About Us
Access Alliance Language Services (AALS) has been offering high quality language access services to health care, social service agencies, and the broader public and private sectors in the Greater Toronto Area since 1990.
At AALS, we recognize the importance of offering high quality, accessible language services for clients, patients, and their families and communities.
We are a team of coordination staff and accredited language professionals who provide a wide range of services including interpretation (on-site and remote), translation, audio/video language recordings, interpreter professional development training, and consulting and training services to support organizations achieve their language access goals and meet the language needs of the individuals, families, and communities they serve.
Since our inception, we have been continually committed to:
- Developing standards for interpreter training and practice
- Working toward the regulation of interpretation as a profession
- Advocating with service providers and other professionals about the value of working with qualified, professional interpreters.
Access Alliance is an active member of the Ontario Council on Community Interpreting and was instrumental in the development of a National Standards Guide for Interpretation (PDF).
Any proceeds from AALS are invested back into initiatives and programs aimed at improving quality service delivery for the vulnerable groups that we serve.
Our expertise
AALS interpreters work to the highest standards of practice in community interpreting in health care and social services settings. All of our interpreters are:
- Screened for suitability
- Tested for language proficiency and aptitude for interpreting using provincially accepted language and interpretation skills assessment tools (CILISAT and ILSAT)
- Graduates of a recognized community interpreting core competency training program (currently preference is given to applicants who have graduated from the Ontario College Language Interpreter Training Program – LITP)
- Trained in Medical Terminology through a college-level course
In addition, each interpreter participates in ongoing professional development opportunities at Access Alliance and elsewhere, and ongoing quality assurance initiatives.
Our standards for community interpreting are informed by and adhere to the NSGCIS (National Standard Guide on Community Interpreting Services). Access Alliance actively participated in the development of the National Standard Guide and continues to engage in efforts to standardize and professionalize the sector through its active participation in the Ontario Council on Community Interpreting.
AALS is certified in the following International and Canadian standards for interpretation and translation:
- ISO 17100:2015-05 Translation services – Requirements for translation services
- CAN/CGSB-131.10-2017 Translation Services
- NSGCIS-AILIA Certification (National Standard Guide for Community Interpreting Services) .
