Gracias VRS is a Division of ASL Services Holdings LLC, an FCC Eligible VRS Provider

Archive for June, 2011

Deaf Wet N’ Wild Bash!

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Deaf Wet N’ Wild Bash!
Date: Saturday, July 16th, 2011
Time: 9am to 6pm
Location: Wet N’ Wild Orlando

On Saturday July 16th come join Gracias VRS for some wet fun at the Deaf Wet N Wild Bash in Orlando FL! GraciasVRS welcomes you to stop by our table to get some free sun block to protect yourself and pick up a complimentary GraciasVRS bag for your wet clothes.

Gracias VRS Cares!

visit www.wetnwildorlando.com to get your admission tickets online.

 

THE PR BAREA-FEVER!

Friday, June 24th, 2011

ASL Services Latino and Gracias VRS became co sponsors of the welcoming event for Jose Juan Barea in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico by providing interpretation services to the Deaf community of the West side of the Island. Today June 23rd, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. the Barea-Fever started when hundreds of people attended the event held at the Public Square in the middle of downtown Mayagüez. Jose Juan Barea was born and raised in this municipality of the island. The people from his hometown Mayagüez feel extremely proud of his success in the NBA, specifically by helping the Dallas Mavericks to become National Champions.

More than 30 people from the Deaf Community attended the event and were very happy to see it interpreted live. They commented that they were very happy that these  two companies were able to sponsor the interpretation service. One of the Deaf at the event commented” I am amazed that they thought about us, never before had I seen Interpreters in an event like this” another Deaf said “ I am from Cabo Rojo and I told my husband that we should attend because our Deaf friends told us that the event had interpreters present, I could not believe it but there they were, we are very happy”  Another group of Deaf people present said that  they were form Mayagüez and that they felt very  Proud for Barea because he is from their hometown.

We also had the opportunity to interview the interpreters.  Mrs Moreno, one of the interpreters said “ from the stage we could see a lot of people, the Deaf in the crowd made the I love you sign to us which made me feel good with the work we were doing”, Mr Gilberto García, Director of ASL Services Latino in the island said” the energy and the emotiveness of the people could be easily felt, the Deaf present were waiving and signing at us and at the end some of them came to say thank you”

We would like to honor and give special thanks to the Mayor of Mayagúuez, Jose Guillermo Rodríguez, for allowing that the

interpreters could be provided for the accessibility of the Deaf community of the West Side of the island and especially for those that live in Mayagüez.

 

Tijuana SVR A.C. is part of Mexican Deaf History

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

At the seminar SEÑALEES, Septimo Seminario Talleres, Modelo Educativo Bilingüe para el Niño Sordo, held in Mexico City, the educator, David Alejandro Torres López presented his book, “Estrategias y recursos para el desarrollo de competencias en el niño Sordo, Modelo de la Educación Intercultural Bilingüe.” Chapter IV of this book is entitled, Kofotecnología, which includes the subheading Videollamada y videoconferencia. Mr. Torres addressed the topic of how technology is being used more in order for Mexican Deaf people to be able to communicate. Torres enlists examples of programs used and revealed that Tijuana SVR is a company that has quality service that provide interpreters in real-time in ASL, LSM, Spanish, and English. Some community service organizations have contracted this company permanently in order to be able to prove accessibility interaction with the deaf community. This is a hallmark in Mexico’s history since there is NO other service available other than Tijuana SVR A.C.

 

Tijuana SVR A.C. is a not for profit agency based in Mexico, establishing new communication resources and opportunities for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and hearing communities, such as Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), Video Interpreted Calls (VIC) and Sign language interpreting services in Mexican Sign Language (LSM), American Sign Language (ASL), spoken Spanish and English.

 

Angela Roth is founding member of Tijuana SVR A.C., President and owner of Gracias VRS, American Sign Language Services Inc based in Florida, USA and ASL Services Latino Inc based in Puerto Rico, serving the Caribbean, along with Sergio Peña, first and currently only Sign Language interpreter to hold national certification in both Mexico and United States. They are joined by José Luís Cruz, a Mexican Sign Language interpreter, information and computer system technician. Tijuana SVR A.C. can be reached at (011-52-664) 684-8170, from Mexico 01-800-788-2661, 01-664-684-8170 by VP tijuanasvr.dyndns.tv, e-mail: info@tijuanasvr.org. Learn more about TSVR at http://www.tijuanasvr.org/

 

Deaf Spotlight: Jason Hurdich

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Key Contractor with ASL Services Takes Home Award with Vcom3D, Inc. Team
Jason Hurdich
Attending the 2010 National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) National Conference in Washington D.C. was Jason Hurdich. Mr. Hurdich and his Vcom3D team won the Brightest Idea Award, voted on by peers and experts in their field at the Conference’s Tech Exposition, a showcase of emerging and exciting technologies and research (http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/conf10-tech-expo/).

 

Mr. Hurdich is a valued contractor with ASL Services, Inc. and Team Leader of Sign Language Projects for Vcom3D, Inc., a local research firm located in Orlando, FL. According to Mr. Hurdich, “Vcom3D’s goal has always been to deliver the most realistic and expressive virtual human technology to their wide spectrum of clients.” Proving this at the NCTI Conference, he led the Vcom3D team in demonstrating their research project, “How the Signing Math and Science Dictionaries Support Deaf/Hard of Hearing Learners,” utilizing signing 3-D avatars (see demos at: http://www.youtube.com/vcom3d#p/a/u/0/dpj5lWLujZs and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbWf79mRoTk).

 

Jason Hurdich, a deaf and native ASL signer, currently works with ASL Services, Inc. as the Interns’ Logistics Coordinator, utilizing tools to support emerging interpreters, as an Interpreter Evaluator, and as a Deaf Interpreter for community requests. He also manages the research partnerships between Vcom3D and several universities, including Gallaudet University. In addition to this, Mr. Hurdich represents Florida Association of the Deaf (FAD) for the Florida Coordinating Council of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (FCCDHH) Legal Accessibility Task Force.

 

Mr. Hurdich has taught American Sign Language and ASL/English at major colleges and universities for the past 18 years. He currently teaches at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and Valencia Community College as well as coordinates and coaches the UCF ASL Team that performs the national anthem at every Orlando Magic home game. In his spare time, when he actually has it, Jason enjoys spending time with his family and catching some good sports games.

 

 

 

 

 

Porting 10 Digit Numbers

Monday, June 6th, 2011

The local number you receive from Gracias VRS can be “ported” to another VRS provider. In addition, you can “port” a local number from another VRS provider to Gracias VRS. Porting numbers means that the default provider for that telephone number will change and the new VRS provider will be responsible for VRS calls to and from that telephone number, including emergency calls. When you are considering porting a number to Gracias VRS, please contact our customer service department and we will assist you.