the legal system can be tricky enough as it is for native English speakers — for those with limited English proficiency (LEP), it’s an even bigger struggle.  Luckily, there are rules and regulations in place to provide language access to LEP defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, and others involved in the legal system. But while courts must provide LEP folks with an interpreter at no cost to the individual, this is often easier said than done. From correctly identifying the language an individual speaks to finding an available interpreter in a low-resource language, there are several language access challenges that can hamper the court’s efforts to seek justice.  Here are six of the most common challenges we’ve identified in our work with courts across the United States, as well as how court systems can work to overcome them.
Individuals with LEP may not know that language services are available to them for free. If this is the case, this could slow down your court case, as they may have difficulty navigating the legal system in English and may attempt to communicate in English despite struggling to do so effectively. Upon recognizing that an individual has LEP, inform them that they can work with an interpreter at no cost to them. It’s also important that the courts make an effort to advertise the fact that language services are available to folks with LEP. Make sure signage is placed in highly visible areas, notifying folks that services are available and how to access them — this signage should be written in multiple languages that are spoken commonly in your jurisdiction. It’s also important to place such notices online as well, so that individuals can access them before they get to the courtroom.
At times, it can be a challenge to determine what language an LEP individual speaks. While you may be able to figure out their nationality simply by looking at documentation on hand, it’ll take a little bit more work to figure out their preferred language. For example, while Spanish is the official language in most Central American countries, many immigrants and asylum seekers from these countries speak indigenous languages — that is, you can’t simply assume you’ll need a Spanish interpreter for an LEP individual from, say, Guatemala. If you contract a Spanish-English interpreter for a Q’anjob’al speaker, for example, you could negatively impact the outcome of their case, as they will likely not be able to effectively communicate through the interpreter. If you can’t easily determine which language somebody speaks by asking them, there are other ways to do so. Language identification cards can be a useful tool to determine which language an individual speaks. It’s also a good idea to identify languages that are in high-demand and how often certain languages are misidentified — this way, you can take a data-oriented approach to language identification.
Legal interpreting is a highly specialized field — just because somebody works as an interpreter doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re qualified to interpret in a court setting. Be sure to seek out experienced interpreters who are qualified to interpret in a legal setting. Checking an individual’s credentials and certifications can be a good start, but note that not all languages have legal interpreting certifications. When seeking out interpreting services, it’s a good idea to keep a reference guide outlining the qualifications needed for different languages and legal situations, which should make it easier for court staff and lawyers to find the right interpreter fast.
Securing qualified interpreters for legal proceedings is essential but can be challenging due to the limited availability of certified professionals. Courts can address this challenge by proactively planning ahead and requesting interpreter services well in advance of scheduled proceedings.   In addition to proactive planning, courts can enhance interpreter availability by establishing partnerships with language service providers. These partnerships can provide access to a consistent pool of qualified interpreters, helping to meet the demand for language services more effectively.
Depending on the details of your court case, you may need to work with more than one interpreter — more complicated proceedings that take up a long period of time may need a team of two or more interpreters. Cases that involve sign language may require one interpreter for the proceeding and another table interpreter, meaning that lengthy cases could require a team of up to four interpreters.   And if the LEP individual speaks an especially uncommon language, you may need to do what’s known as “relay” interpreting — one interpreter will interpret between the LEP individual’s preferred language and a more common language such as Spanish or Chinese, and another will then interpret that into English. Be sure to communicate as many details of the case as you can to your language service provider, so they can give you an idea of how complex the interpreting services will be. If multiple interpreters are needed, they’ll help you get things sorted out without slowing down the case.
Be careful not to underestimate the amount of time needed — interpreters book their time according to what you’ve requested, so if you request somebody from 12:00 to 2:00, they likely won’t be able to work for you before or after that. If you need the interpreter to work after that period, you run the risk of having to reschedule a second session.   While you may not be able to determine exactly how long an individual case will take, try to be as accurate as you can — we recommend partnering with a language service provider to reduce lead times on securing an interpreter and also to determine realistic cut-off times and thresholds for the interpreters you work with.
