Blogs

Hosting a multilingual webinar with simultaneous interpreting may appear a little bit daunting at first — from identifying the necessary languages to securing the proper equipment, organizing a multilingual webinar can be a lot of work. If you’re not sure where to begin, a trusted language service provider can help you figure out all the right tools and techniques you’ll need to make your event a success. To start, you’ll likely need to seek out remote simultaneous interpreting (RSI) services. There are two key components to RSI that set it apart from other types of interpreting: As the name implies, it’s both remote (i.e., the interpreter is not physically present at the event) and simultaneous, meaning it takes place at the same time the main speaker presents in the original language. Simultaneous interpretation is a particularly specialized style of interpreting. The cognitive effort of listening to the speaker and while translating their speech into another language at the same time can be quite strenuous. As a result, simultaneous interpreters often work in teams and they can be a bit pricier than consecutive interpreters, who wait for a speaker to complete any given utterance before translating their message. This method of interpreting is typically used for events like conferences and webinars, as they allow people to understand the content of these events in real-time, without having to slow the pace of the presentation. RSI services allow interpreters to conduct their work remotely, making it easier to schedule an interpreter who can do the job from any location in the world — as long as they have a good internet connection. If you’re planning to host a multilingual webinar and want to provide remote interpreting services, here’s what you need to know to get started. And for more general information on planning a multilingual event, don’t forget to take a look at our 2021 blog post on best practices for organizing a multilingual event, which includes tips that work for both remote and on-site events. If you don’t have time to go through everything or simply need a refresher on how RSI works, simply scroll on down to the “Summary” section at the bottom of this page for a quick and easy breakdown of everything you need to know to get started when planning and hosting a multilingual webinar.
Taking a thoughtful approach to planning out your remote event interpretation can make all the difference. RSI services are a great way to provide seamless multilingual experiences for attendees of your webinar, but it’s important to keep the following factors in mind when commissioning an interpreting service for your event. As most event planners ought to know, providing yourself with ample time to organize all aspects of an event is critical to making sure your event runs smoothly. Just as you’ll want to set a date and coordinate marketing early on, you’ll also want to plan ahead for having an interpreter. We recommend booking an interpreter at least two weeks in advance, but the more time you have, the better. This is especially true for underrepresented languages, which may have fewer interpreters available. You’ll want to avoid scheduling an interpreter at the last minute — the longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to book somebody and it can even be a bit more expensive if you book one too late in the game. That’s not to mention, the earlier you book an interpreter, the more time they’ll have to prepare themselves for the event.  Remote Simultaneous Interpreting equipment can be quite technical. You’ll either want to rent equipment through a provider, or invest in a high-quality audio and microphone system for your speakers. This means using a microphone with cords rather than Bluetooth. You’ll also want to connect to an internet cable, rather than using wi-fi. Choppy audio that cuts in and out is a common pet peeve among interpreters, as it can lead them to miss important words throughout the presentation. Cheap audio equipment and a poor internet connection can also lead to unexpected technological difficulties, disrupting the overall flow of the webinar. And at worst, glitchy audio puts interpreters at risk for something called acoustic shock, which can cause extremely unpleasant symptoms like tinnitus, headaches, and even nausea. If sign language interpreters are involved, it’s also essential to have a clear camera with good lighting to capture every gesture and movement. Additionally, you should consider if any parts of the presentation will require consecutive interpreting — for example, a Q&A — and plan for that possibility accordingly. Like translators, many interpreters will specialize in certain niches — that means an interpreter who specializes in medical interpretation may not be the ideal choice for your webinar on public policy. When booking an interpreter for an event you’ll want to be sure to know exactly what topics you plan to cover and provide that information to the LSP and any interpreters you’re working with. If available, you can even provide the interpreters with any context surrounding the event or materials that will be presented at the event, such as: Allowing the simultaneous interpreters access to these materials in advance will help increase the quality of the interpretation for the participants. This information will allow interpreters to prepare for the event and conduct any research that’s necessary beforehand. We highly recommend conducting a dry test run of the webinar beforehand. You can coordinate this with your LSP, which will ensure that all parties involved in the webinar — the speakers, interpreters, and other organizers — will be familiar with the technology and equipment necessary to run the webinar smoothly. Plus, if there’s an issue with anybody’s equipment, conducting a dry test run allows you to identify the problem and fix it well in advance of the actual event, so you don’t have to worry about anything going awry at the webinar.
Preparing for a remote multilingual event doesn’t need to be difficult. Here are the key things you’ll want to keep in mind when booking RSI services to ensure that everything moves smoothly at your multilingual webinar: By following these best practices, you can make sure that your multilingual webinar is accessible to folks from all sorts of linguistic backgrounds. If you’re hosting a remote event and need interpreting services, Avantpage is happy to offer RSI services and further consultation for your unique situation. Contact us today at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040 to learn more about our RSI offerings.

