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Services

The Deaf Society's Interpreting Service (now known as Sign Language Communications NSW) is the longest running Auslan interpreting service in NSW, with many years of experience and expertise in interpreting and working within the Deaf community. The service also provides a notetakers for situations where Deaf, hard of hearing or hearing people that wish to have meetings or classes recorded. For more information on Notetakers, click here.
Sign Language Communications NSW (SLC NSW) has the largest register of interpreters and provide interpreters and notetakers throughout NSW and the ACT. It is the only interpreting service where all profits are invested back into services which benefit the Deaf community.
 

Types of interpreting situations
SLC NSW provides a professional and innovative interpreting service in a range of settings where Deaf and hearing people want or need to communicate with each other. Our interpreters work between Auslan (Australian Sign Language) and English. SLC NSW also provides interpreters for people who are Deafblind (offering a range of Deafblind interpreting modes) and for Deaf people who need a Deaf (Relay) Interpreter.

 
Interpreting for the NSW Governor

SLC NSW provides a comprehensive fee-for-service interpreting service in settings such as:

  • Job interviews
  • Vocational training
  • Seminars
  • Conferences
  • Education (eg university courses, parent-teacher interviews)
  • Staff meetings

 

 

SLC NSW also provides fee-for-service interpreting when required for:

  • Court work
  • Police matters
  • Public hospitals

SLC NSW provides free interpreting for funerals and other life important events. For private legal or financial appointments, strata meetings and certain other settings the cost of interpreting may be negotiated.

SLC NSW can provide interpreting onsite or via Video Conferencing Technology. To find out more about Video Remote Interpreting, click here.

Who uses sign language interpreting services?
Sign languages were not 'made up' but developed naturally, just as spoken languages did. This is why there is no 'universal' sign language. The sign language used in Australia is Auslan (Australian Sign Language). Auslan and English are quite separate and different languages. English is very much a second language for many Deaf people for whom Auslan is their first or preferred language.

A Deaf Society of NSW study in 1999 showed that there were approximately 6,400 Deaf people in NSW who used sign language to communicate. Many of these individuals will require or prefer an interpreter in order to achieve meaningful communication with hearing people.

However, it is important to remember that our hearing clients require the interpreter as much as the Deaf person does. After all, most Deaf people are more fluent in English than the average hearing person is in Auslan!
 

Hearing professionals also have a responsibility to ensure that their Deaf clients or patients give informed consent. In many if not most cases, this means that both parties need the services of an interpreter.

Either party - Deaf or hearing - can request an interpreter.

To see testimonials from some of our clients, click here.
   
Translation Service
Notetaking Service