American Sign Language for Everyone

Explore the elements of gestural language and learn the difference between ASL signs and gestures. You’ll also learn some iconic gestures that are used as signs in ASL, such as “walk” and “hit.” As your professor illustrates, you already have access to a solid foundation of gestural communication.

In this lesson, you’ll learn the entire ASL fingerspell alphabet, a coded system for the letters of the English language. You’ll have the opportunity to test your knowledge as you try some letters and blends and learn three-letter words and acronyms.

Explore the world of numbers in ASL and learn how to sign up to 1 billion! You’ll also learn how to sign phone numbers, birthdays, and zip codes, as well as the arithmetic functions of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division—and that all-important equal sign.

In this lesson, you’ll explore the five phonological parameters of every ASL sign: handshape, palm orientation, movement, location, and non-manual signals such as facial expression. Consider how changing even one of these parameters can change the sign’s meaning. You’ll also learn about Pidgin Signed English and Signed Exact English.