American Sign Language

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Overview

American Sign Language (ASL) is a language that employs signs made by moving the hands combined with facial expressions and postures of the body. It is the primary language of many North Americans who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. With up to two million people using American Sign Language in North America, it is one of the most used languages in the U.S. after Spanish and English.

Cultural awareness and language competency are a must when working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, and a basic knowledge of a signed language can be a useful communication tool for police officers, civil servants, community leaders, and many other professions.