This post is about the best sites to learn ASL online. It is meant to serve as a resource to others who would like to learn ASL but may not have access to physical classes.
My interest in learning American Sign Language (ASL) was a long time coming. Although I am myself deaf, I tried to “pass” as hearing and focused on lip reading to get by. This is exhausting, and with my profound hearing loss, I would like to be able to relax and communicate with others.
As we live in a very isolated area when we are in the United States, and on the road in Mexico when we are not, I need to learn ASL online. Here are some sites that I have found useful to learn ASL:
(note: the links are in the headings)
Lifeprint
Super awesome site. Free lessons, fingerspelling, dictionary, the whole shebang. Oh, and my favorite, Deaf Jokes page!!
Two Deaf men are signing to each other.
The first man asks, “What did your wife say when you got home late last night?
The second man replies, “She swore a blue streak”
And the first man asks, “What did you do then?”
And the second man replies, “I turned out the light.”
ASL Pro
This site kind of overwhelmed me with all the ads and stuff for sale. So far it seems like a lot of dictionaries, including “religious” ones (- if you are wanting to teach your child Bible signs, this is probably your stop).
Apps
There are a lot of fantastic apps for learning ASL online – here are some of the best:
- ASL Dictionary: comprehensive ASL dictionary with videos of more than 5,000 signs
- The ASL App: a hip app designed by Deaf ASL users to teach ASL (the one that Nyle is in!)
- Signing Savvy: learn ASL and join in conversations and more with the membership site
- SignSchool: vocabulary builder, dictionary
- YouTube: subscribe to Deaf YouTubers, search for classes. Download them through YouTube Red.
- Marlee Signs: learn ASL with Marlee Matlin
- ASL Translator: type in the English and get the ASL translation
- ASL Dictionary: over 5,000 signs, multiple ways to sign the same word and does not require internet
Described and Captioned Media Program
You are able to “check out” videos, DVD’s and books, a’la netflix.
They even give you a postage paid mailer to send them back. In addition to the DVD’s, they have streaming online videos and offer all kinds of things for ASL instruction, deaf culture and children – really, really cool site.
Check out the lessons available for ASL instruction here. Sweeeeeet!
Start ASL
This has a ton of online ASL classes here – both free and paid courses with homework and everything. I love that they have a section for homeschoolers, they have tutors and an online practice community too!
Babies and Sign Language
This is primarily a site for baby sign – which I am not looking for. But they are some cool links to places to learn other languages – Latvian sign, anyone?
Signing Savvy
It’s an app (see above) and also a site. It’s a brilliant video-based signing dictionary. Very easy to use and free.
Deaf Read
This is the Deaf blogging community. It’s awesome because there are a lot of vlogs – video blogs – a great way to interact with real people, virtually.
Signing Time
If you haven’t already tapped into this truly astonishing system of catchy music + signs, well, here’s your introduction now – it is the easiest possible way to teach babies and kids basic ASL, both online and with DVD’s.
They have a slightly more advanced system with sentences and grammar, etc, but it does not go much beyond basic functioning ASL (“what’s your name?” and so forth.
YouTube
YouTube has a lot of kick-ass d/Deaf vloggers now. Here’s a post on some of the best vloggers to check out.