Although translators can produce some pretty impressive work, they aren’t miracle workers. For a translator to create a high-quality, easily readable document in the target language, the source text must be equally high in quality and just as easy to read. In other words, source text should be written in plain language. The term “plain language” refers to writing that’s concise and easy to understand on the first read. Although federal agencies are already required to produce official communications using plain language under the Plain Writing Act of 2010, anybody can — and should — use plain language in their internal or external communications. Plain language is particularly helpful when you need to have a document translated. When translators have to wade through lots of dense, confusing language, it can slow down the translation process, creating unnecessary or burdensome work for the translator. When creating content that you know will be translated later on, following plain language guidelines is a proactive step toward a final product that’s as easy to read as the source text. Here’s our guide to observing plain language guidelines and making sure your writing is as clear and concise as possible. If you’re a bit strapped for time, scroll down to the summary section, where we’ve outlined some of the basics for you.
If you’ve ever asked somebody to explain a long-winded, convoluted topic to you “in laymen’s terms,” you already have some familiarity with the concept of plain language. In fact, the phrase “plain language” is essentially a, well, plainer way of referring to laymen’s terms. Plain language is any form of writing that emphasizes clarity and conciseness. When writing in plain language, a writer’s goal is to ensure that the text is easy for readers to understand and quickly gloss over. Here’s an example of some decidedly not plain language provided by the US General Services Administration: “Apply if you are aged (65 years old or older), blind, or disabled and have low income and few resources. Apply if you are terminally ill and want to receive hospice services. Apply if you are aged, blind, or disabled; live in a nursing home; and have low income and limited resources. Apply if you are aged, blind, or disabled and need nursing home care, but can stay at home with special community care services. Apply if you are eligible for Medicare and have low income and limited resources.” Now, here’s a revised version of that passage, written to follow plain language guidelines: “You may apply for Medicaid if you are: Notice how much easier it is to follow the second one. While the first example consists of a single, nearly 100-word paragraph, the second uses simple sentence structure and a series of bullet points to make the text a little bit easier on the eyes. Plus, it cuts the total word count down to 60. Ultimately, plain language allows individuals to find the information they need faster, making complicated topics easier to understand for wide, non-specialized audiences.
Plain language isn’t just important for improving accessibility in general communications though. It’s also a way to simplify the translation process from the get-go. By doing this, you can get faster translation delivery times, increased accuracy, and potentially lowered costs. Writing in plain language makes things a little easier for the translator(s) rendering your texts into the target language. Because translators aim to convey the meaning of the source text in the target language, content writers should aim to make that meaning as clear as possible. It may not be possible to use plain language in every piece of content — highly regulated areas like the pharmaceutical industry and legal services often have specific and formal terminology that can’t be easily simplified into plain language. Thus, it’s important to keep your target audience in mind — a scientific review committee will surely understand more niche terms than the general public. When producing public-facing content like blogs, informational pamphlets, or advertisements, plain language is critical to making sure that both the translator and the target audience can easily understand your intended meaning. Here are a few basic tips that we recommend for writers creating content they intend to have translated later on: While jargon can be difficult to avoid, it’s also important to note that the general public may not have a solid understanding of terms you use daily in your field. For instance, the medical condition “myocardial infarction” is more commonly known as a “heart attack.” Unless you absolutely have to use the phrase “myocardial infarction,” the term “heart attack” will likely serve you better, as it’s just plain easy for readers to understand. Long sentences packed with several different ideas can be hard to follow. Try to stick to one idea per sentence and try to keep the average number of words per sentence down to 20 or fewer. When writing, you’ll often find that some words are redundant or unnecessary. For instance, why would you call something “very good,” when you can call it “great?” Not only is “great” a more specific word — it’s also quicker to read than “very good.” More often than not, you can replace phrases like “very,” “really,” or “actually,” with more purposeful words. In addition to being a key tenet of plain language guidelines, this rule’s also a staple in grade-school English classes. Passive voice constructions tend to be wordier than those in the active voice. As a result, they add unnecessary words to the sentence and can make it harder for a translator to understand the meaning. Moreover, active voice generally illustrates the main idea of the sentence more effectively than passive voice. From the writer’s perspective, direct subject-verb-object sentences may seem a bit dry and repetitive. But the truth is that they’re much easier to follow than winding sentences that have all sorts of additional clauses and information that can be expressed in a separate sentence. Directness in your word choice is also key. Whenever appropriate, try addressing the reader directly using the personal pronoun “you,” to help engage them and form a connection between the reader and writer. And if you’ve got your content drafted up in plain language and need translation services, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Avantpage team at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

Although language access — that is, enacting policies that ensure an individual’s access to important communications in their preferred language — is an important component of providing legal services to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP), it’s just a starting point. Organizations must also center language justice in order to truly provide equitable services. Though they’re highly related topics, language justice takes things up a notch, promoting linguistic diversity and emphasizing an individual’s inherent right to access services in their own language. The American Bar Association defines language justice as “an evolving framework based on the notion of respecting every individual’s fundamental language rights—to be able to communicate, understand, and be understood in the language in which they prefer and feel most articulate and powerful.”  Although language access attempts to work around language barriers, language justice attempts to break these barriers, allowing people to seamlessly communicate in their own language. While language access is a good starting point, language justice goes a step further by guaranteeing equity for people who have limited English proficiency. In the field of legal services, that means ensuring individuals with LEP are aware of their rights to a certified court interpreter and other relevant language services, without imposing English upon them. Nearly 10% of the country — that is, 26 million people — has LEP, making it critical that providers of legal services have a plan in place to practice language justice. Indeed, the National Center for State Courts has acknowledged the importance of advertising court services to residents in multiple languages, to ensure that individuals with LEP are aware of their right to access those services. Providers of legal services and state justice departments can and should take several actionable steps to move toward a framework of language justice. In order to push themselves past language access and into the realm of language justice, organizations and agencies working in the legal field can adopt the following practices — if you don’t have time to go through everything in-depth, we’ve summed it all at the bottom of this page.
