Contact us by email at interpreting@alsglobal.net or via phone at 1-800-951-5020 for a free estimate on our ASL and CART services.

Trusted CART & ASL Services in Santa Maria, CA

American Language Services has been helping businesses and other entities reach the deaf and hard of hearing community for more than 35 years. While in-person interpreting, at one time, was the only option, recent technological advances opened the door to other options. Since we offer full-service Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), this article will be comparing Virtual American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting with Communication Access Real-Time Translation (AKA- Closed Captioning & Real Time Subtitling) known as CART.

 Please note that according to the American Disability Act (ADA) that deaf and hard of hearing community have the legal right to receive full access through the use of ASL and or CART services. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and providing ASL interpreters for deaf individuals complies with federal law and promotes equal accessibility.

Some interesting Facts About the City of Santa Maria

• Santa Maria was named for its founder, Santa Maria is a city near the Southern California coast in Santa Barbara County. It is approximately 160 miles (260 km) northwest of Los Angeles. Its estimated 2014 population was 103,410, making it the most populous city in the county and the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA Metro Area. The city is notable for its wine industry and Santa Maria-style barbecue. Sunset magazine called Santa Maria “The West’s Best BBQ Town”.
• The Santa Maria Valley, stretching from the Santa Lucia Mountains toward the Pacific Ocean, was the homeland of the Chumash people for several thousand years. The Native Americans made their homes on the slopes of the surrounding hills among the oaks, on the banks of the Santa Maria River among the sycamores, and along the coast. They had unique plank-built boats, called Tomol, which they used for ocean fishing.
• In 1769, the Portolá Expedition passed through the Santa Maria Valley during the first Spanish land exploration up the coast of Las Californias Province. Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was established just north of the valley in 1772, and Mission La Purísima Concepción was established near present-day Lompoc in 1787. Rather than rich soil, white settlers were attracted here by the possibility of free land. In 1821, after the Mexican War of Independence, the mission lands in Santa Maria Valley were made available for private ownership under a Mexican land grant called Rancho Punta de Laguna. At the end of the Mexican War in 1848, California was ceded to the United States.
• In the late 19th century, after California gained statehood in 1850, the area’s rich soil attracted farmers and other settlers. By the end of the century, the Santa Maria River Valley had become one of the most productive agricultural areas in the state. Agriculture is still a key component of the economy for the city and the entire region.
• Between 1869 and 1874, four of the valley’s settlers, Rudolph Cook, John Thornburg, Isaac Fesler (for whom Fesler Jr. High School is named), and Isaac Miller (for whom Miller Elementary School is named), built their homes near each other at the present corners on Broadway and Main Street. The townsite was recorded in Santa Barbara in 1875. The new town was named Grangerville, then changed to Central City. It became Santa Maria on February 18, 1885, since mail was often being sent by mistake to Central City, Colorado. Santa Maria was chosen from the name Juan Pacifico Ontiveros had given to his property 25 years earlier. Streets named after the four settlers now form a 6 block square centered at Broadway and Main Street, the center of town.
• Oil exploration began in 1888, leading to large-scale discoveries at the turn of the 20th century. In 1902, Union Oil discovered the large Orcutt Oil Field in the Solomon Hills south of town, and a number of smaller companies also began pumping oil. Two years later, Union Oil had 22 wells in production. Other significant discoveries followed, including the Lompoc Oil Field in 1903 and the Cat Canyon field in 1908. Over the next 80 years more large oil fields were found, and thousands of oil wells drilled and put into production. Oil development intensified in 1930s, with the discovery of the Santa Maria Valley Oil Field in 1934, right underneath the southern and western parts of the city of Santa Maria, which spurred the city’s growth even further. By 1957 there were 1,775 oil wells in operation in the Santa Maria Valley, producing more than $640 million worth of oil.