While courts are required by law to offer language services to individuals with LEP, there are a few challenges courts must overcome when addressing the linguistic needs of immigrants and other people with LEP.  If you’ve found yourself struggling with any of these challenges — or others — Avantpage is here to help. Our network of highly experienced legal interpreters in more than 250 different languages can help you deliver justice in any language. Contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040.

State departments of revenue play a vital role in our civic ecosystem — they make possible many of the public services and programs we enjoy on a day-to-day basis. From registering small businesses to offering programs for community and economic development, these entities are important beacons of financial responsibility. Still, one of our most frequent interactions with these agencies — tax season — tends to be a stressful time for many Americans. It can be difficult enough for native English speakers to wade through all the rules and regulations regarding our taxes. For taxpayers with limited English proficiency (LEP), it can be even more frustrating. While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of tax season, language access is key to upholding the legal rights of all taxpayers and ensuring that residents with LEP understand how to submit their business and individual taxes in an accurate and timely fashion. With tax season 2024 finally behind us, it’s worth taking a step back to look at how state departments of revenue can enact language access measures that simplify the next tax season for Americans with LEP  Here  at Avantpage, we offer translation, localization, and other language services to several different government offices and agencies that deal with taxes and revenue, such as: State departments of revenue typically seek a wide range of language services, including translation, over-the-phone interpreting, and alternative format services (braille, large print, audio recordings), just to name a few. These offices can reduce overhead and improve their efficiency by improving their language access — be it through multilingual outreach to translating vital documents and communications with taxpayers. Read on to learn a little bit more about how language access measures can help state departments of revenue across the country better serve taxpayers across the country.
It can be tricky enough for English speakers to understand what’s going on with their taxes. In order to improve your agency’s efficiency, clear, easy-to-understand communication is absolutely critical. Language access streamlines things for taxpayers with LEP, as it allows them to understand what they need to do to comply with tax rules and regulations. Multilingual outreach efforts and translating communications into high-demand languages can ultimately save you money in the long run. When LEP taxpayers can understand and fulfill their tax obligations voluntarily and accurately, it decreases the need for enforcement actions and audits which can be costly to your agency — keep in mind that the cost of translating a few vital documents is almost certain to be far less than the cost of auditing hundreds or even thousands of taxpayers. By investing in a comprehensive suite of language services, state departments of revenue can also minimize delays in funding for essential government services, directly benefiting the community they serve.
State departments of revenue benefit financially from providing language access to immigrant taxpayers. After all, if you’re not communicating rules and regulations to immigrant taxpayers in their language, they may not know or fully understand how to comply. Immigrants often pay taxes at higher rates and have higher rates of business ownership compared to their native-born counterparts, meaning that your city or state could be missing out on an important source of revenue if you’re not communicating effectively with taxpayers who have LEP. Translating relevant tax laws, regulations, and compliance requirements into multiple languages can ultimately allow revenue agencies to ensure immigrant taxpayers are contributing their fair share to the state’s revenue stream.
State departments of revenue serve to collect taxes and distribute them to government agencies that provide critical public services and programs — effective revenue collection is necessary to efficient government services and administration. By providing language access, state departments of revenue can streamline their own operations, reduce administrative burdens, and enhance overall efficiency. This enhanced efficiency ultimately enables more effective redistribution of funds to support statewide goals, such as economic development, education, and public safety.
State departments of revenue play a crucial role in fostering compliance with tax laws and ensuring the availability of revenue to fund government programs. By prioritizing language access, you can unlock three key benefits: At Avantpage, we’ve worked with several state departments of revenue and their offices to improve language access and reduce noncompliance among taxpayers with LEP. See for yourself how our language and accessibility services can benefit your team — contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040.