It might sound like a no-brainer, but one of the key steps in achieving language justice is developing a practical written plan. Under Executive Order 13166, federal agencies must have a language access plan in place already. But by developing a separate language justice plan in addition to an already existing plan for language access, organizations go above and beyond what’s required by federal law, truly demonstrating a commitment to supporting linguistic diversity. This plan should consist of actionable steps to enable your organization to achieve language justice. This plan should also be informed by local data — different cities and zip codes have different linguistic demographics that need to be taken into account in any effective language justice plan.  It’s also important to stay accountable — appointing a language coordinator or working group is a good first step to ensuring that members of an organization uphold the key steps and tenets of the language justice plan. It’s also a good idea to update the plan on a yearly basis, as a sort of yearly check-in to gauge progress toward fulfilling language justice and also identify any obstacles in the process of implementing the plan effectively. Here are just a few of the steps that legal organizations and agencies should include in their plan to bring your language access plan up a notch and emphasize language justice.
By having staff members who are fluent in multiple languages, legal organizations and agencies can better serve clients who speak languages other than the dominant language. Additionally, individuals who are familiar with another language are also likely to have strong cultural knowledge of the community that speaks that language. This cultural competence can improve communication between staff members and clients, which may ultimately lead to better understanding and more effective representation.
This is important because it ensures that all members of the community have access to information about the services offered by the organization or agency. Adopting a new outreach strategy that emphasizes language inclusion may seem daunting but working with a trusted language service provider can help smooth things over. Key aspects of a linguistically inclusive outreach strategy include translated informational materials, multilingual hotlines, as well as advertising and community meetings tailored to specific language communities. By proactively reaching out to different language communities, legal organizations and agencies can increase accessibility and promote equitable access to justice for communities with low levels of English proficiency.
Training your staff on the importance of language justice is a crucial part of ensuring that an organization is not only committed to providing language justice, but also to actively promoting it. This can include presentations on cultural competency, and best practices for working with clients from diverse language backgrounds. Holding these training sessions can provide staff members with the tools and information that they might need to effectively and respectfully communicate with and represent clients.
It might not be feasible or even possible to hire a full-time interpreter for your organization. But at the same time, you may find that you need one on relatively short notice — having a working relationship with a provider of remote interpreting services is a good way to ensure that you’re able to provide for new clients who might need an interpreter. Remote interpreting allows for real-time translation during legal proceedings and consultations, which can improve understanding and communication between clients and staff. This can also promote equal access to justice for clients who do not speak the dominant language. Encouraging staff to use remote interpreting services can ensure that all clients have access to the same level of service, regardless of their language background.  Avantpage is committed to language justice — we also have a noted track record of working with legal organizations and government agencies to help individuals with LEP access critical services. If your organization is looking to develop or implement a language justice plan, we’re here to help — contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

Public transit is a major component of urban life. On any given weekday in the United States, city dwellers will board buses, light rails, subways, and other forms of public transportation around 34 million times, according to data from the American Public Transportation Association. These services allow millions of US residents to travel to and from their jobs, schools, hospitals, and anywhere else they need to go about their day-to-day lives. At the same time, public transit systems have also historically failed to serve all members of their communities equally, leaving some groups — for example, people with limited English proficiency (LEP) and disabilities — with limited access to these vital resources. As a result, conversations surrounding diversity and equity in public transit are becoming an increasingly more important part of social justice efforts. The population of individuals with LEP in the US has increased significantly in recent decades. Although this growth is particularly evident in regions with strong public transportation networks like the New York City metropolitan area and greater Chicago, cities without robust public transportation networks are seeing significant growth as well. Plus, research from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority found that individuals with LEP are about three times as likely to rely on the bus than individuals who speak English fluently. Likewise, New Yorkers with disabilities have been found to be more likely to use the bus than their counterparts (and they were less likely to use the city’s famous subway system — probably due to the fact that less than a third of the city’s subway systems are wheelchair accessible). Just as other sectors must evolve to provide for the growing population of individuals with LEP, so too must public transit — factoring populations with LEP into this evolution should be at the forefront of any effort to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in public transit. To create a truly equitable and diverse approach to developing and maintaining public transportation systems, it is essential that communities with LEP and people with disabilities are meaningfully engaged in the planning, design, and operation of these systems.
