Learn Sign Language with Our Complete 3-Level Course
So you’re ready to learn sign language… And it couldn’t be easier to start! If you want to learn sign language, then you’ve come to the right place. The Start […]
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So you’re ready to learn sign language… And it couldn’t be easier to start! If you want to learn sign language, then you’ve come to the right place. The Start […]
No Hearing People Here! Deaf people have been more in the spotlight than you know. There are so many famous deaf people and famous hard of hearing people who have […]
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. […]
Ludwig Van Beethoven was completely deaf for the last part of his life and yet managed to produce some of the greatest music of all time. Beethoven Articles by Students […]
LeRoy Colombo was a famous deaf lifeguard entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for saving 907 lives. Leroy Colombo Articles by Students LeRoy Colombo by Leah Ward (Williamsburg, […]
William Stokoe – or William C. Stokoe Jr. – changed the course of American Sign Language history. Before Stokoe, ASL was not seen as a real language. It was seen […]
Laurent Clerc played a significant part in the history of American Sign Language and was the first deaf teacher of the deaf in America. He was also among the first […]
Laura Redden Searing was born in 1839 and is best known for being the first deaf female journalist. She was sent by the St. Louis Republican to cover the American Civil […]
Sean Berdy is a deaf actor, comedian and dancer. He was in Sandlot 2, Legend of the Mountain Man, The Deaf Family, and is best known for his role as […]
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 […]
Julia Brace was a deaf-blind girl who was born before both Laura Bridgman and Helen Keller. She was successfully educated, but lost the credit as the first to Helen Keller. […]
Heather Whitestone McCallum is known as “Miss Deaf America” (even though Miss Deaf America is a different pageant). She was the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss America in […]
George Veditz was a former president of the National Association of the Deaf of the United States and was one of the first to film American Sign Language. George William […]
When Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet died in 1851, his youngest son Edward Miner Gallaudet continued his legacy in deaf education, played a big part in the history of American Sign Language, and […]
This ASL dictionary is for you! We have included over 1,000 words and phrases from our Complete 3-Level ASL Course vocabulary lists. This means that if you learn this essential vocabulary from our dictionary, you […]
Step 3 – Start Talking Are you ready to start signing? This is so exciting! It’s now time to choose the signs you are going to start with. Go ahead […]
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 […]
Step 9 – Advancing Your child is growing and advancing! How exciting! You are now probably combining signs and speech with your child. This can greatly enhance his vocabulary as […]
Step 6 – More Signs Moving on from basic signs you learned in Step 3, choose some secondary words from the vocabulary link below. Try to branch out a little […]
ASL 1 – Unit 9 In this unit of the free online sign language classes, you will be learning about verbs. Vocabulary Jobs & Careers Visit the Online Course Vocabulary […]
ASL 1 – Unit 1 In this unit of the free sign language class, you will be learning how to fingerspell. Vocabulary First Signs Visit the Online Course Vocabulary Category […]
ASL 2 – Unit 8 Inflection In this unit of the free sign language classes, you will be learning about inflection. Vocabulary House & Home Visit the Online Course Vocabulary […]
ASL 2 – Unit 6 Pluralization In this unit of the free sign language lesson, you will be learning about pluralization. Vocabulary Visit the Online Course Vocabulary Category for this […]
ASL 1 – Unit 7 In this unit, you will learn American Sign Language pronouns and how to index. Vocabulary Friends & Family Visit the Online Course Vocabulary Category for […]
ASL 3 – Unit 2 Advanced Role Shifting In this unit as you learn American Sign Language, you will be learning advanced role shifting techniques. Vocabulary Math & Money Visit […]
ASL 1 – Unit 5 In this unit, you will learn ASL word order. Vocabulary Colors, Time, & Routine Visit the Online Course Vocabulary Category for this unit to view […]
ASL 2 – Unit 12 Final Unit In this unit as you learn ASL, you will be wrapping up what you have learned so far. Conversation Comprehension 12.1 Turn to […]
ASL 2 – Unit 7 Conveying Distance In this unit as you learn ASL online, you will be learning how to convey distance. Vocabulary Visit the Online Course Vocabulary Category […]
ASL 1 – Unit 10 In this unit as you learn sign language free, you will learn about ASL negation. Vocabulary Emotions & Character Traits Visit the Online Course Vocabulary […]
ASL 1 – Unit 3 In this unit as you learn sign language online, you will learn about the five sign parameters. Vocabulary School & Education Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 2 – Unit 10 Object Locations In this unit as you learn sign language online, you will be learning how to sign object locations. Vocabulary Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 1 – Unit 2 In this unit, you will be learning American Sign Language numbers and Deaf Culture. Vocabulary Food & Drink Visit the Online Course Vocabulary Category for […]
