Start ASL Reviews and Testimonials

Hello there and nice to meet you Miss Michelle! I came across Start ASL today. I am blown away at the amount of work (and heart, btw) you have invested in this site. You have done a magnificent job in sharing your gifts with us out here. Thanks for putting yourself and your gifts out there, I am very grateful! Blessings

Hi Michelle, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate what you are doing here. I love the way you teach ASL and am really enjoying learning it. I’m 16 years old, I’m not deaf, but have always had a fascination with sign language and am teaching it to my baby brother. Thanks again!!!

I have completed ASL 1 and earned my first badge. This course helped me to understand sentence structure better, and I also enjoyed the flexibility and hours that you are allowed to take the course. For instance, one time I was up at 2:00 am in the morning doing some of my assignments and taking quizzes. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if I was taking the course in college. So now on to ASL 2!

This site has really opened my eyes to the deaf culture and community. I’m from surprise AZ and I’ve got to say that this has been the best tool to at least have a conversation with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in my area. Neighbors, Co-workers, and friends that sign have been super impressed that I know at least conversational sign and can now even keep up with them signing naturally!

This is such an amazing website to quickly and easily learn ASL. I had always wanted to be a fluent signer and really wanted to take an actual ASL class, but I found this online instead and use it all the time. Thank you

This is the best online sign language program. Very complete and much like a college course. With classes and learning experiences and outings and supplemental books it is a very thorough class

have signed for many years but wanted to get into the Interpreter Training Program at our local college to become certified. I needed help with ASL as I have mostly signed English. This is a great program at a great price. VERY enjoyable and informative! I have already recommended it to others! Thank you.

Back in the early 2000’s, I found out I was hard of hearing and was advised to learn ASL. I’m grateful for this course being offered for free online. I love this course, it’s refreshing my memory and I’m learning a lot. Hopefully others will accommodate me and try to embrace and learn something new. Thank you all for having this online course, you don’t know what it means to me. Thank you tons!

This program offers such an amazing opportunity. I have always had a love for sign language. When I was in high school I had to opportunity my senior year to take sign as a foreign language and I loved it even more! Now being a single mom it is hard for me to get to a campus to continue my learning and online learning can be a bit of a headache if not done right. I am so excited to have found this website because this is a perfect example of “doing it right!” I feel like I’m actually learning and with the ability/ freedom to move at my own pace! Hats off to the creators, designers, and teachers of this website. Thank you!

I have been signing for about 29 years. I never took a class, I just learned from our deaf community. The only problem was, I never understood the reason why I was signing this way. Talking about the sentence structure and those things. Having this series has taught me so much. My Pastor asked if I would teach a class in our Christian School. With your course I can now teach with confidence knowing they’ll learn the right way to sign ASL from the start. I am looking forward to this year and seeing how are students are going to enjoy being able to communicate with our deaf members. Thank you for making this possible.

I had a humongous urge to learn sign language, but I wanted something free but worthwhile. I also didn’t know where to start as far as vocabulary and phrases. Then I found Start ASL. This is the best website by far to learn off of as a beginner. I love the way the vocab and phrases are put together for each unit. I also love the explanations at the end of each unit because they help me truly understand everything I learned in that particular unit. I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH to the Start ASL Signing Team for everything y’all do to help others learn ASL in the best way possible!

At first I thought I already knew some ASL and this would be easy. It took time and I found out how little I knew. By the end of ASL 1 I feel a little more confident but know I still have much work to do. I’ll continue to plug away until I finish all three levels and then decide what I really want to do after that. Right now I just look forward to gaining the knowledge and it is not always going to be easy. I guess that nothing worthwhile ever really is. But in the end, it definitely is worth it.

Excellent work people!!! I am learning a lot with your classes and hope to get a lot of friends from the deaf community because now I can communicate better with them. Also deaf persons are very patient when I tried to communicate and willing to help me do it better. Thanks and ASL is a beautiful, interesting, and lovely language.

I’m excited to be using this program to learn ASL. I’ve wanted to learn it for so long and now I have that chance. I can’t wait to get the full program and continue learning.

I feel very happy to have a part in this excellent ASL course. I’m very sure this sign language will help to break communication barriers for many people – not only to those who know ASL but all sign language will be a lot easier. I am getting it a lot faster.

I am learning a lot from the available courses and am grateful for them. I think these videos are great and I thank you for offering them.

It is extremely good and I love it. It really helps.

My ASL has progressed so far after doing the first 3 units! I am so excited to continue. I can’t believe how much I’m learning in this short time. This is a really good course with excellent information Michelle! Thank you so much for putting this together so that people can learn this beautiful language and begin to communicate correctly with the Deaf Community.

This course makes it so easy to learn signing. I’m starting a college class the 1st of January and this is going to give me a real nice head-start. Taking the free lessons right now, but will probably enroll in the Online Course.