• According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.4 square miles (58 km2), of which, 22.8 square miles (59 km2) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) of it (2.73%) is water.
• Santa Maria is situated north of the unincorporated township of Orcutt, California, and south of the Santa Maria River (which serves as the line between Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County). The valley is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and to the east by the San Rafael Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest. The city of Guadalupe, California is approximately 9 miles (14 km) to the west of Santa Maria.
• Santa Maria experiences a cool Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csb) typical of coastal areas of California north of Point Conception. The climate is mostly sunny, refreshed by the ocean breeze. Fog is common. Snow in the lowest parts of the city is virtually unknown, with the last brief flurry recorded in January 1949. The only recorded earlier snowfall was in January 1882. Rainfall averages 14 inches (360 mm) annually.
• U.S. Route 101 runs through the middle of the Santa Maria Valley and is the main freeway connecting many west coast cities. It has been improved to freeway status (meaning all at-grade intersections have been eliminated) within the city of Santa Maria itself. There was recently a widening project that expanded the freeway from four to six lanes between Santa Maria Way and the highway 166 exit. The $32 million project was completed in late 2008 / early 2009.
• State Route 1 runs around the western edge of the city and connects it to nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base near Lompoc. The section of 101 in the city is a freeway, and a small part of a nearby section of Highway 1 that runs between the city and the base is also a freeway, but the two freeway segments do not directly connect to each other.
• State Route 135 is considered to be the major artery through the city. It comes from Los Alamos, a town to the south of Santa Maria, and it enters Orcutt and Santa Maria as an expressway. The expressway runs all the way to Santa Maria Way. Highway 135 then turns into Broadway and runs through the heart of the city and all the way up to the Santa Maria River and U.S. 101.
• The Santa Maria Valley Railroad (SMVRR) is a shortline freight railroad to Guadalupe where the Union Pacific Railroad Interchange point is. Main business includes storage of railroad cars when northern California and southern California storage area are full. In the 1990s, the city proposed a Light Rail Service to replace the SMV’s Right-of-way, as its future was uncertain.
• The nearest train station with long-distance Amtrak service is in Guadalupe, to which Amtrak provides bus service from Santa Maria. Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner provides twice daily service in each direction, running to San Luis Obispo to the north and to San Diego via Los Angeles to the south.
• SMAT, Santa Maria Area Transit, is a local bus service provided by both city and county-run lines, it has recently expanded its services during the evening that stretch to 10:15 P.M. The Breeze Bus provides service to Lompoc, Vandenberg Air Force Base, and Santa Maria. RTA Route 10 connects Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo. The Guadalupe Flyer connects Santa Maria and Guadalupe.
• Long-distance intercity bus service is provided by Greyhound Lines. The Clean Air Express commuter bus runs between Santa Maria and Goleta as well as a line to Santa Barbara weekdays.
• The Santa Maria Public Airport is served by two airlines, Allegiant Air and Mokulele Airlines . Allegiant Air operates nonstop jet service several days a week to Las Vegas. Mokulele operates nonstop flights to Los Angeles (LAX) several times a day with prop aircraft.
• Santa Maria is perhaps most notable for an excellent variety of barbecued meat. The tri-tip steak has its roots in Santa Maria per side of beef. In the United States, this cut was typically used for ground beef or sliced into steaks until the late 1950s, when it became a local specialty in Santa Maria. “Santa Maria-style” barbecue is usually used in reference to the seasoning of tri-tip or other meats (most notably top sirloin, or “top block”) when rubbed with salt, pepper, and spices and cooked whole on a rotisserie or grilled over local red oak wood. The side dishes complementing a typical “Santa Maria-style” barbecue generally consist of garlic bread, pinquito beans, and a salad.