Public involvement is an essential component of transportation planning and decision-making. In developing a strategy for public transportation accessibility, it’s particularly important to center diverse voices, to ensure that you’re serving all members of the community. Engaging members of the public provides a way for communities to have a say in public transit projects. This in turn enables these efforts to have a meaningful and positive impact on their lives — it also ensures that the needs and concerns of all stakeholders are taken into account. Language barriers can make it difficult for LEP individuals to access information or participate in meetings, while physical barriers such as inaccessible meeting locations or a lack of accommodations for people with sensory impairments can prevent people with disabilities from participating fully. Equitable access to public involvement opportunities is particularly important for people who come from low-income backgrounds, people of color and people with LEP, as these people tend to be more reliant on public transit than their counterparts. As a result, it’s especially important to communicate with these folks and hear their opinions on any efforts to improve public transit accessibility. There are a number of best practices that can help transportation agencies effectively engage with LEP and people with disabilities. These include: For example, in 2021, when New York City’s subway system began offering free rides to passengers who frequently used contactless payment methods, the city translated its messaging on this initiative into Haitian Creole, Spanish, Russian, and a handful of other languages spoken widely. Such efforts can go a long way toward engaging LEP communities, especially when done in conjunction with the other practices above.
Effective community engagement requires an understanding of the cultural context in which it takes place. This is particularly important when working with communities that have LEP or disabilities, as these groups may have unique barriers to participation that need to be addressed. To engage individuals with LEP, it is critical that any outreach strategy focuses on culturally competent messaging that speaks to them in their language and reflects their cultural values. Likewise, efforts to engage people with disabilities should also use messaging that empathizes with them and makes them feel both welcome and safe on public transit. While linguistic considerations are certainly important for individuals with LEP, it’s also important to work with community-based organizations that can help transportation agencies communicate effectively with communities that have lower levels of English proficiency. Messaging shouldn’t be a word-for-word translation of English documents, but it should also take cultural contexts into consideration — this is the best way to ensure authentic community engagement.
Advancing diversity and equity in public transit requires meaningful public involvement, particularly for communities with LEP and disabilities. By prioritizing the needs and concerns of these communities, we can create more inclusive and equitable public transit systems that benefit everyone. Avantpage has worked closely with state departments of transportation, transportation commissions, and several other organizations at the forefront of innovative transportation. We are proud to offer translation, interpreting, and other cultural mediation services for projects to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in public transit — for more information about our services, contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040

There have been a handful of significant developments to improve the accessibility of low- or no-cost health insurance over the last 15 years or so. However, many qualifying individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) aren’t aware that they can receive these benefits. Studies have shown that individuals with LEP have not taken advantage of improvements to Medicaid accessibility as much as their English-speaking counterparts have. This is where culturally competent outreach can make a difference. Culturally competent outreach refers to any sort of outreach strategy that accounts for the cultural context of its target demographic. For individuals with LEP, this doesn’t just mean speaking to them in their language, but also understanding and remaining sensitive to their cultural background. By emphasizing cultural competence, state-based health plans can connect with LEP individuals and inform them about whether they qualify for Medicaid. It’s an essential part of ensuring that LEP individuals have proper access to the health services they need to thrive. Although individuals with LEP make up a comparatively large proportion of Medicaid recipients, there are still thousands of individuals with LEP who are paying more than they need to for their healthcare — or worse, going uninsured. As state-based health providers continue to work toward reducing coverage gaps for eligible individuals with LEP, it’s clear that culturally and linguistically appropriate outreach is key to making healthcare more accessible. Here’s what state-based health plans can do to develop a culturally competent outreach strategy for individuals with limited English proficiency to help close coverage gaps. Of course, one of the most important aspects of any outreach strategy is making sure that you’re communicating with people in the language they speak. This is doubly important when targeting individuals who have LEP. Developing a culturally competent outreach strategy for these populations should start with research on which non-English languages are spoken widely among individuals with LEP in the state. This information will help guide efforts to connect with and engage communities where English isn’t the primary language. Most US residents with LEP speak Spanish as their primary language, according to research from the Brookings Institute. The most prominent languages among communities with LEP can vary significantly from zip code to zip code, so it’s important to do thorough research and identify all of the languages that are prominent in a given area. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that providers translate vital written documents into any language spoken by 1,000 (or 5%, depending on the size of a given population) or more individuals with LEP in a certain population. This is also a good outreach strategy for state-based health plans. Upon identifying these target languages, more research into local language access plans and mandates is also an important step. While federal mandates like the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act include language access provisions for state Medicaid agencies, it’s important to know what’s also required in each state. Some states — like New York, for example — have their own language access policies that state agencies must adhere to. After conducting a thorough review of the language access plans and policies is to commission translations of written documents and texts into the target language (or languages). Documents that will need translation include — but are not limited to — the following: These written documents will likely be an individual’s first impression of the health plan, making it crucial that individuals with LEP can understand them easily. And, in the case that they qualify, it’s also important that they understand how to actually enroll in the plan and exactly what that plan covers. While written