ASL 2 – Unit 9 Room Descriptions In this unit as you start learning American Sign Language, you will be learning how to sign room descriptions. Vocabulary Technology & Household […]
ASL 1 Introduction Learning sign language is so much fun! Unfortunately, many ASL classes are not taught correctly, expensive, and scheduled. The ASL classes on this website are much different. […]
ASL 1 – Unit 4 In this unit, you will learn more about the five sign parameters because you are learning sign language online. Vocabulary Animals, Home, & Transportation Visit […]
ASL 2 – Unit 11 Describing Objects In this unit as you are learning sign language online, you will be learning how to describe objects. Vocabulary Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 1 – Unit 12 In this unit of the online ASL classes, you will learn the rest of the important ASL numbers. Vocabulary Advanced Numbers Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 1 – Unit 8 In this unit of the sign language classes, you will learn more about pronouns and directional verbs. Vocabulary Physical Features & Clothing Visit the Online […]
ASL 3 – Unit 3 Narratives In this unit of the free American Sign Language classes, you will be learning the basics of how to construct narratives. Vocabulary Life Events […]
ASL 3 – Unit 8 Amenities and Features In this unit of the free American Sign Language course, you will be learning how to sign amenities and features. Vocabulary Visit […]
ASL 2 – Unit 3 Time Duration and Regularity In this unit of the American Sign Language free classes, you will be learning about time duration and regularity. Vocabulary Visit […]
ASL 2 – Unit 4 Temporal Aspect In this unit of the free American Sign Language instruction, you will be learning about temporal aspect. Vocabulary Activities & Hobbies Visit the […]
ASL 2 – Unit 1 Sentence Types In this unit of the online sign language lessons, you will be learning more sentence types. Vocabulary Food & Drink Visit the Online […]
ASL 1 – Unit 6 In this unit as you learn sign language online, you will be learning about ASL sentence types. Vocabulary Sports & Music Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 3 – Unit 1 Role Shifting In this unit of the American Sign Language online classes, you will be learning how to role shift. Vocabulary Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 2 – Unit 5 Classifiers In this unit of the free American Sign Language classes, you will be learning about classifiers. Vocabulary Visit the Online Course Vocabulary Category for […]
ASL 2 – Unit 2 Time Signs In this unit of the ASL online classes, you will be learning about time signs. Vocabulary Seasons & Holidays Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 3 – Unit 11 Final Unit In this unit of the ASL online classes, we will be wrapping up what you’ve learned in this class. Expression Assignment 3-5 To […]
ASL 3 – Unit 4 Accident Narratives In this unit of the free online sign language classes, you will be learning how to sign accident narratives. Vocabulary Health & Medical […]
Geronimo Cardano played a significant role in the history of sign language–particularly in the history of deaf education. Cardano was an Italian mathematician and physician. He discovered in the 1500s […]
ASL 3 – Unit 5 Giving Information In this unit as you learn sign language free, you will be learning how to give information. Vocabulary Geography & Culture Visit the […]
ASL 2 Introduction Learning sign language is so much fun! Welcome to the second class in the Start ASL online curriculum! Materials you will need for the class ASL 2 […]
ASL 3 Introduction Learning sign language is so much fun! Welcome to the third class in the Start ASL online curriculum! Materials ASL 3 WORKBOOK (PDF) (Required & Free) – […]
ASL 3 – Unit 9 Storytelling In this unit as you learning sign language online free, you will be learning how to tell a story. Vocabulary Visit the Online Course […]
ASL 3 – Unit 6 Sign Language Games In this unit of the online sign language classes, you will be learning how to sign sign language games. Vocabulary Games Visit […]
ASL 3 – Unit 7 Handshape Stories and Deaf Jokes In this unit of the online ASL classes, you will be learning about handshape stories and Deaf jokes. Conversation Review […]
Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet is probably the most influential person in the history of American Sign Language. Gallaudet, along with Laurent Clerc, was responsible for starting the first free public […]
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 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 […]
We have compiled a great collection of videos showing the top 150 basic ASL sign language words. These are the words that you should learn first. Learning the signs for […]
Andrew Foster is a very important person in Deaf history. He was the first African American Deaf person to earn a Bachelor’s Degree from Gallaudet University and is known as […]
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 […]
by Catherine Ritchie | July 22, 2017 The Deaf community has a rich culture with many prominent figures in its history. Some whose names are fairly well known such as […]
Memorizing the American Sign Language alphabet (also known as the American Manual Alphabet) is the first step when learning American Sign Language and most new sign language students rely on […]
by Jennifer Hatley | July 7, 2017 I find music to be my outlet for so many different things. I chose Johnnie Ray (John Alvin Ray) as he was an […]
Looking for events to attend with the Deaf community or those learning ASL in your area? Or are you looking for others to attend your event? Then this is the place to be!
