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Author: Michelle Jay

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Gallaudet University

by Abby Doss | 2 March 2021 Throughout the years, Gallaudet University has been known by many different names. Gallaudet is located in Northeast Washington, D.C. Its history begins in

The Organization of Deaf Society

by Olivia Honeycutt | 25 September 2019 The entire world is a built for Hearing people. Despite having no real connection to one another, no defining features other than those

ASL Interpretation in the Medical Field

by Teagan North (09/08/2020) Almost everyone is a consumer of health care services at some point in their lives. Doctor’s appointments and trips to the emergency room can require patients

Martha’s Vineyard 

by Nicole Colterman (08/27/2020) Martha’s Vineyard, home of astonishing landscapes, fishing towns, marvelous summer homes and one of the first known deaf communities in the United States. From the late

Sordo

by Rocio Caceres (7/23/2020) Sordo or The Silent War (English title) is a Spanish movie released in 2019 and directed by Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas. Sordo’s genre falls between a few categories like drama, western, thriller,

Deaf Culture Values: Deafness

One of the most beautiful aspects of Deaf Culture is the value Deaf people put on their own deafness (their hearing loss). This is known throughout the Deaf community as

Deaf Culture Values: Sign Language

American Sign Language is the most highly regarded asset of Deaf Culture. ASL is the natural language of the Deaf, so a strong goal of Deaf advocacy is to preserve

Deaf Culture Values: Art and Literature

The Deaf highly value the literature and art of their culture. Deaf Culture art and literature is how the Deaf share their values with future generations – their values of

#IloveStartASL Contest 2020 – Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Begins at 6:00:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) on June 26, 2020. Ends at 11:59:00

Deaf Classroom Design

by Michelle Waldo | August 28, 2018 When I was in college I spent a semester interning at Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services (D&HHS) in Grand Rapids, MI. One

Gallaudet University

by Madeline Huwaldt | October 3, 2018 Gallaudet University was founded in 1864 and is located in Washington D.C and is a federally chartered private school. Originally Gallaudet was a

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Deaf Culture
Famous Deaf People

No Hearing People Here! Deaf people have been more in the spotlight than you may realize. There are so many famous deaf people and famous hard of hearing people who

Children of a Lesser God

Children of a Lesser God is a 1986 film that, we believe, brought Deaf Culture and the values of deaf people into the public spotlight. If you have never seen

Deaf Culture Do’s and Don’ts

Learning the nuances of Deaf Culture can be difficult for new American Sign Language students. Below you can find some tips and insights about interacting in the Deaf community submitted

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Baby Sign Language
Teach Your Baby Sign Language

12 Easy Steps for Communication with Your Baby Let me guess…your baby is crying uncontrollably and you want to know what he wants so your ears can take a break.

Abbe de L’Epee

Abbe de L’Epee, a French Catholic priest, founded the first social and religious association for deaf people around 1750. L’Epee’s full name was Abbe Charles Michel de L’Epee and he

Laura Bridgman – The First Helen Keller

Laura Bridgman was the first deaf-blind person to learn language. When you think about the first deaf-blind child to be educated, you will most likely think of Helen Keller. In

Deaf President Now (DPN)

A big event that occurred in Deaf history was the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement. DPN was a huge protest at Gallaudet University that started in March of 1988. The

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ASL Dictionary
American Sign Language Phrases

A great introduction to learning ASL is studying American Sign Language phrases. While doing this, you can get a great taste of vocabulary as well as begin to understand the

Linda Bove – “Linda the Librarian”

Linda Bove was born on November 30, 1945 in Garfield, New Jersey to deaf parents. She majored in library science at Gallaudet University and received her bachelor’s degree in 1968.

Sue Thomas

Sue Thomas was a deaf undercover specialist for the FBI. She was the inspiration for the TV series Sue Thomas: FBEye, an international speaker, author, and founder of Kennels of

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Deaf History
History of American Sign Language

The history of American Sign Language is unique compared to the history of sign language in general. It didn’t truly begin until 1814 when deaf education was introduced to the

Famous Deaf Actors – Bringing ASL to Life

Truly Inspirational There have been several famous deaf actors in the media that have made significant contributions to the deaf community and hearing society. If not for them and their

Hearing Loss or Deafness Gain?