documents are an integral component of any outreach strategy, some folks may prefer to talk to a human being, rather than scroll through a website or flip through an informational pamphlet. Or there might be information they just can’t find in writing as easily as they could by chatting with somebody. As such, it’s important to staff phone hotlines and offices with highly qualified bilingual workers who can communicate with individuals who prefer to speak in a language other than English. Offering separate phone lines for different languages is one way to improve accessibility for those who don’t speak English. Interpreters are also key here — they serve as a sort of medium between the insurance provider and the patient, seamlessly switching between each party’s preferred language. Over-the-phone, video remote, and in-person interpreting services are an important part of connecting with individuals who have LEP. State agencies must also be sure to closely research interpreting agencies to make sure they offer services in the most in-demand languages. While the right language is a crucial part of reaching out to and offering culturally competent care to individuals with LEP, it’s also important to make sure your efforts are sensitive to their cultural background. Translation and interpreting ensure that prospective Medicaid insureds can understand the information, but they must also be presented in a way that resonates with an individual’s cultural values. Moreover, as intertwined as culture and language are, they’re still two distinct entities. For instance, a monolingual French speaker from Quebec may be more responsive to different strategies than one from Senegal, and vice versa. Taking into account the communication strategies and acceptable topics that vary from culture to culture is an important part of achieving true cultural competence. Consult with experts on the target culture. Partnering with community organizations and utilizing local resources can be an effective way to reach LEP individuals and provide them with information about Medicaid eligibility and enrollment. These organizations may have connections and relationships with LEP communities that can be leveraged to facilitate outreach and communication. Engaging outreach campaigns have been shown to boost Medicaid enrollment and improve health outcomes for those most in need. By developing outreach strategies that emphasize cultural competence, state-based health plans can help close Medicaid coverage gaps among individuals with LEP. Avantpage strongly emphasizes accessibility in our website localization, content translation, and interpreting services. If you need help getting started, contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

To improve equity, one step your organization can take is to provide or expand language access for limited English proficient (LEP) individuals and communities. Language access may present itself in many ways: translated website or content, interpreters at healthcare appointments, language assistance during election time, and more. We’ve provided six essential ways to improve equity through language access for organizations looking to provide or expand on their language access services. Start by figuring out a process to identify, track, and report on Limited English Proficient (LEP) audiences across your organization. Having robust and accurate data will enable you to inform language access queries, leading to support for the LEP community. It’s important to track this data at micro-local and/or at the program level, because languages might be more prominent in specific areas than what’s prominent at state or even county levels. Some ways to collect LEP audience information include: LEP audience data helps organizations plan for language access support and implement initiatives, leading to a better understanding and response to changing demographics and needs. Language access shouldn’t be an afterthought—it’s much easier, more efficient, and less costly to plan ahead. Suppose you’re considering localizing your website into other languages. In this case, you’ll want to make sure that your website is reviewed for internationalization, meaning that it can handle language nuances (e.g., Chinese characters require double-byte codes). Identifying and fixing language requirements before you’re ready to localize your website will save money and time in development costs and prevent delays in launching localized sites. In addition, numerous tools can help improve equity while saving time and money on translation costs for content. For example, preparing a terminology database with technology like AvantMemory before content is translated provides content consistency, reduces costs, and decreases time-to-market. In addition, creating content using plain language can benefit both the audience by making content easier to understand and an organization by reducing translation costs. While you can still use these tools after content is developed, you get the most out of them early on in the process. Consider proactively integrating funds, resources, and planning for language access into all organizational programs early on. A language access plan is a policy describing how an organization will provide language services to support LEP individuals and improve equity. The content of a language access plan varies since there’s not a standard template; however, it generally includes topics such as data about the LEP population, services offered, policies and procedures, training, budgets, and more. Federal regulations require a language access plan for schools and government agencies. Even if a plan isn’t required, it can help an organization focus and put a policy around language services to ensure you’re providing the best possible services. An LSP who works with government agencies and educational institutions should be quite familiar with language access plans and be able to provide some guidance. An LSP may also know the area, what other organizations are doing, and what’s working. Reach out to your LSP to see how they can help. Establish accountability measures that include equity indicators across all levels, both for the LEP community and internally, to ensure that you can provide adequate staff to support your language initiatives. These measures can be built into a language access plan. Here are some examples of the kinds of measures you can put in place: Be resourceful, and learn more about other organizations to gain insights, information, and ideas for strategies. Create community hubs, partner with interagency groups for ideas and resources, and use overarching bodies that already have language access in implementation. For example, digital.gov has a multilingual community as well as multiple resources around translations. In addition, many grants are available—look for ones that promote equity in Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). Also, contact your local government to see what resources may be available. Finally, your LSP should be a great resource, given that they see many organizations and have ideas about where to go for help. Like community hubs, partner organizations that work with LEP individuals and communities are key to high quality and responsiveness language access. Organizations should find and partner with local communities, non-profits, and organizations to target LEP communities in their outreach. These organizations have cultural and linguistic skills and the connections to ensure leveraged outreach. Expanding language access helps improve equity for LEP individuals and communities. Organizations can improve through services using the tips in this blog post. We localize websites, translate content, provide interpreter services, and more. If you need help getting started, contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

