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Hi there, just a gal in her mid 20s. I've been learning ASL for about 9 months now. I'm looking for folks to video chat with, please send me a message or write a comment if you're interested!

Hello everybody, at the school I attend we are going to be doing a year+ long project about whatever we want, and for my project I thought it would be cool to make sign language gloves. I originally had this idea before I knew that people had already tried this, but after researching it a little I had some concerns, mostly because it seems like this idea is found offensive to people in the deaf/hard of hearing community. I feel that my idea differs from others enough that I wanted to get feedback. I would like to say that I was thinking that the person using these gloves would be someone who is biologically mute, but can still hear, and it would be used in situations such as a court. I have a friend who's father is a nurse, and what he told me is that they have to pay translators around $100 or more an hour, and even if they don't use them for that whole hour, they still have to pay them that much. The purpose I am intending with the gloves is to reduce costs for the business, and cut out the middleman. I know that sign language is more than just hang gestures, so I would also try and figure out a way to record expressions and other important movements. As part of our project we also have a stakeholder, or someone who would benefit from our project, and I was going to make sure that it involves someone form the ASL community. What are your guys thoughts on this, and if this is a good idea, what should I do to make sure its actually helpful. Sorry if anything I said was offensive in any way, and thanks for your guys input.

Hi everybody! I'm Raf, I very recently started learning ASL and I'm looking for people to practice with and hopefully make some friends feel free to shoot me a message, I'd appreciate any help I can get!

I hope the video link I've attached below isn't seen as me trying to demonstrate any degree of skill or me assuming that my signing is anywhere near correct. I hope that is serves more as a means of presenting to this community the drive I have to learn with you all. I've found that I haven't met anyone after my previous post, which I suppose is no surprise... The best way to practice ASL or any other sign online is generally going to be face to face. The necessity to communicate in this way, however, is a very personal one. I understand why many people would be hesitant to join a zoom call with a stranger without fully having an understanding of this person. I also understand that people may not have the time to go through the various formalities of getting to know someone. It's based off of this, that I've decided to put my self out here and see what happens haha. I hope whoever is watching can build an understanding of me and decide if they'd like to have a chat! To summarise the message I've tried conveying in my video. I am extremely committed to connecting with people who have any experience with anything relating to Americas Deaf community. I want to get to know new people, form friendships and create an atmosphere where perpetual openess and freedom comes first! If anything I've said has peaked your interest, give me a shout! Have a great week guys P.S. I apologise to those unable to hear the end where I was talking. In essence, I stuttered out my name and reiterated that I really want to "learn ASL, talk in ASL and really learn about people's cultures" I then acknowledged my ability to add subtitles may not exist and I wrapped things up there :)) Here's a we transfer link. I struggled to have my video fit the specifications this website wants and so went ahead and got this. https://we.tl/t-eWDlekxKms Thanks

Hiya! My name is Madeleine, but you can call me Em. I use they/them pronouns! I'm a PhD student studying engineering education, and I'm neurodivergent (ADHD/ASD). I'm hearing, and I'm interested in learning ASL for a lot of different reasons. First, my research is very focused on inclusion and diversity. I believe that a big part of inclusion is for people to be able to have access to what they need. Language is a big part of that, and ASL is a language that is not widely used when it ought to be. I also want to learn it because it is very kinesthetic, which is a big part of how I learn. I like to actively do learning rather than passively absorbing rote information. Also, I am autistic, which means that overwhelming situations can make it difficult for me to communicate sometimes. ASL provides another avenue of communication for me if and when I become too overstimulated to verbally communicate my needs. I'm here to engage with the ASL teaching/learning community as a way to practice my ASL skills, get better at conversational language, and to educate myself on other types of disability activism that can overlap with the ASL community. Feel free to reach out if you want an accountability/study partner! Cheers, Em

My name is Leah and I'm excited to be part of this forum. I've always loved sign language and learned some when I was in middle school. When I had children, I taught them signs so that we could communicate. My first started signing at 16 months and my youngest started at 7 months. Fast forward to many years later and I decided to take ASL at our local community college. As expected, I love it and am looking for people to practice with. Hope to meet many of you!

