International Digital Centre partners with Access Broadway to launch in-house ASL department

International Digital Centre (IDC) is proud to announce the launch of its fully in-house American Sign Language (ASL) department, marking a significant expansion of its accessibility services.

To guide the development, IDC has partnered with ACCESS Broadway NY (ABNY), a collective of Disabled consultants and strategists founded by Maria Porto. ABNY brings lived experience and a deep understanding of access, particularly within the theatre and media sectors.

“As accessibility pioneers in the theatre space, ABNY was the perfect choice to help us lay the foundation for a strong, inclusive ASL department,” said IDC’s VP of Accessibility Services, Eric Wickstrom. “As an ASL user herself, Maria was our first—and only—call.”

The new department will be staffed by Deaf engineers and Deaf editors, placing community leadership at the center of the process. IDC will offer services in American Sign Language, Black American Sign Language (BASL), and Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL), ensuring linguistic and cultural representation.

Bringing the ASL department entirely in-house allows IDC to deliver consistent, high-quality accessibility solutions from within and integrated into all stages of production, ensuring that access is no longer an afterthought.

ABNY, grounded in the principle of “nothing about us without us,” ensures that all access decisions are shaped by Disabled professionals.

This partnership sets a new standard for inclusive media, ensuring accessibility is not only present—but led by the communities it serves.