Website accessibility is a way to promote access on your website for those with disabilities. Improving a website’s accessibility benefits everyone—a better structure and experience means greater satisfaction and connection to your brand. You can implement coding, design, and content items to make your website accessible. In 2008, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) created Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to share common standards for website accessibility. The guidelines are organized around these four principles: perceive, operate, understand, and interact with the web.  Numerous online tools (software programs or online services) are available to test out your website to see how it meets accessibility guidelines. W3C has an extensive list of online tools that you can filter to find one that meets your needs. Using one of these tools is a good starting point to get an idea of the current state of your website’s accessibility. In this blog, we’ll look at ways that you can make your website accessible by making it more understandable through plain language, functional with webpage accessibility, and more accessible to everyone by professional translations. To learn more about ways to make your website more accessible via perception, operable or robust, read how a California health plan provider achieved linguistic and accessibility compliance. Plain language is defined by the Plain Writing Act of 2010 as: Writing that is clear, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices appropriate to the subject or field and intended audience. The government developed plain language as a guide to help save federal agencies time and money while better serving Americans. Plain language benefits both the audience (makes content easier to understand and navigate through) and the writers (shorter authoring time and enables people to take action more quickly). In addition, the concise, active tense style of writing for plain language can help facilitate an easier start for translations. Here are some recommendations for writing in plain language: For more information, the plainlanguage.gov website provides many resources, including guidelines, training, and more.  The WCAG guidelines include many items related to the technical aspects of accessibility, such as making the site navigable by keyboards, elements readable by screen readers, and much more. In regards to language accessibility and understanding, you can make changes to the content and the content’s structure to help the user with website access.  Here are some recommendations for improving the user experience and structure: When it comes time to translating your website content, there’s no substitute for a professional translation company. Professional linguists understand the language’s culture and will choose words that are the best fit given the context. Linguists also have experience, certifications, and knowledge of translation tools. Here are some recommendations for making your website accessible for translated content: Making a website accessible benefits everyone—not just those with disabilities or limited English proficiency. For example, all visitors can benefit by having an easily navigable website with concise, easy-to-read content. At Avantpage, we help our clients make their content accessible and provide language services for LEP individuals. We offer an accessibility service that reports our findings for our clients to implement or we can provide a full service of reporting and implementation. We also localization website content into over 150 languages. For more information, email us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

Telehealth services have become a convenient way for patients and healthcare providers to address health issues. And while telehealth and telemedicine are excellent ways to receive care for many people, research shows that telehealth services aren’t always accessible for individuals with disabilities. This includes not just the telehealth appointment itself but also the steps of the patient journey leading up to the appointment (e.g., finding a doctor, filling out forms, etc.) and the post-appointment (e.g., getting a prescription, scheduling follow-up tests, reading materials, etc.). While many different types of disabilities exist (e.g., hearing, visual, cognitive, motor and dexterity, and speech), we’ll focus on hearing and visual disabilities for this blog. A survey by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) found that 70% of 488 adults in the U.S. who are blind, have low vision or are deafblind tried to use telemedicine, but 57% had problems accessing the platform. In addition, a research report by the AFB showed that most of the material provided by healthcare providers is not accessible to them. This results in difficulties with prescription labels, pre-surgery instructions, and other types of materials. “We need accessible healthcare mobile apps and websites. We need technology to represent graphical information in a format we can understand.” —Congenitally VI White male, aged 45 to 54 years, with no additional disabilities (p.55 Flatten Accessibility Report) Yet healthcare providers can take steps to make their services more accessible for individuals. We’ll look at what should be reviewed and made accessible along the patient journey. Finding a physician and initiating an appointment are the first few steps in the patient journey. In general, people turn online to do this research. Think about all the steps a patient must take do before a telehealth visit. How can you make those steps more accessible? For example: The telehealth visit should be viewed from the patients’ perspective and also from an internal technical perspective. How can your organization make its telehealth services more accessible during the appointment? The patient needs to receive accessible log-in instructions, troubleshooting information, contact information for technical help, and information on how to cancel or reschedule. Your organization’s IT team should implement the following technical features to ensure the telehealth visit is accessible for users who are blind, have low vision, are deaf, or are hard-of-hearing. This will ensure the patient is able to connect into their telehealth appointment. If you would like help assessing these areas, Avantpage is happy to find a solution to match your budget and timeline. Request a quote today. The patient experience doesn’t end with the telehealth appointment. There might be instructions, follow-up appointments to schedule, tests to schedule, care instructions, updates in patient portals, and more. While the post-visit process varies for each individual, the same concepts that we mentioned earlier also apply here. Healthcare providers can greatly improve the patient journey by providing accessible materials and online experience. These materials should provide the best accessibility and user experience. We provide a full range of services for healthcare providers to accommodate those with disabilities. We can review your current client-facing content for accessibility and work together with you to make changes to websites, digital content, and other types of content along the patient journey. Visit our website to learn more about how we can help healthcare providers accommodate their patients with disabilities and improve their patient journeys, and contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

