What is ASLive?
What is ASLive?
ASL as a Recognized Language
Why Is Learning ASL Important?
Our Mission
WHAT IS ASLIVE?
ASLive is an online curriculum using live instructors to teach American Sign Language (ASL) to anyone via video conferencing.
Our highly enhanced technology, which displays up to six webcams at a time, allows for interactive learning in small groups. We also provide top-quality E-Class, an innovative, virtual, web-based tool that enables students to complete assignments online, participate in discussions, use the media library, watch teaching videos, and receive their grade automatically.
Since it is virtually impossible to acquire fluency in ASL just by reading a book or watching videos, ASLive’s combination of ASL curriculum, videos, live instruction and, most important of all, feedback and individual practice with a live instructor will provide an optimal learning situation.
ASL AS A RECOGNIZED LANGUAGE
Deaf people do have their own culture and community.
It is a common misunderstanding among hearing people that Sign Language is nothing more than just gestures. Many do not realize it is a real language with its own grammar rules that include phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax and pragmatics just like spoken languages. ASL is a visual language that uses combinations of hand shapes, facial expressions and body movements.
WHY IS LEARNING ASL IMPORTANT?
- The use of American Sign Language is rapidly expanding as people increasingly learn about its practical, remunerative and aesthetic applications.
- It is recognized in many states as an official language and has become part of the curriculum of many colleges and universities, satisfying their language requirements.
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are increasingly mainstreaming with hearing students in many public schools, contributing to the demand for sign language interpreters.
- Companies, institutions or organizations that utilize ASL increase their service to Deaf people, thereby benefiting themselves and the Deaf community.
- Learning ASL can provide future opportunities for the students.
Our mission is to connect the hearing world and the Deaf world by removing the language barrier through sign language.
American Sign Language (ASL) was introduced in America by the French in the early 1800’s and made a big impact on the Deaf community. However, because of people’s doubt that sign language was an actual language, ASL went through a long, dark time and nearly faced extinction.
For many years, signing was strictly forbidden in any institution and was considered taboo in public, thereby causing many Deaf people to be excluded from the general society. This action was devastating for Deaf people; nevertheless, they refused to give up and continued to fight the long, hard battle of regaining the right to use their language. ASL finally regained its strength in the 1960’s and continues to grow in usage.
Our goal at ASLive is to increase communication, unity and understanding between hearing and Deaf people and preserve the rich traditions of ASL.