Hearing loss is more like “Deafness Gain” to people who are part of Deaf Culture. The loss of hearing is actually a very small part of being a Deaf person.

Becoming a Sign Language Interpreter

Becoming an American Sign Language interpreter is a very popular choice for many ASL students. People choose to become interpreters because they love American Sign Language, love Deaf people, and

Marlee Matlin – Deaf Academy Award Winner

Marlee Matlin was born in Morton Grove, Illinois on August 24th, 1965. After she came down with the German Measles at the age of eighteen months, she lost her hearing

Deaf Culture Art / Deaf Art

Deaf culture art is a cultural art that reaches both positive and negative ends of the spectrum unlike any other. You can learn so much about the Deaf simply by

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Deaf Culture
Over 50 of the Best Deaf Jokes

Here are some of the best deaf jokes we’ve heard over the years: The Motel A deaf couple check into a motel and go to bed early. The wife wakes

Fingerspelling in American Sign Language

As you are learning sign language, you need to master the skill of American Sign Language fingerspelling (spelling out words by hand one letter at a time). In American Sign

Deaf Alarm Clock

Many people wonder how deaf people are able to wake up if they can’t hear an alarm. However, with the advent of new technology for the deaf, waking up is

Cochlear Implants – A Cultural Threat

This article discusses a common Deaf cultural view of cochlear implants. Not everyone shares these views and this article is for educational purposes only. The company’s name used throughout the

The Best Baby Sign Language Books

At Start ASL, you can teach your baby sign language in 12 easy steps. Baby Sign Language Books Another great way to learn is to use highly recommended baby sign

American Sign Language

American Sign Language (ASL) is the natural language of around 500,000 deaf people in the US and Canada. A “natural” language is a language that is learned as a first

Who Invented Sign Language?

The question of who invented sign language has sparked much debate and has a vague answer. If you want to know who invented sign language, you need to analyze the events

Quality Sign Language Gifts

Great Ideas for that Perfect Gift! There are so many great gifts available to give to a friend or relative who loves ASL! Check out some of our favorites below:

The Best Sign Language Book Recommendations

There are so many wonderful sign language books for learning American Sign Language! Unfortunately, many of the newer books are internationally produced and wildly inaccurate. We know the best sign

Shoshannah Stern

Shoshannah Stern is a well known deaf actress who is best known for her roles as Bonnie Richmond in Jericho, Holly Brodeen in Threat Matrix, and Megan Graves on Weeds.

Deaf Olympics “Deaflympics”

The Deaf Olympics, known as the Deaflympics, are international athletic competitions for the deaf. The Deaflympics started in Paris in 1924 and have had three official names: “International Games for

Free Basic Sign Language Chart

Below is a printable free basic sign language chart image and PDF. Download Our Free Basic Sign Language Chart PDF Keep in mind that you will need Adobe Reader in

I LOVE YOU Sign Language Sign

The Truth Behind the Sign I read something incredibly amusing today about the “I Love You” sign language sign. I read the “article” on a page called Signs of Satan.

An Interview with Jamie Berke

An Interview with the Famous (Now Former) About.com Deafness Guide If you have ever researched deafness, deaf people, or sign language online, you have most likely landed on one of

Our Favorite Sign Language Flashcards

Using sign language flashcards is a great way to retain the ASL you’re learning when taking an ASL course. But you must be careful – most flashcards on the market

Interpreting Songs for the Deaf

Signing songs for the deaf is a great way for students to learn a LOT of vocabulary and retain that vocabulary for a long time. If you need to interpret

The Best Songs in Sign Language

American Sign Language is a very expressive language. Songs in sign language are therefore equally expressive and many times are more expressive than their purely vocal versions. If you’re interested

Through Deaf Eyes

Through Deaf Eyes is the most informational movie about Deaf people. Most hearing people are completely clueless when it comes to Deaf people, the Deaf community, and Deaf culture. This film

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Deaf Culture
Deaf Culture Essentials

Learning about Deaf Culture is perhaps the most important part of learning ASL. Deaf Culture was first truly recognized in 1965. The idea that Deaf people had a culture of

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Deaf History
History of Sign Language – Deaf History

The events that occurred in the history of sign language are actually pretty shocking. How deaf people experience life today is directly related to how they were treated in the

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Take ASL 1 For Free!

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