Center to enhance operational efficiency and lower governmental operating costs as directed by President Obama
MONTEREY, Calif., Jan. 31, 2012 — In response to federal government foreign language mandates for limited English proficient (LEP) populations and the need stressed by President Obama to identify solutions that leverage new technology to improve public service and lower operational costs, Language Line Services announced the launch of a Foreign Language Center of Excellence (COE) for government agencies.
"The idea is to provide limited English-speaking populations with efficient and streamlined access to a full complement of language services from the federal Government," said Louis F. Provenzano, Jr., President & CEO of Language Line Services, the global leader in interpretation and translation services. "The Foreign Language Center of Excellence represents a new way to provide language services in a comprehensive, automated and cost-effective manner. In addition to helping reduce government operating costs, this program will help enable a more consistent and positive customer experience. The options can be tailored to each agency's unique needs, and all language access activity can be channeled through a central Web-based portal."
The country's combined ethnic minorities are projected to become the majority by 2050, according to the Pew Research Center, and the U.S. population is expected to swell to 438 million over the next 40 years with immigrants driving 82 percent of the growth.
An online portal will provide streamlined language service access and offer full integration with existing government systems.
Agencies will be able to manage important tasks such as obtaining:
- Phone interpretation service;
- Document translation;
- Localization ("translating" websites and other online communications);
- Cultural sensitivity training;
- Language proficiency testing; and
- Demographic data analysis services.
The portal offers "anytime, anywhere" flexibility through virtually any device including a smartphone, desktop, laptop or tablet computer. Users will be able to submit requests for reports, metrics, training information and more from virtually any telecommunication system.
The mandates driving the development of the portal include:
- Executive Order 13571, "Improving Customer Service";
- Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency"; and
- Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 5160.41E, "Defense Language Program."
Read more about the Language Center of Excellence in this newly published white paper: "A Foreign Language Center of Excellence: A New Foreign Language Services Delivery Concept" here (PDF).
About Language Line Services
Language Line Services, the global leader in telephone interpreting and language solutions, serves clients in government, healthcare, telecommunications, financial services, utilities, insurance and many other industries by quickly connecting them to their customers, patients and sales prospects in more than 170 spoken languages as well as American Sign Language (ASL) and Mexican Sign Language (LSM). Language Line Services is recognized as a trusted partner to thousands of public and private organizations throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, providing easy access to the industry's fastest language interpreting service at highly competitive rates. For more information about Language Line Services' suite of telephone, on-site and video interpreting, document translation, interpreter assessment and training programs, please call (800) 752-6096 or visit http://www.languageline.com.
Contact:
Trent Freeman
Olmstead Williams Communications
310.824.9000
Email
http://www.olmsteadwilliams.com
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