Accessibility Services in Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn, a cultural hub and the most populated borough of New York City is located on the western most edge of Long Island, sharing a border with the borough of Queens. Brooklyn got its name after the Dutch village of “Breukelen”. It is the third largest city of America and home to the second largest black population of any city in North America.

It is home of many iconic New York attractions – Brooklyn Bridge, East River Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Coney Island, the New York Aquarium and Prospect Park.

Runners commuting Manhattan Brooklyn bridge New York, USA
Runners commuting Manhattan Brooklyn bridge New York, USA

Though it is an industrial port, Brooklyn Heights is one of the most beautiful areas here. The most fun area of Brooklyn is Williamsburg with its large number of dining places, artists, hipster culture and numerous entertaining events. Did you know, Brooklyn boasts the best views of the Manhattan skyline from anywhere in the city.

On account of its ample employment opportunities, affordable rental homes, elite private schools, proximity to Manhattan, community events and green recreational parks it has become the top living destination and the most populated borough of New York City. Interestingly, over 200 different languages are spoken here.

For many of the Deaf and hard of hearing individuals in this city, American Sign Language (ASL) is their primary mode of communication.

There are a few key things to consider when providing ASL interpreting services in New York City.

  1. Certification and training: In order to provide professional ASL interpreting services in New York City, it is important to have the necessary certification and training. This typically includes a bachelor’s degree in interpreting, along with certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or another recognized interpreting organization.
  2. Knowledge of the local deaf community: It is important for ASL interpreters in New York City to have a strong understanding of the local deaf community and its needs. This includes knowledge of local resources, events, and organizations that serve the deaf community.
  3. Cultural competency: New York City is a diverse city with a wide range of cultural backgrounds. It is important for ASL interpreters to be culturally competent and adapt to the needs and preferences of the individuals they are interpreting for.
  4. Flexibility: ASL interpreting services in New York City can be needed in a variety of settings, from medical appointments to business meetings to social events. Interpreters must be flexible and adapt to a wide range of environments and situations.

Overall, providing ASL interpreting services in New York City requires a strong combination of education, knowledge of the local deaf community, cultural competency, and flexibility. By meeting these requirements, ASL Interpreters can help ensure that deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the city have access to the information and resources they need to fully participate in their communities.

Inclusive Communication Services was founded by two professional sign language interpreters, Tyler Herron and Shelby Edwards, and is powered by a diverse team of accessibility professionals, operating across the northeastern region of the United States, serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. It is devoted to providing custom services that meet a diverse range of consumers, budgets and timelines.

Since starting, Inclusive Communication Services has expanded its accommodation services throughout the Northeast, emerging as a leading, dependable community resource for holistic and economic accessibility solutions. ICS continues to raise the bar for the accessibility profession through industry-leading commitments to ethical services, continued professional development, provider-friendly contracting and community-support initiatives.

ICS’s mission is to provide affordable, reliable and quality resources for premium spoken and sign language interpreting, translation, captioning, and media accessibility services. Inclusive Communication Services is committed to providing premium ADA compliance (Americans with Disabilities Act) through reputable service professionals. Their services include sign language interpreting, spoken language interpreting, translation, caption transcription and media accessibility services for the Deaf, Deaf Blind, Blind, low-vision, late-deafened, hard of hearing and Limited English Proficient (LEP).

ICS is dedicated to improving inclusion in our local communities by contributing pro bono services to budget-restricted organizations and donating to inclusion-expansion efforts in underfunded schools for the Deaf.

Inclusive Communication Services aims to improve inclusion in the community through affordable accommodation services and by awareness of the American Disabilities Act and accessibility best practices. ICS works tirelessly to ensure our clients receive individualized and inclusive accommodation services that omit the anxiety of language boundaries.

Our highly motivated, credentialed and renowned American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and spoken language interpreters are always  prepared to go the extra mile to create inclusive and equally accessible events, media, and workspaces.

At Inclusive Communication Services, we are determined to improve inclusion in the communities we serve through premium interpreting, translation, captioning and media accessibility by making every service request an inclusive experience at an affordable price.

What Our Customers are Saying...​

Check out what our New York sign language and caption customers are saying about the inclusive experience!

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4.7
Based on 167 Reviews
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Woodstove Studios
January 1, 2025

Watching the livestream ASL webcast of the NYC NYE ball drop was incredible! The interpreters brought such upbeat energy. It’s amazing to see an event of this scale prioritize accessibility so the Deaf community can enjoy the experience too. Huge thanks to ICS for making this possible—what a fantastic way to ring in the new year!

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Queer Yiddish Camp
November 25, 2024

The team was really supportive in helping us find excellent, well-matched interpreters for a 2 week program and helping us fill last-minute gaps in our schedule when some non-ICS interpreters canceled. Very responsive, patient, and professional!

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David Chitanava
November 22, 2024

I discovered Inclusive ASL through a referral from a colleague in the industry, and they have proven to be reliable partners for translation and interpretation services. I've been a client for over a year now, and I am always confident in the exceptional quality and timely delivery of their services. I’m glad to be doing business with them.

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NYC MEA _
November 6, 2024

The team at ICS provided an exceptional experience from start to finish. We greatly appreciate the thoughtfulness of the ASL interpreters, their professional manners, and IT savviness. Delighted to be a partner with ICS and look forward to future projects.

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Heather Schmerman
November 3, 2024

What a wonderful service! They are so supportive of the Deaf community and theatre too!

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Andrew Zhang
October 23, 2024

What an amazing addition to Comicon! To have a place where people of all backgrounds can gather and experience the glorious pastime that is D&D! ICS truly lives up to its name and I'm eternally grateful to have had this experience!

