Visual Language Interpreting and Caption First Merge to Create A Total Communication Access Company for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Customers

From: VLI and Caption First - Oct 19, 2006

Visual Language Interpreting and Caption First Merge to Create A Total Communication Access Company for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Customers

October 17, 2006

Washington, DC -- Visual Language Interpreting (VLI), a leading provider of sign language interpreting services, has announced that it will merge with Caption First, the most prominent CART/captioning company in the country.

The merged company will become the first full-service provider of communication access services for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities, offering expertise in the provision of both sign language interpreting and CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation)/captioning services.

"Historically, the market for communication access services for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities has been very segmented between interpreting companies and CART/captioning companies," explained Tara Arthur, president of VLI. "While many interpreting companies will offer CART/captioning services as an ancillary line, and vice versa for CART/captioning companies, this merger represents a convergence of the leaders in these two market segments. With the ability to provide complete communication access solutions for our Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing customers, we become the 'total access' company."

The combination of the two companies not only brings together an incredible depth and breadth of expertise, but also represents the fusion of philosophies about how communication access services should be provided.

"Caption First and VLI are a natural fit for one another because both organizations were built upon the premise of providing only the highest quality services to our customers," said Pat Graves, president of Caption First. "Caption First and VLI both insist that our teams earn and maintain national certification. In a market where demand for communication access services far outstrips the supply of qualified realtime writers and interpreters, I am proud that each company has held firm to such rigorous quality standards."

With offices in Washington, DC, Chicago, and Denver, and a coast-to-coast network of nationally certified sign language interpreters and realtime writers, the combined company will be positioned to provide quality-centered communication access services nationwide.

The innovative ways in which Visual Language Interpreting and Caption First have provided greater customer service will be continued and amplified in the merged organization. Features such as VLI's proprietary online account management system and Caption First's revolutionary netCAPTION service will be available to the combined customer base.

It is anticipated that the transaction will close in January 2007, whereupon the two companies will consolidate their operations and offerings.

For more information contact: info@vli-dc.com or info@captionfirst.com.

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