We try our best to find you accurate events for you to attend. Some events are free, while other events require tickets or an entrance fee. We are not responsible for cancelled events. Contact information is provided as available for each event and not affiliated with StartASL.com.
by Jack | April 7, 2017 Teresa de Cartagena was a nun in 15th Century Spain. She is remarkable for being Spain’s first feminist writer as well as for being […]
by Cynthia Brainerd | February 27, 2017 Regina Olson Hughes (1895-1993) became fully deaf at the age of 14, due to the effects of scarlet fever. She could still speak […]
by Marcus McNeal | November 29, 2016 “Everybody has to start somewhere. You have your whole future ahead of you. Perfection doesn’t happen right away.” (Haruki Murakami, 2006). The quote […]
by David Cooper | October 13, 2016 The deaf person wrote about was Kevin Lucas Smire who was also known as “Deaf Kev.” He was born on October 28, 1996 […]
by Karri Kimery | August 18, 2016 As I was reading about people in the deaf community, I came across Matt and Kay Daigle. These two met in 1993, at […]
by Natalie Picone | August 27, 2016 In 1926 at the age of 19, Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Twenty-one miles from Dover, […]
by Lisa | February 3, 2016 I’m going to talk about someone here who first opened my eyes to sign language, and that is the actress Louise Fletcher. Louise Fletcher […]
by Heather Jensen Scientists have found that the muscles in children’s fingers and hands are develop faster than the ones in their mouth and jaw, which has made baby sign […]
by Nanette Kaufmann (Kissimmee, Florida) Award winning actress and advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities. Her honors representing the handicapped are many, including the President’s Distinguished Service-vice Award […]
by Anonymous David Michalowski, profoundly deaf since birth, grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He competed at the United States Figure Skating National Championships from 1978 until 1982, including the 1980 […]
by Anne (Richmond, VA) Dr. Candace McCullough is the first Deaf psychologist to set up a counseling business. She makes counseling services accessible to Deaf people all over the states. Dr. […]
Deaf dating sites are popular among many in the deaf and hard of hearing communities. However, there are a lot of niche dating sites out there that it can be […]
by Anonymous (03/25/2020) Braam Jordaan was born in Benoni, South Africa in 1981. He was born “profoundly deaf to deaf parents”. Jordaan and his family moved to Cape Town, South […]
by Hannah (Indiana) Lou has been an inspiration to many deaf, he played the Hulk in the original series, he also appeared in “I love you, Man” and appeared as […]
by Kristyn Murray (Houston, Texas) Joseph Henry Sharp was one of the founding members of the Taos Society of Artists, a group that produced some of the most significant artwork […]
by Sara Huang (Taipei, Taiwan) | March 12, 2013 I have read a lot about the oppression of the Deaf, but I really appreciate people who have embraced Deaf culture […]
Henry Kisor is the author of What’s that Pig Outdoors? and other novels based on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan locales. Deaf all his life, blogger, professional editor and writer […]
by Janeel Hew (Hawaii) | June 18, 2010 Understanding the past, helps us to embrace the present. Finally an online class, that teaches you that learning ASL means more than […]
by Kamalakannan (India) Another famous deaf person is Thomas Alva Edison who was born on February 11, 1847. He was an American scientist, inventor, and businessman. However, many people don’t […]
by Grace (Canada) My favorite deaf historical figure is Granville Redmond. His struggle to be accepted by the common man is fairly touching, and his paintings are simply out of […]
by Joseph Heenan (Frankston, Australia) | March 8, 2013 The 48 year old Australian named Robert Hoskin is a well-known deaf filmmaker who has won several film awards from his […]
by Anonymous Rodger Young was a deaf man who faked his Army hearing test in World War II. He won a Posthumous Medal of Honor in the Soloman Islands. Rodger […]
Anne Sullivan is one of the most well-known teachers in history. She is best known for being the teacher of Helen Keller and the subject of movies such as The Miracle […]
by Anonymous | March 2, 2013 Bob Hiltermann is a well known Deaf actor and is known for: Founder of Deaf West Theater (Fountain Theater) in North Hollywood California. All […]
Ear anatomy is not as complex as you might think. There are only a few anatomical parts that make hearing possible. However, if there is something wrong with any one […]
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 […]
Step 8 – Taming Stress Signing, like I said before, is great for preventing tantrums with your baby. Signing helps eliminate the frustration your child feels when she can’t communicate. […]
We have searched for the best sign language books, checked them out, and read their reviews. All of the best sign language books we’ve found are listed below. Fortunately, we […]
Below is a high quality printable free basic sign language chart image and PDF. Keep in mind that you will need Adobe Reader in order to view the PDF. You […]
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: […]
It’s not uncommon to see a dog leading and assisting a blind person. You have probably seen a few of those trained dogs during the course of your life. But […]