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Thomas McCullough
October 22, 2024

ICS not only provided essential services at the New York Comic-Con, but created a welcoming space for gamers of all walks of life. I enjoyed quality audio description alongside other gamers with disabilities, and not only felt included but felt valued and part of a growing community. I would love to see similar spaces at more Comic-Cons in the future.

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Bea Mienik
October 20, 2024
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So great to see deaf services and community at new york comic con!

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Steffi Stephan
October 19, 2024

First time seeing an actual INCLUSIVE gaming space. So cool to game in a tactile way. Such a unique gaming experience!

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Chelsea Trotti
October 18, 2024

Thank you so much ICS for providing incredible accessible spaces and opportunities for gaming at comic con! It was wonderful talking to you all at your booth! Thank you for being here and the work that you do! So excited to game with you again!

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Connor Giannetto
October 18, 2024

Awsome people i learned so much

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Alicia Melendez
October 18, 2024

I learned so much at this event and look forward to sharing what I learned.

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Lis Eve
October 18, 2024
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Lampra Jones
October 18, 2024

Amazing time and experience. Can’t wait for next year.

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Mary Laborde
October 18, 2024
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Simprilliant
October 18, 2024
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Valery Caputi Lopez
October 18, 2024
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Tabi Oliver
October 18, 2024

Super nice people, very friendly!

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david oliver
October 18, 2024

Great Photo Booth! We love it!

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Ellie
October 18, 2024

Fun!

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Cara Reichel
October 18, 2024

Flexible and Responsive!

We had a very positive experience working with Inclusive Communication Services. They were flexible and responsive to our needs for our annual fundraising Gala, which was a musical theater program featuring both speeches and song lyrics. The interpreters they provided were wonderful and added so much to our special event : )

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Jay lee
October 17, 2024
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Gina Goodwoman
October 17, 2024
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Brooke Bogart
October 17, 2024
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Candace Bravo
October 16, 2024

Working with ICS was a pleasure from start to finish. They responded quickly to my inquiry and were able to provide a competent interpreter for a major charity event. The interpreter arrived on time and was prepared for the job, which was executed in excellence.

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Mikahla Coulter
October 11, 2024

This internship was a great experience! I especially loved that my program was led by a Deaf coordinator, who worked hard to make sure my time at this agency was great. The interpreters that I worked with were happy to work with me, as well as provided constructive feedback for me as someone who is just beginning in this industry.

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Miriam Morrow
October 1, 2024

Great quality studio recording and provides accessible media services!

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Cara Reichel
October 1, 2024

We worked with ICS on our company's annual fundraising Gala -- which included not only speeches but interpretations of song performances. They were wonderful to work with, highly adaptable to our needs and wonderfully warm and supportive in their services! Thanks to all who helped us with our special night!

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Jo Jones
September 26, 2024

We had three sign language interpreters and one CART captioner attend our event in September 2024 and they were absolutely fantastic.

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Lilly Sandberg
September 13, 2024

Wonderful, accessible services

Inclusive ASL is responsive, helpful, kind, and they have provided our clients with excellent interpretation. They go the extra mile to accommodate each client's individual needs, and they make it such a smooth and easy process to work with them. I can't recommend their services more highly!

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Melissa Pagnotta
September 3, 2024

Worked with them to promote an accessible event we were hosting, and they were very helpful. Their Access New York calendar is a fantastic resource for finding accessible events in the area!

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Theo Kolbrener
September 3, 2024

Affordable + Amazing ASL Services! Would recommend

Inclusive Communication went above and beyond to work within our budget. IC is the most affordable ASL interpreting service I have worked with. Shelby at IC also went above and beyond in her understanding and dedication to providing interpreters from a specific identity group. IC made booking very straightforward and were very responsive to all questions and requests. Thank you Inclusive Communication!!

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Theo Kolbrener
September 3, 2024

Inclusive Communication went above and beyond to work within our budget. IC is the most affordable ASL interpreting service I have worked with. Shelby at IC also went above and beyond in her understanding and dedication to providing interpreters from a specific identity group. IC made booking very straightforward and were very responsive to all questions and requests. Thank you Inclusive Communication!!

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Hector Rivera
August 30, 2024

We value the ICS calendar as a bridge to reach our community for our accesible off-broadway events. Thank you for having this tool!

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Antuan Byers
August 29, 2024

Inclusive Communications Services (ICS) has been an invaluable partner for our organization for the past three years. As a Black-led organization serving the Black community and people of color, it is crucial for us to ensure that our events are accessible to everyone, which is why we prioritize having ASL interpretation available. ICS has consistently provided us with top-notch ASL interpreters, and we appreciate their commitment to connecting us with interpreters of color who can better resonate with our community. The staff at ICS is not only professional and reliable but also incredibly personable. Their dedication to understanding our specific needs and providing tailored services has made working with them a seamless and enjoyable experience. We wholeheartedly trust ICS to deliver exceptional interpreting services for our events, and we couldn't recommend them more highly. If you are looking for a reliable, inclusive, and personable ASL interpreting organization, ICS is the way to go.

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Kevin Gilligan
August 21, 2024

The folks at Inclusive Communication Services were quick to respond when we had a late request for ASL interpreter services for our event. Community is important and ensuring that everyone in our community feels that they are included helps ensure our success. Thank you to Shelby, Noel, and our interpreters for helping to make sure that our event was accessible for our deaf/heard of hearing attendees.

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Benjamin Donnelly
August 14, 2024

Great service and accommodated our short notice request!

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Kaitlyn Ryan
August 7, 2024

Inclusive Communication Services provided CART captioning for two screenings at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival this year and I could not be more impressed and thrilled with their services. Their response time to my inquiry was quick, they are very professional and detailed oriented and requested a lot of preliminary information before the event to be prepared for what we were providing to our audiences. I will use this service for all of my events in the future.