The idea for DEAF Way was a collaborative effort of several employees of Paraquad, Inc., an independent living center located in St. Louis. The mission of the ILC is to help people with disabilities learn to be as independent as possible in their community.

DEAF Way is a natural extension of this mission.

In March of 1998, a committee of Deaf, and dedicated staff of Paraquad got together to flesh out the mission and vision of this organization. It had to fit with the Independent Living philosophy of Paraquad, and still maintain its autonomy. The name DEAF Way was thought to encompass the true essence of the company in that we wanted to make it clear to the community of Deaf and the people who interact with them that we are customer driven.

The Deaf know best what their needs are on a day-to-day basis for communication, so, naturally, they should be the ones molding the way we do our business.

DEAF Way was created with a unique vision in mind: We wanted to provide interpreting services that empowered people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to have a clear, effective communication in any situation. We provide the very best interpreters and ensure that all DEAF Way services meet or exceed customers' expectations. A committee comprised of people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing governed DEAF Way. Feedback from our advisory committee helps us to stay as responsive as possible to our consumers and the issues regarding interpreting services.

DEAF Way prides itself on providing the most qualified interpreters in the St. Louis area. We require that all of our interpreters hold a Missouri certification at a level three (3) or above and current licensure. We also encourage our staff to acquire national certification from The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Several staff are nationally certified with the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and National Association for the Deaf. Additionally, we require our interpreters to get ongoing training in various specialty areas of interpreting such as legal, medical, religious, and mental health settings. This enables us to match the most appropriately trained interpreter with the assignments that we get from the community.

Our company has grown in leaps and bounds from the humble office of one interpreter to a fully trained staff of 9 full-time staff interpreters, 3 support staff, 2 part-time interpreter staff and a list of Deaf professionals who serve as Communication Development Specialists.

Contact DEAF Way today and see how we can provide a solution for your interpreting needs.