• Santa Maria, along with the neighboring Lompoc, Los Alamos and Santa Ynez Valleys, combine to create one of the nation’s largest wine-producing regions, referred to as the Santa Barbara Wine Country.
• The often foggy and windswept Santa Maria Valley is the northern most appellation in Santa Barbara County. The region’s first officially approved American Viticultural Area (AVA) enjoys extremely complex soil conditions and diverse microclimates. Chardonnay and Pinot noir are two varietals which especially benefit from the ocean’s influence, and are the flagship wines of this appellation.
• Santa Maria Valley grapes are also used by wineries throughout Santa Barbara County and at many wineries outside of the county. The Santa Maria Valley name is used on labels from wineries that are based far away from the Santa Barbara County sunshine. The Santa Maria Valley appellation is bounded by the San Rafael Mountains and the Los Padres National Forest to the east, and by the Solomon Hills and the city of Santa Maria to the west.
• Santa Maria’s Allan Hancock College is the home of The Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA), a highly touted theatrical school and production company. Notable alumni include: Robin Williams, Kathy Bates, Kelly McGillis, Mercedes Ruehl, and Zac Efron.
• The Legend of Zorro was based on the life of Solomon Pico, a murderous bandit who camped in the Santa Maria hills. To this day, people climb the Solomon Hills looking for treasure that Pico allegedly buried.
• The Minerva Clubhouse in Santa Maria was designed by Julia Morgan, famed architect of Hearst Castle.
• From 1962 – 1963, John Madden was head coach for Santa Maria’s Allan Hancock College football team. He was also Assistant Coach in 1961. He is currently the commentator for Monday Night Football.
• The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Complex boasts the highest beach dunes in the Western United States, with some towering as high as 500 feet. It is also the second largest stretch of dunes in California.
• The 1923 Cecil B. DeMille silent movie, The Ten Commandments, was filmed in the Guadalupe/Nipomo Dunes Preserve. The set was gradually buried beneath the sand due to weather and wind, however, an effort is being made to begin its excavation.
• The Santa Maria Public Airport stands at the site of a U.S. Army Air Base used during World War II.
• Named after G. Allan Hancock, Santa Maria’s Hancock College of Aeronautics was the primary training center for fighter pilots during World War II.
• In 1904, Old Maud, Santa Maria’s first oil well, produced one million barrels in its first 100 days of operation.
• After more than 53 years of semi-pro baseball, the Santa Maria Indians Baseball Club is California’s oldest semi-pro club in continuous service.
• In 1874, Santa Maria was originally named “Grangerville,” after The Grange—the first store in town. Later, the name was changed to “Central City,” due to its location between Sisquoc and Guadalupe.
• In 1882, the arrival of the narrow gauge Pacific Coast Railroad coincided with the city’s name change from “Central City” to “Santa Maria.” Mail meant for the township kept showing up in Central City, Colorado.
• Cottonwood Canyon Winery was the first vineyard in Santa Barbara County with wine caves.
• In 1990, Robert Mondavi purchased Byron Winery, famed for its Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir.
• Some of Santa Barbara County’s first vineyards were planted in the Tepusquet region of Santa Maria Valley in the early 1960s. Soon after, vineyards were planted in several parts of the Santa Ynez Valley.
• In 1978, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce copyrighted the Santa Maria Style Barbecue recipe in order to protect the genuine article.
• The Santa Maria Valley town of Guadalupe is home to the oldest Buddhist temple in California.
• Santa Maria boasts an ideal sunny, coastal climate for growing strawberries where mild winters and moderate summers produce a long growing season. All in all, Santa Maria produces 20 million trays of strawberries annually. These are transported to supermarkets across the United States.
• Most of Santa Maria’s strawberry fields are replanted every year. This practice is more costly, but produces a better quality fruit and higher yields.
• In the early 1900s, the clams at Pismo Beach were so plentiful that farmers in the Santa Maria Valley brought truck loads home to use as crop fertilizer and feed for their hogs.