A sign language interpreter communicates between people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and those who have hearing. A sign language interpreter may be useful or required in many different settings, including healthcare, education, court, an office or other situations. The best way to find a qualified interpreter is to work with a professional interpreting service who will ensure all the needed requirements to meet regulatory compliance as well as meaningful language access.   If you’re going to learn how to work with a sign language interpreter for the first time, or if it’s been a while since you’ve worked with an interpreter, you may not know what to expect. We’ve put together the following list of tips so you can become familiar with the process and be prepared before and during the interaction.   Before the interpretation session, here are some things to know.    Here are some tips on working with an in-person sign language interpreter in a classroom or large group setting.  Here are some tips for how to work with an interpreter during the session.   Many situations require a sign language interpreter. Being prepared before and during the interaction should lead to a more successful outcome for everyone.   We provide interpretation services for all types of industries, and we’d be happy to answer any questions you might have about how the process work. To learn more, contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040. Working with Sign Language Interpreters  Tips for working with Sign Language Interpreters  10 Tips for Using a Sign Language Interpreter 

Elections office websites offer voters a wealth of information when it comes to understanding how to vote. The voting process for an English speaker is a different experience than for someone who’s a limited English proficient (LEP) speaker. The language difference can create barriers and cause people to give up without voting, leading to underrepresentation by LEP communities. In addition, while the Voting Rights Act requires language assistance to LEP individuals, “many voters may be unaware that they have a right to be assisted in casting a ballot and to bilingual election materials in many jurisdictions.” If you’re going to invest in translating elections office materials, you’ll want to maximize the outreach of these materials. Part of the outreach is to make LEP communities aware of what you provide, starting with the elections website. In addition, the language access options must be super clear, so when an LEP individual goes to your website, that person can quickly see the content in their preferred language. This will contribute to a better investment for your funds and improve the voting journey for LEP individuals. A website is oftentimes the first place someone will go to get information. You need to translate and localize your website to reach LEP audiences. Here are some things to consider for your translation project. Ideally, you’d translate your entire elections office website. However, if you have a limited budget or time constraints, that may not be feasible. If you aren’t ready to translate your entire website, work with your LSP to determine the most vital pages and create a plan for the other pages. Languages morph and evolve over time, leading to locale-specific variations of a language. For example, Hmong communities in California and Minnesota may generally use the core language, but variations will exist between the two variations. Learn more about language variations. Machine translation is suitable for some types of content, such as content that isn’t critical or internal content, or for getting a general idea about something for a quick turnaround. However, you need a professional language service provider to provide the highest quality translations for something as critical as elections information. Election content can be tricky enough for an English speaker to understand, let alone someone who’s not proficient in English. You need to have a complete translation process that involves humans to translate election content. Some of the other reasons why it’s not a good idea to use Google Translate for elections office materials include: You can add some simple things to your elections office website to make language options clear and obvious for a visitor. You want your visitors to know that there are language options, so you should have something that shows the options, whether it’s a dropdown selection or an entry button. Include a language option at the top of your webpage. It could look something like this: It should be at the top of the page, because if a visitor doesn’t see it right away, that person may not know to scroll to look for it. For example, including all the languages in a footer is not a good option as people don’t tend to search for information like that in a footer, so it makes it hard to find. In your language option, add a universal symbol (like a globe) to show that other languages are available. Also, include a dropdown someone can select the language that fits that person’s needs. You don’t want to use English words like “translate” to show that other languages are available. For the translated site language options, use the translated language name and not the English version. For example, use “Română” instead of “Romanian.” The English version of this language is “Romanian,” but those who speak Romanian use “Română.” Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires that counties make election materials available to LEP individuals, so you want to make your target audiences know that you have information in different languages and that they have the right to these materials. Here are some ways to do that. Elections offices can improve voter turnout and the voting journey by providing website translations and outreach to the LEP community. We have extensive experience in election translations and would love to help you with any aspect of the process. Learn more about our experience, and feel free to contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.

Translation and language services drive communication and business in the global marketplace and business world. The translation services industry was valued at over 39 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach over 46 billion by 2028. Despite the industry’s importance, you may have some preconceived notions about it if you haven’t done any or very little work with translations before. This leaves clients with knowledge gaps, leading to misunderstandings and uncertainty. The language service provider (LSP) should ensure everything is clear, and the client feels comfortable asking any questions they might have. In this blog, we’ll address 10 common misconceptions about translation. Here are basic definitions: Learn more about the differences between translators and interpreters. As we just described, a translator is about written communication, whereas an interpreter is about verbal communication. These two styles are very different, just as they are for all of us. Also, every individual has expertise, so a Spanish interpreter in the healthcare industry may not have the expertise to interpret in a legal setting. And marketing content requires a different type of translator than a technical manual. So many specializations exist, and a language expert can’t do everything.