While a hearing test seems like a normal part of having a baby, it is also a source of oppression for many deaf people. In this article, I will describe […]
ASL 3 – Unit 10 Interpreting Songs in ASL In this unit of the free American Sign Language lessons, you will be learning how to interpret songs in ASL. Interpreting […]
Step 2 – Getting Started The first thing you will do before you start teaching your infant sign language is pick the signs you are going to begin with. I […]
Irish Sign Language (ISL) is the sign language used in Ireland (primarily in the Republic of Ireland). ISL is also used in Northern Ireland, but British Sign Language (BSL) is […]
Japanese Sign Language (JSL) is the sign language used in Japan. Just like how Japanese is completely different from English, JSL is completely different from ASL. For one, JSL uses […]
American Sign Language is NOT a universal language. This is a very common myth that needs to be debunked. Just like the thousands of different languages of the world–there are […]
ASL 1 – Unit 14 Did You Enjoy the Class? Share Your Experience! Congratulations! You have completed the StartASL.com ASL 1 class! I hope that you have learned everything you […]
ASL 1 – Unit 13 In this unit of the sign language course, we will be quizzing you on what you have learned so far. This unit is a cumulative […]
Using sign language flashcards is a great way to retain the ASL you’re learning when taking an ASL course. You can find our ASL Alphabet flashcards on our American Sign […]
Step 1 – Introduction Yes, you need to read an introduction before starting. This will just give you a background about why sign language for babies is so effective. Baby […]
There are many different American Sign Language symbols and letters that are used in a variety of ways. There are symbols used for writing ASL signs, glossing ASL sentences, and […]
While a complete ASL course is the best way to learn ASL, we have searched for all the best sign language videos if you wish to use one as a […]
Spanish Sign Language is the sign language used in Spain. Just like how Spanish is completely different from English, SSL is completely different from ASL. SSL is the same across […]
Swedish Sign Language (TSP) is the sign language used in Sweden. TSP did not stem from any other sign languages, but it did influence Finnish Sign Language (FSL) and Portuguese […]
If you are interested in purchasing American Sign Language software, please keep in mind that desktop software tends to be outdated and takes the form of other more modern types […]
Step 10 – Your Growing Child When your child begins to speak, you may want to continue to teach your toddler sign language. If your child has begun to speak, […]
Back in the day, deaf people would drive all the way to their friends’ homes to talk to them. Then, the TTY was invented in the 1960’s. Back then, it […]
Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is a beautiful language. It is the sign language used in Australia and is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). These […]
Step 11 – Finding More Signers Getting connected with other parents who teach their babies sign language can truly be a great thing. Not only do you have some support, […]
At Start ASL, you can teach your baby sign language in 12 easy steps. Another great way to learn is to use highly recommended baby sign language books and videos. […]
Step 12 – Conclusion Many parents buy a baby sign language DVD or many books to learn what you have learned in these 12 steps. You have learned so much […]
Step 4 – When Things Don’t Go the Way You Planned You may encounter some friends or family that don’t believe in baby signing. Skeptical friends and family can definitely […]
Step 7 – Sign Combinations Babies will often start to combine vocal words (the baby talk begins!) as they progress in their learning. This is the same for signing children. […]
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom (UK). One of the most notable features of BSL is their two-handed manual alphabet. BSL is related to […]
Chinese Sign Language (CSL) has been developing mostly since the late 1950’s and its signs are like written Chinese characters. CSL has several dialects with Shanghai being the most common. […]
Lip-reading is rather unsuccessful (only an average of 20% understanding). Closed captioning, however, takes all the lip-reading out of watching television! You have probably watched television. And you have probably […]
Step 5 – Caregivers Some parents who use baby sign language stay at home with their children while others leave for work. If you are working away from home, you […]
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 […]
Educating the deaf is a hot topic, and these books are indispensable! The education of the deaf has always been a hot topic in the Deaf community, and learning the […]
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 […]
Great sign language products are hard to come by. There are tons of ASL books, software, and videos out there, but are they all really that good? No, not really. […]
Deaf people didn’t have many careers choices a few decades ago. They would usually find themselves working in trade jobs, non-profit work, or as teachers at schools for the deaf. […]
Deaf Videophone Directory Deaf VP was a Deaf Videophone directory created by Sorenson. Videophones are telephones with a video screen. They enable deaf people to call each other (or a […]
ASL 1 – Unit 11 In this unit of the online sign language class, you will learn how to identify people. Conversation Read this outline, and then watch the conversation […]