Reference Sources: Kiddle Encyclopedia, SantaMariaValley.com

Santa Maria ASL & CART Language Interpreters

American Language Services is known for our high-quality, In-person and Virtual interpreters, as well as the outstanding client services we provide. We work in 200+ languages including Legal and Medical Certified and Qualified.  ASL and CART are the fastest growing languages in Santa Maria today a language interpreter can be a very underestimated professional in the world today. There are over 100 languages spoken in the Santa Maria Metro area alone. Many of us know one language, and we specialize in one field of study. Our Santa Maria Interpreters are fluent in English and at least one other language, and they are knowledgeable in a wide range of specialized fields including legal, medical, technical, manufacturing, and engineering.

A brief history of ASL Interpreting in Santa Maria

Most people know that ASL stands for American Sign Language. But not everyone knows that it is a distinct language—not simply an offshoot of American English. Though its beginnings are murky, many believe that ASL originated from a merger of French Sign Language (SLF) and local U.S. sign languages. While ASL and SLF are distinct languages, there are still some similarities between their signs.

What actually is ASL?   ASL a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages with grammar however that differs from English. ASL is expressed by movements of the hands and face.  ASL is a language completely separate and distinct from English. It contains all the fundamental features of language, with its own rules for pronunciation, word formation, and word order.  Because of the physical nature of ASL, a two-person team of ASL interpreters is required for assignments longer than 1 hour in duration.

The National Center for Health Statistics claims that 28 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss, though only between two and eight percent of them are natural ASL speakers.  Helping these select individuals translate the audible into the understandable is the job of an ASL interpreter.  If you have ever been to a play, a concert or watched a government briefing, you have probably seen an ASL interpreter signing just out of view.  An interesting side note is that Statista estimates that there are currently around 60,000 active ASL interpreters in the USA.

The Benefits of ASL Interpreting in Santa Maria

When it comes to communicating with hard-of-hearing or deaf audiences, there are a few reasons you might want to opt for a Santa Maria ASL interpreter over CART services. These include:

• A More Personal Connection: A real person has several advantages over a computer screen. First, human interpreters have an easier time conveying emotion. Second, they are better equipped to point out speakers and assist with pronunciation issues. Finally, an interpreter gives a deaf or hard of hearing person a chance to bond with another person.
• Enhanced Speed: Skilled interpreters can hold pace with even the fastest speakers. Lack of delay makes it easier for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to keep up with the conversation.
• Cost Effective:  While costs range by the type of ASL you need (Legal, medical, business, etc.) and when the assignment is scheduled, the cost off ASL, across the board, is less money than CART.

What Is CART?

While the majority of people know what American Sign Language is, the same cannot be said for Communication Access Real-Time Translation. Often referred to as CART, this communication method for the deaf and hard of hearing is best described as subtitling for live discussions. Unlike ASL, which relies on a professional interpreter, CART services are provided by a well-trained stenographer or transcriptionist. They transcribe anything said and then broadcast the resulting text to a phone, computer, or TV screen.

CART is often seen as a cost-effective and efficient way to ensure everybody can follow along. While often used to help deaf students in the classroom, CART captioning benefits anyone that can read.  Much like ASL interpreting, it can be done both onsite with a physical transcriptionist or remotely with an offsite one.

Why You Should Consider CART for the Santa Maria Market

Communication Access Real-Time Translation is growing in popularity due to the following characteristics:

• It Serves a Wider Array of Deaf People: If you do a little math, you will realize that 65 percent of hard-of-hearing people in the USA do not speak ASL fluently. CART makes it so these people can join in on the conversation as well.
• CART Makes It Scalable: While people in the front rows can easily make out what an interpreter is signing, it gets harder as the distance increases. Since captions can be beamed to multiple screens simultaneously, they do not have to factor speaker distance into the equation.
• The Text Provides a Written Record: Having a transcript of everything your professor said would be a godsend come finals. Having a record of a meeting can also provide clarity to all those involved as well. The physical nature of CART recording makes that possible. This ability is one reason so many college students opt for CART over traditional ASL interpreting. 

About American Language Services

Founded in 1985, American Language Services was there to help pioneer the rise in remote ASL interpreting options. Our dedication to quality and client satisfaction in interpreting allowed us to shift from a one-woman agency into one of the most successful language agencies in the world. Our language experts provide ASL & CART interpreting services to people all around the world. Because of our 24/7 availability, you’ll never have to worry about us not being available, on off times, for an assignment.

AML-Global has some of the most impressive linguistic talents in the world. These highly skilled language professionals are recruited, screened, and tested to ensure high-quality work.

Contact us by email at interpreting@alsglobal.net or via phone at 1-800-951-5020 for a free estimate on our ASL and CART services.