Hello, My name is Rob and I’m a third year product design student at Academy of Art University. I’m working on a product that will help to eliminate communication barriers between Sign speakers and non-Sign speakers. I was wondering If I could take a moment and get some feedback on questions I have as part of my research. I know there are various reasons why someone may choose to use Sign language, so please approach the questions from your own perspective. When encountered with the issue of not being able to use Sign to communicate, what alternatives do you take? How does using the alternative instead of Sign make you feel? Do you feel like you encounter this problem quite often? What would you change about these encounters if you could? Would you use a wearable device if it allowed for transparent communication between Sign and non-Sign speakers? If Yes: What type of device would you prefer? If No: What about a wearable device don’t you like? If Maybe: Can you elaborate on why you feel this way? What are common issues that Sign speakers have when socializing with non-Sign speakers? What would improve the situation? What would make the situation worse? What about these situations do non-Sign speakers not realize? How does traveling globally affect Sign speakers? Is the difficulty communicating the same as verbal communication or worse? Are there any particular Sign languages that are exceptionally difficult? English could be considered a global language as the majority of the world can speak it. Is there a Sign language that is similar? What extra challenges does traveling by yourself come with? What is the best way to get more non-Sign speakers learning Sign? What do you think stops more people from learning Sign? If you learned Sign to communicate with a DHH person, can you share what method you used and how well that method worked for you? Could an interactive game be utilized to learn Sign? I appreciate everyone who takes the time to respond to these questions. I need 15 expert opinions to use in my project, so if you kindly leave your Name and Age, along with why you use Sign. That would be amazing, feel free to ask me any questions about my project that you'd like. Thank you Again, I can’t wait to hear back from everyone. Apologies If this is the wrong place to post, feel free to send me in the right direction.

Hey Cekncen, thank for the reply. I'm on pt 5 of the 150 essential signs, they are great videos! looking for some real people to practice what I've learned with

Nice! i really do recommend this site for receptive spelling practice, its really good to be able to read signs, and i use a word generator occasionally to practice my own fingerspelling, i generate a word and spell it out, for accuracy and a little speed. if you ever wanna practice feel free to shoot me a message!

Sweet thanks a lot! I know basic the basics. the Alphabet, i've been practicing finger spelling a lot, a pretty limited vocabulary but I can express basic ideas, introduce myself, etc.

Awesome name Raf! How far in have you got so far? I wouldn't mind pitching in any help or advice I can give. good luck on your learning journey! I bet you'll have a great time.

I think something that helps deaf people to "hear" what people are saying could definitely work. I'm not super sure on this, but from what I've researched there are glasses that caption what other people are saying. I was thinking something like that could work, or another idea I had was that the gloves detect what is being said, and turns that into a series of pulses or some sort of sensory input onto the fingertips, kind of like reading braille. The problem with that idea though is that the user would have to know braille, so it might not work super well.

Hey, good job! 37 is really impressive.

I just got 37 lets go!!

I really just started learning ASL when i lost my voice for a week 😝 I cant stop learning now though!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Hello Lucy, my name is Yvanne. It is nice to meet you. I am in beginner and a bit of a slow learner. I am unsure if it is because I don't have anyone to practice with. I am currently taking ASL1. I would like to continue learning and growing long after my classes are done I hope to make lasting friendships on this site as well.

Hi! Message me if you want a practice partner! Thanks! Hope to talk soon! Lucy

That's great to hear about the website you mentioned, spreadthesign.com! It's fantastic to have a resource that allows people to learn different sign languages, including ASL and BSL. The inclusion of 3D signs adds another dimension to the learning experience. It's important to recognize that having a resource allowing people to learn different sign languages, including ASL and BSL, is fantastic each sign language may have its own unique grammar and sentence structure, as you mentioned with Portuguese Sign Language. Understanding these differences can enhance communication and foster cultural understanding. Thank you for sharing this valuable resource with us! Have a good night!

I'll be in the video chat rooms on this site at 10-11 pst, 11-12 mst, 12pm-1pm cst and 1pm-2pm est respectively. Feel free to join in and say hi.