With Earth Day right around the corner and summer fast approaching, many of us here in the northern hemisphere are enjoying the green spaces in our lives just a little bit more lately. As the weather warms up, we tend to appreciate our parks — from the local park on the corner to the sprawling landscape of national parks — more and more. It’s important to remember that access to nature is not just a luxury, but a necessity for the health and well-being of communities. However, disparities in access — particularly among people of color and linguistic minority communities — persist, perpetuated by historic redlining practices (to name just one factor). Several studies have shown a direct correlation between access to nature and health, highlighting the urgency to address these disparities. In a 2016 study, researchers found that folks who lived in regions with denser tree canopy tend to be healthier than those without access to such green space; likewise, a 2018 study showed that converting dirty, trash-ridden vacant land to a clean green space with trees and grass reduced feelings of depression among the local community. Initiatives to improve public health through green spaces must keep linguistic minorities and people of color in mind. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at how five different government programs are addressing disparities in access to green spaces for linguistic minority communities, bridging the gap through language access.
The benefits of green spaces are clear — however, people of color, immigrants, and people with limited English proficiency (LEP) often have historically had less access to these spaces than native-born English speakers. In 2020, the Center for American Progress and the Hispanic Access Foundation reported significant racial and economic disparities in access to green space. Black and brown communities were found to be three times more likely than white communities to be “nature-deprived,” meaning that they had less access to nearby forests, wetlands, streams, and other natural places. According to the report, more than 76% of low-income communities of color were nature-deprived. By making an effort to develop green spaces and improve access to equitable green spaces, we can make strides toward improving public health in vulnerable communities. It’s important to make sure that these efforts to improve access to green space also take into account our nation’s population with LEP, who face unique challenges compared to English-speaking minorities. Here are five government-led initiatives to develop equitable green space that are prioritizing the needs of linguistic minorities in their community. The city of Providence, Rhode Island boasts a tree canopy that covers roughly 27% of the city — but when you zoom in on communities of color, that number declines sharply. So, the city is making an effort to improve tree coverage, and making sure people of color are involved in planning the initiative from the get-go. By involving community members of color who’ve spearheaded multilingual outreach, they ensure that historically marginalized communities have a voice in increasing canopy coverage. Effective engagement is key to creating inclusive, equitable green spaces. Trust for Public Land in Chattanooga has placed an emphasis on involving multilingual communities, in an effort to build trust with community members who don’t speak English. In the agency’s outreach and engagement efforts, they make an effort to engage community members in the language that they’re most comfortable in, whether that’s Spanish or Q’anjob’al, allowing community members to feel heard regardless of their English level. The USDA and other government agencies partnered up to create this 40-page guide for historically underserved farmers and ranchers. Not only did they emphasize resources for farmers and ranchers from low-income and culturally underrepresented backgrounds — they also made sure to communicate those resources in several different languages other than English. The guide is available in seven languages and provides readers with resources such as maps, educational workshops, inclusive language materials, facilitating greater participation and understanding among linguistic minority communities. The Urban Wildlife Conservation Program by the Department of Fish and Wildlife focuses on creating green spaces within urban areas, making nature more accessible to all residents. By prioritizing urban communities, this program promotes equity in outdoor recreation and education opportunities.   Communities with limited English proficiency and communities of color tend to be concentrated in urban areas. Initiatives like this make nature more accessible to folks who live in cities, allowing them to visit green spaces near where they live, rather than having to travel far outside of the city. Educational workshops like Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Project WILD/ Growing Up WILD Workshops are a great way to teach community members about the benefits of green space. Texas Parks and Wildlife has also offered these workshops in Spanish, ensuring that Hispanic community members who do not speak English are able to learn about the green spaces around them.