Just because someone is a native speaker of a language doesn’t mean that they have the skills to be a linguist. Linguists are specially trained professionals with acutely developed skills. This comes by way of certifications, continuing education credits, professional development, learning, formal education, and professional memberships to hold everyone accountable to high levels of professional standards and code of ethics. Having a bilingual employee do translation work is not a sufficient way to deliver translation projects since: Learn more about the hidden costs of using bilingual employees for translation. “I need a sign language interpreter” is too vague to provide any meaning. A sign language interpreter is not just one type of interpreter. Between 138 and 300 different sign languages are used worldwide. In the US, the most common types are American Sign Language (ASL), Signed Exact, and Tactile. While many people who are deaf do know sign language, there are also many who know different varieties or home signs, or who have different levels of proficiency in a sign language.   In order to provide meaningful access, certain questions need to be asked to find the best suited interpreter match. Learn more about deaf or hard-of-hearing interpreter requirements. You may get a directive to “translate this into Spanish.” Yet Spanish isn’t a universal language; it’s the same idea as “needing a sign language interpreter.” So while the target language may sound simple—Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic or Chinese—many languages are regionally targeted. Some translations, especially in the US, need to use Universal Spanish to target multiple varieties and most common Spanish understandings. For regional language varieties, such as smaller, established communities, a Community reviewer might be necessary. A Community reviewer can help with these specialized language variations. Another misconception about languages is if a child is willing to interpret for a parent or guardian, and the adult says it’s OK, then it’s OK. This isn’t a good idea for several reasons: Using an experienced interpreter is the best way to go—not have a child do the work. If you received multiple bids on an RFP, know that the lowest bid charges aren’t necessarily the only charges you may incur. Hidden fees may pop up or the quality is poor, which results in more time to manage the project, re-do the work or worst case—errors go unnoticed and turn into a liability or lawsuit. In addition, over time, these costs and more might actually add up to a higher price than the best-value bids. Some agencies that appear to cost more outright might have technologies for built-in cost savings (e.g., re-using already translated terms, project management tools) that enable you to save money over time. While the most obvious thing that an LSP does is provide translation and interpreting, they do so much more, such as: Depending on the type of organization, you may be eligible for additional funding for language services. Sometimes grants are available that help fund language services. Find them and apply to grow your language access programs. For example, grants that promote equity in Social Determinants of Health among immigrant populations, improve student learning, and others are available. Having misconceptions about the translation industry is understandable, especially if you’re new to working with it. We’re here to help answer any of your questions. For more information, contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040. Let us help you provide the best language services.

or individuals who are limited English proficient (LEP) or Deaf/hard-of-hearing  and need to participate in a court hearing, they have the right to an interpreter in federal, state, and local courts. An interpreter is required to protect one’s basic constitutional rights by providing equal language access. A legal interpreter plays an extremely important role in the court process, as the interpreter is the conduit between the individual and the English speakers. An interpreter must interpret the content without editing, summarizing, deleting or otherwise modifying the content. They must be impartial and able to serve the judicial process as required. In this blog, we’ll look at some of the legal interpreter qualifications and requirements used in the legal system. The federal government recognizes three types of legal interpreters. A federally certified interpreter has passed the Administrative Office certification exam. These exams are only available for Spanish, Navajo, and Haitian Creole interpreters. The local federal court will determine if an interpreter is professionally qualified or has the language skills for other languages. This designation is for all languages except Spanish, Navajo, and Haitian Creole. A professionally qualified interpreter meets the criteria for this designation. The criteria consider areas like tests and assessments, memberships, and other certifications. A language skilled / ad hoc interpreter demonstrates the ability to interpret court proceedings per the court’s satisfaction but isn’t a professionally qualified interpreter. While using a language skilled / ad hoc interpreter is not always appropriate, it may be acceptable in some cases. Each state has its own legal interpreter requirements. As an example, the state of California recognizes two types of interpreters: Review language access programs by state. Local and national organizations, such as National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) may provide other labels for legal interpreters such as “conditionally approved” or “qualified.” These terms can vary a bit, but they essentially mean individuals pre-vetted by organizations, agencies, departments or otherwise based on references, skills assessments, previous work history, an association with industry organizations, and more. While hundreds of sign languages exist, American Sign Language (ASL) is one of the most common types in the U.S. Currently, there’s a shortage of ASL interpreters, and some certifications can’t be tested for anymore. Nationally recognized certifications include: Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART)
CART, also known as real-time captioning, is a method of transcribing spoken language and sounds. The transcription is displayed on computers, mobile devices or other screens. Those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing might prefer this method. LEP individuals may also choose this method over interpreting for various reasons. CART requires reading, and it’s often a one-way communication, although some versions can incorporate two-way communication. Specialists who provide CART services can hold certifications from the Association for Court Reporters and Captioners.

Organizations that Support Interpreters and Translators
Organizations that control assessments, codes of ethics, codes of professional conduct, and more to evaluate interpreter involvement include:
Legal interpreters have a very important job communicating between LEP, deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. Legal interpreting is a highly specialized form of interpreting that not just anyone can do. As such, courts may require certain qualifications or a judge may inquire about qualifications, and may come up when a court case is challenged due to the interpretation, such as appeals on verdicts called into question due to the provided interpretation. We provide remote and in-person interpretation services for the legal industry. We partner with the Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals, and we’ve worked with numerous state Superior Courts as well as Judicial Councils. To learn more, contact us at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040.