Hello everyone. I’m new here and I just started ASL 1 in college. I’ve personally had a few Deaf friends in the past, and I hated that I couldn't have a conversation with them because I never I have learned how to sign. I took French in high school and honestly, I could’ve retaken it to fulfill my foreign language requirement since I did take two full years of it in high school. But honestly, I didn’t feel like I would ever utilize it much. My math tutor at my current college suggested I take ASL instead. Besides the fact that I think it would be awesome to communicate in every type of different community, it could be extremely useful in my career. I'm a 36-year-old mother by the name of Lauryn. I have two daughters, and we all live with my boyfriend that I've been with for past 5 years along with our rescued degus', Remy and Rebel. I am a college sophomore at Daytona State College. I am attending DSC to get my associate of arts degree which as long as everything works out with my classes, I'll have my degree in May 2023. I'm going to University of Central Florida in the summer to pursue my bachelor's degree in social work so that I can reach my goal of becoming a substance abuse counselor. I also work at a local nonprofit recovery community organization called the Volusia Recovery Alliance. I started volunteering with them about a year ago doing local outreach events in my county. Our big thing is passing out Narcan and educating our community on how to use it in case of an emergency. Through volunteering I was asked if I would be interested in becoming a certified peer recovery specialist. The CRPS credential is for people who use their lived experience and skills learned in training to help others achieve and maintain recovery and wellness from mental health and/or substance use conditions. I am a woman in long term recovery from alcoholism and opioid use disorder along with some mental health disorders I battled for quite a while. I have 3 1/2 years of continued recovery meaning I haven't used any substances or drank any alcohol in that length of time. After volunteering for a while, the agency had a position available for a peer recovery support specialist, and they told me they wanted me to fill out the application for the job. I honestly didn't think I would actually get position, but I did. Now I get to work with my fellow peers (program participants) that are in recovery, or trying to get into recovery, by providing the person with whatever support they might need like if they are looking to go to inpatient treatment, or sober living or anything they may need to give them the support they need at that time. I facilitate recovery groups and I go to our local detox, and our women, mothers, and children in-patient rehabilitation center to assist any of them that may need help. I am so passionate about what I do, and my life literally did a complete 360 from about 6 years ago that the only explanation I have was that God removed me from that mess I was in so I that I can be of maximum service to my fellows. I started ASL 1 about a week ago and I as I was watching all the welcome videos, I realized I really know nothing about the Deaf community. I was reading over the rules and etiquette, and I kind of wondered why the Deaf friends I did have as friends actually communicated with me. I had pretty much violated all the Deaf etiquette suggestions at one point or another. My class is a full immersion class, and my teacher is a member of the Deaf community. I'm very excited to learn all I can now. I can relate to the stigmatization that the Deaf community has faced for many generations. I have been stigmatized most of my life whether it be regarding my substance use disorder or my mental health disorders. I have been in recovery for quite some time now and I am still constantly having my past thrown in my face all the time. I hate that addiction is the one of the only diseases that people really have no empathy, or compassion towards. So being a part of the Deaf community would mean the world to me so that I can be of service to anyone who may need me. This will be challenging for me. I love to socialize with just about anyone, but not using my voice to do that will be challenging. I also am kind of fearful that I am not doing it right so no one will want to talk to me, and whomever is going to laugh at me because I don't sign correctly. I know these are common fears for anyone going to something new. I have memorized the alphabet and numbers 1-20, and some various words/phrases. The way I look at it when in doubt I can fingerspell it out. Sorry for the huge post, I did say I like to talk, right? I feel like a new kid in a new school right now writing this post, but I know the beginning is always the hardest part. So, someone please be my ASL buddy?😂

Hi, I just wanted to share a list I created of free ASL courses available online. Please note, these are in no particular order. STARTASL LINK: https://www.startasl.com/learn-sign-language-asl -offers levels ASL 1 thru ASL 3 courses -Each course includes a workbook you can download, and there an online dictionary video archive. GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY LINK: https://www.gallaudet.edu/asl-connect/asl-for-free/ -Offers basic ASL through modules, and has free videos you can watch to expand your vocabulary. SIGNLANGUAGE101 (Taught by Dr Byron Bridges) LINK: https://www.signlanguage101.com/free-lessons/asl-level-1 -offers lots of videos to learn ASL 1 SIGNSCHOOL LINK: https://www.signschool.com -Offers levels beginner, intermediate, to expert. (You can change your level of learning at anytime.) -Each level has lessons through modules and videos, they teach dialogue, vocabulary, grammar, and finger spelling practice. And there is an online dictionary video archive. ASLUNIVERSITY / LIFEPRINT (Taught by Dr Bill Vicars) LINK: http://asluniversity.com LINK: https://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm -Offers levels ASL 1 thru ASL 4 (total of 60 lessons) -There is some downloadable information like sentence practice, and an online dictionary video archive

Hello! Is someone available to practice. I am a beginner in Sign Language and I have a test next Tuesday.

For video chatting it says you have to use Firefox or chrome web browser for or to work. I would love to chat with anyone on here.

One of my favorite songs …. These guys did a great job signing this song !!! >>>

I could chat.