About

ASL Live USA is a free, friendly guide for hearing people starting to learn American Sign Language, and for anyone curious about Deaf culture.

The name says the idea: ASL is a living language, used every day across the United States, and the best way to learn it is to see it signed by real people in real conversations.

The guides

• Start Learning ASL: finding a teacher, first signs and how ASL grammar works.
• Fingerspelling: clear letters, steady rhythm and reading whole word shapes.
• Deaf Culture & Etiquette: history, everyday etiquette and signing on video.

What ASL Live USA is not

It is not an interpreting agency, a school or a certification body. It does not provide interpreters, video relay, live classes or assessments, and it does not speak for the Deaf community.

How we write

We keep things general and point learners towards Deaf teachers and Deaf-led organisations, because signs are best learned by watching people, not reading descriptions.

Pictures

The images are illustrations made for this site. They show people in conversation and are not meant to teach specific signs.

Write in

Tips, questions and corrections are welcome on the contact page.