This Earth Day, let’s take a step back and consider how we can prioritize language access in the development of equitable green spaces. We can learn a lot from these five government initiatives. If you’re looking to emphasize language access in your efforts to develop equitable green spaces, Avantpage is here to help — contact us today at (530) 750-2040 or info@avantpage.com

English-learning students and their parents face unique challenges in our country’s education system. A thoughtful language access plan can help them surmount those challenges. English learners make up a significant chunk of students in the United States — roughly 10% of students in the country have limited English proficiency (LEP), though that number is significantly higher in states like California and Texas (17.7 and 20.1% respectively). Having LEP in the education system can be a struggle: Students with LEP have difficulty catching up to their peers when instruction is English-only, while parents with LEP may have trouble communicating their student’s needs effectively. With the exception of dual-language programs, which emphasize the development of literacy in two different languages, the vast majority of education in the United States is conducted in English, which can of course present a challenge for English learners and their parents. The Civil Rights Act and Equal Educational Opportunities Act both require schools to enact measures to identify and accommodate English learners. That means that English learners are “entitled to appropriate language assistance services to become proficient in English and to participate equally in the standard instructional program within a reasonable period of time,” while their parents are “entitled to meaningful communication in a language they can understand, such as through translated materials or a language interpreter, and to adequate notice of information about any program, service, or activity that is called to the attention of non-LEP parents,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education. Addressing the linguistic needs of English learners and parents with LEP isn’t just important because it’s the law — it’s critical to ensuring children across the country have equitable access to a high-quality public education. English learners need to be able to learn at the same level as their peers; likewise, parents need to be able to make informed decisions about their child’s education, regardless of their English ability. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at just what those requirements are and what it looks like to be a student or parent with LEP in the education system today. Before a child enrolls in the public school system, their parents will likely encounter a welcome center, which provides them with information about their child’s future education and how to enroll. Now, this isn’t always the case, but welcome centers are becoming increasingly more common in the nation’s more diverse school districts. Families can also refer to these welcome centers year-round for information on enrollment, transferring to a different school and applying to middle and high schools within the district. As sources of this critical information, it’s important that welcome centers provide parents and students with LEP access to resources in the language they’re most comfortable with. Welcome centers are often the first place parents with LEP can go to learn about the language services offered in their school district. It’s a good idea to hire bilingual staff and work with a language service provider to offer interpreting services to ensure that parents with LEP can understand all of the information offered at these family welcome centers. Additionally, they should be able to communicate with somebody about their student’s needs as an English learner — if a child needs extra classroom support, this is where parents can inform the district. Language access is critical to the academic success of children with LEP in education. Inadequate language access can hurt a student’s academic success and it may be hard to catch up later on in their education. English as a second language (ESL) programs play an important role in their educational journey. These programs provide targeted instruction tailored to the linguistic needs of students with LEP, helping them develop proficiency in English while also supporting their academic growth in other subjects. In addition to ESL programs, students can benefit from various support mechanisms offered within schools. This includes access to interpretation services during classroom instruction and assessments, as well as translation assistance for educational materials. If an English learner has a disability covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, they may also be entitled to special education services through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This plan should also take into account their unique challenges as an English learner in devising a thoughtful approach to their future education. After all, the IEP acts as a sort of roadmap for their academic career and can have a profound impact on their overall success as a learner. The IEP team should include at least one bilingual teacher who can communicate with the child in their native language, while other members of the IEP development team should have a basic level of cultural competency. Effective communication between parents with LEP and school staff is crucial for fostering parental involvement and supporting student success. By providing access to interpreters during parent-teacher conferences, meetings, and school events, schools ensure that language barriers do not hinder meaningful dialogue. Additionally, translation services for important documents, such as report cards, school notices, IEPs, and educational materials, enable parents to stay informed about their child’s progress and school-related information. Emails and text messages to parents should also be available in a parent’s preferred language so that they can stay up to date on what’s going on in the classroom. When it comes to the complex process of developing an IEP for students with disabilities, parents with LEP need to be able to participate actively in the meetings held with teachers, administrators and other relevant specialists. Schools should work closely with interpreters to make sure that parents can understand what’s being said in these meetings. Since these meetings can get deep into the weeds of legal and educational jargon, it’s important to employ specialized interpreters familiar with the IEP process for the job. And while not every state requires schools to translate an IEP for parents who don’t speak English, it’s good practice to do so if you want parents to be fully involved in their child’s education — and some states, like Colorado, are making an effort to mandate this practice under the law. Students and families with LEP in the education system have to deal with a unique set of challenges that their English-speaking peers simply do not. Here are just a few things to consider for your school system’s language access practices: If your school district is looking to improve its language access services for families with LEP, we can help. At Avantpage, we’re familiar with the needs of LEP families and are happy to provide interpreting and translation services for education agencies — contact us today at info@avantpage.com or (530) 750-2040.