Useful Links

Sign Languages

• American Sign Language (ASL) [ Wikipedia ] – primary language of English-speaking Deaf in North America
• Langue des signes du Québec (LSQ) [ Wikipedia ] – primary language of French-speaking Deaf in Québec, Canada.
• International Sign (IS) [ Wikipedia ] – contrary to popular belief, sign language is not a universal language. Like spoken languages, sign languages around the world are different. International Sign, formerly known as “Gestuno”, is an artificially devised sign language. Gestuno is to Deaf as Esperanto is to Hearing. See YouTube video: Sign Language Isn’t Universal .
• List of sign languages around the world

Note: if interested in learning sign language, see Learning American Sign Language .

Associations
Note: see national websites for a listing of provincial, state, and local chapters/affiliates

• Canadian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (CASLI) – national professional association of ASL interpreters for Canada except Québec (see AQILS). Formerly Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada (AVLIC).
• Association québécoise des interprètes en langues des signes (AQILS) – professional association of LSQ interpreters for Québec
• American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) – national association of ASL instructors in the United States. See SLIC for Canada.
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) – national professional association of ASL interpreters in the United States. See CASLI for Canada.
• Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD) – promote the rights of deaf people in Canada. See NAD for US.
• Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) – promote the rights of hard of hearing people in Canada
• Canadian National Society of the Deaf-Blind (CNSDB) – promote the rights of Deaf-Blind people in Canada. Operated by Deaf-Blind.
• Canadian Deafblind Association – promote the rights of Deaf-Blind people in Canada. Operated by relatives of Deaf-Blind (?).
• National Association of the Deaf (NAD) [ Wikipedia ] – promote the rights of deaf people in the United States. See CAD for Canada.
• Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) – professional translators and spoken language interpreters in Canada
• American Translators Association (ATA) – professional translators and spoken language interpreters in the United States.
• National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) – for court transcribers in USA. Note: all three (3) Canadian chapters (BC, AB, and ON) are affiliated with NCRA.
• Sign Language Institute Canada (SLIC) – network of professional ASL/LSQ instructors in Canada. See ASLTA for US.
• World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) – aim is to advance the profession of sign language interpreting worldwide. See WFD-WASLI International Sign Interpreter Accreditation.
• World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) – aim to promote the Human Rights of Deaf people worldwide by working closely with the United Nations and its agencies (e.g. ILO, WHO, etc.). More information here.
• American Academy of Audiology – world’s largest professional organization of, by and for audiologists in the US. See their useful links webpage here.
• Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC) – Canadian national organization supporting and representing speech-language pathologists, audiologists and communication health assistants inclusively.
• International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) – spoken language conference interpreters

Legal

• Accessible Canada Act (Bill C-81)
• Howard v. the University of British Columbia (1993) [ PDF ] – court decision requiring all schools to accommodate students who are in need of accessibility-related support to participate in classes.
• Eldridge v. British Columbia Attorney General (1997) [ PDF ] – court decision requiring province(s) to provide medical interpreting service.
• Canadian Association of the Deaf v. Canada (2007) [ PDF ] – court decision requiring federal departments to provide sign language interpreter on request when interacting with federal employees.
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) – enacted in 2005 for the purpose of improving accessibility standards for Ontarians with physical and mental disabilities to all public establishments by 2025. [ Wikipedia ]
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (United States) – a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. [ Wikipedia ]
• Legal Interpreting Position Paper [ CASLI/AVLIC, PDF ]. ASL version available on CASLI’s website.

Note: visit CanLII.org for online access to decisions (2005 and after) from all Canadian courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada, federal courts, and the courts in all Canada’s provinces and territories. CanLII.org also contains decisions from many tribunals nationally. For cases before 2005, contact CanLII and/or Human Rights offices.

Education

• Post-Secondary Communication Access Services (PCAS) – BC province-wide service to support access for students who are Deaf, hard of hearing, and Deaf-blind.

Reports

• Provincial Medical Sign Language Interpreting Service Engagement – Summary of Input Received – Phase II (Sept 2018) [ PHSA, PDF ] – summary community engagement process for improving ASL medical interpreting services in BC.
• A Study of Deaf-Blind Demographics and Services in Canada (Dec 2004) [ Canadian Centre on Disability Studies, PDF ]
• Language Interpretation Services in Health Care Settings in the GTA (Apr 2018) [ Wellesley Institute, PDF ] – interpretation services for health care in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario.

Miscellaneous

• CASLI’s Position Papers & Resources – for a list of position papers, visit CASLI’s website and click on the menu options “About CASLI > Position Papers & Resources” section
• NAD’s Position Statement: Minimum Standards for Video Remote Interpreting Services in Medical Settings
• RID’s Standard Practice Papers
• European Union of the Deaf – International Sign Guidelines (May 2012) [ PDF ]
• Provincial Review of ASL Deaf Studies and Interpreter Education in BC (Oct 2009) [ PDF ]
• Deaf Wireless Canada Committee (DWCC) – advocate fair wireless plan for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind. Works extensively with CRTC and telecoms.
• Ensuring Your Workplace, Service or Event is Accessible to Deaf Individuals [ WAVLI, PDF ]
• Guide to Accessible Events [ Ryerson, PDF ]
• TMU’s Accessibility Guides [ Toronto Metropolitan University ]
• City of Vancouver – Accessible events checklist and resources
• DLR Consulting – offers an array of services and skills sets (e.g. consultation, teaching, interpretation, assessment, etc.)
• Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (CCDS) – a think tank on disability issues in Canada
• Is it Time to Certify Sign Language Interpreter Referral Agencies? [ Street Leverage, Jul 2012 ]
• Terp Tech Tips – Tips for Sign Language Video Production and Live Streaming [ Female Voice Over, Mar 2020 ]
• What Business Resources are Available for People with Disabilities? – various resources and programs available to entrepreneurs with disabilities in UK, USA, Canada, and Australia.
• Consecutive vs. Simultaneous Interpreting: What’s the Difference? [ American Translators Association ]

Additional Resources Webpages – External

• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)
• Canadian Association of Sign Language Interpreters (CASLI)
• Canadian Association of the Deaf (CAD)
• National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
• World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)
• Deaf Resource Library

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