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Where can I find a site that has an online ASL course? Besides
my site, there has only been one site on the web that
I've been able to find which deals with grammar. That site is Lifeprint
Institute, and it
contains a full online ASL course, along with correspondence with a
teacher, tests, a research project, and a final. Where can I take ASL classes? The best place to start looking is at your local colleges. If you do an online search for colleges in your area, you may find some you never knew existed. Many colleges offer at least one course in sign language, if not more. Deaf clubs, relay services (also called services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing), and schools for the Deaf are great places to look at, as they will often have either classes or connections to classes in your area. If you live in a very rural area (meaning no colleges nearby or Deaf community), I recommend the site Lifeprint Institute for long distance learning, even though it can be more difficult. What kind of materials are out there to learn ASL? There are all kinds of materials. The most prominent are the sign language books, which have loads of vocabulary mixed with a summary of what Deaf Culture is all about. Some have small sections saying that ASL is nothing like English, but don't really tell you how it's different. But there are books out there for grammar! One I use is American Sign Language Phrase Book by Lou Fant. It shows many basic phrases which are used in everyday language. I will be updating my Basic Books section soon to include the many dictionary and phrase books out there. Can you help me translate? Yes, I can help you translate; however, I will not do all the work for you. I'll give you tips and proofread if needed. But, I am not perfect, and I recommend (especially if you're in an ASL course) checking with another person to see if they jive. Can I make book suggestions? Of course you can! I love learning that there are more books out there, and you may even point one out that I've forgotten about. Is there a fingerspelling font? Yes there is. A couple of places to download it is http://babel.uoregon.edu/yamada/fonts/asl.html or ftp://tap.gallaudet.edu/others/gal-tt.zip. Once you download the font and unzip it, place the file into your "fonts" folder (My computer -> Main Drive (c:)-> Windows -> Fonts). From then on out it should be in all your font systems. Is there an American Sign Language Dictionary for the computer? Yes there is. It is called "The American Sign Language Dictionary" by Martin L.A. Sternberg, and can be found here. Can I use your site in my links list? Yes you may! You can write me and say you're putting my site in there, or just copy the address and paste it into your site. The address is: https://www.angelfire.com/ia/andycat/asl.html. Perhaps someday I'll make a graphic button for it. Can I suggest sites for you to put in your links list? Yes, that would be great! Just keep in mind that all sites on my links page pertain to ASL grammar (i.e. sign language dictionaries, fingerspelling wizards, and sites which provide the ability to obtain materials related to the language itself). Could you make your history section more comprehensive? Well, I originally wrote the history section as a brief overview on how American Sign Language got its start. I know many of you are looking for history of Deaf Culture on the internet, but the best place to find that is through books such as "For Hearing People Only" or "Deaf in America". Both books are on my Basic Books page. Are you pro-ASL? As a rule, I try to keep my opinions neutral. Yes, I love American Sign Language, but I won't push it on anybody. Some people prefer the other sign systems. I did learn Signing Exact English before learning ASL, and I will say that I prefer ASL because it's easier (in its own way). SEE has a lot of "extras" which are difficult to read and sign, but is easier for adults to learn because of the English word order. So to each his own, I guess. "I'm just here to educate you on your options" is my view. Where did you get your graphics? I actually made my graphics which are on my pages. If you want to use them, please e-mail me to get permission. Otherwise, it's considered stealing, and I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for that! One place that has downloadable graphics: Calgary Lutheran Church Graphics. And yes, I am aware that the "H" and the "G" in my title are "backwards" (i.e. they're supposed to be palm in), but the font I used to make the graphic (and most other ASL graphics I've seen) show them palm out. My guess is that it's for clarity's sake. Basic Books | Basic Links Email: Copy and paste the address into your email address line, and please include the title ASLWEB in your subject line. If you do not, your e-mail may be automatically deleted! Thank you! Disclaimer: Much of what is on these pages has been fully researched and is true to the best of my knowledge. If you find an error, do not hesitate to email me and I will attempt to set it straight. Website created by Carrie De Ruyter, Sept 1999. Updated March 2005. |