Start ASL is a great way to learn ASL. The presentation and order of learning is spot-on. I have known Sign Language all of my life, but learned Signed English and Pigeon. But, have been away from it for 30 years. I am wanting to refresh my signing and learn the correct way to sign ASL. I feel it is so important to be able to communicate appropriately with Deaf people. I feel like I am moving along slowly, but for me I think this is the best way so that I really learn the lessons. Thank you for putting this course together.

I just want to say thank you for making this available for me to learn. I am starting to have some major hearing issues. This class makes it very easy to learn Sign Language. I work in retail so losing my hearing has some very harsh trials. So learning sign language is a major tool that will help me on my workplace but to other deaf or hard of hearing individuals. Thank you so much!

I am a teenager, who learned basic ASL in kindergarten and never found any ambition to continue learning. This was until I went to my grandmother’s work, which helps people with disabilities, an I finally felt the ambition to keep learning ASL, and this program made it unimaginably easy. Thank all of you from the Start ASL signing team.

Since the first time I visited StartASL.com last month, I knew I will be falling in love with it. I am a hearing person and I decided to learn ASL online just recently for our deaf niece. Really it is a must to adjust ourselves especially in all of our family communication issues with her. I am enjoying the free online tutorials of vocabulary and phrases and if I may, I would be more than willing also to share your site to them, and to our circle of friends who will be interested to learn. Hence, it is a great honor to congratulate and salute you for spearheading such a wonderful website for the betterment of our community, and the world as a whole. Again, thank you, and I wish you too nothing less than success on your ASL journey!

Best beginning ASL program I’ve found–well done!

Great program! Love being able to communicate with the children I work with.

What a fantastic program! My daughter learned so much. We will definitely continue on.

Toward the end, I really had to concentrate and focus. I learned so much and the videos help a great deal. I am so thankful you had decided to assist people/future students/refresher people to learn or refresh a beautiful language. I love the interaction and the books. At times you threw a curve ball, but I will forever be grateful for this. May God continue to bless and keep you in my prayer. I will spread the word about this site.

ASL 2 felt way less challenging than ASL 1; I really can see I understand the dialogues better now; assignments were at times not too real to life–I miss being in person–but the quizzes worked better on the technical aspects and my receptive skills have definitely improved. The vocab lists are helpful and I appreciate the speed of signing is no longer ’slowed down’. Thank you for making this available; it is nice to have a sense of start and finish and a set of succinct explanations such as the negative and temporal changes.

After learning Exact English for my son who was born deaf, finding it hard not to sign every word, no wonder his girlfriend can’t always understand me! LOL! This is why I’m trying ASL for her and him as well as for myself. It’s interesting and I love it. Only wish I can fit learning it in my work day more. Thank you for letting me work at my own pace, I hope to increase my signing and continue with the classes.

I love this class. My great aunt is deaf so it is a nice resource.

I have always wanted to learn ASL. Ever since I was a kid, I was amazed by ASL. Now I am learning it and I am soooo happy! Thank you!

I find myself signing the words and phrases that I know in conversation with my husband and friends…I just love the course. It is made so even people like me can learn on our own time. It’s great and I tell anyone who asks about the course and pass on the name and link so they too can check it out. We live in a community of 100 people in the
middle of nowhere. Our nearest neighbours are the bear, wolf, and moose. So there is a lot of time spent in the winter looking for things to do. Thank you so much for your ongoing encouragement and hints as well as reading material that will make this even easier.

I love these ASL classes, they are free and fun! My story is that I am going to become a doctor and I want to talk to people that are deaf! I am excited to learn about the deaf culture and I can’t wait to start talking in sign language.

As a CODA I did not know sign language because my dad read lips, but was able to speak. He lost his hearing by age 12 and my older sister by 17. After my granddaughter was born, I began with my daughter learning to sign. We attend yearly family immersion sessions at NMSD in Santa Fe, NM where my granddaughter is a 6th grader. Start ASL has been a life saver because as a teacher, I don’t always have time to practice on my own, and weekends with my granddaughter are short. Currently working through the free program, I hope to go forward with the full courses, but not until school is over for the year. I recommend this to anyone studying on their own, or to support their learning.

The knowledge learned in this course is vital. I highly recommending someone take this course before entering an Interpreter Program, if they have no knowledge of ASL, Deaf Culture, or signing period. The classifier section “blew me”, but once I was engrossed in it, I understood it better than I did in the ’90’s. I recommend this course also as a “brush up” of old skills and insights into new ones.

I came across your website while researching ASL. I married into a family who has hard of hearing and deaf members. I’ve had exposure but never learned all that was in the community. My cousin is an interpreter who lead me in your direction. My brother-in-law who lives with us is losing his hearing. He was hard of hearing and is now going deaf in one ear. He is the reason that we are learning ASL together. I am very pleased with the classes, the videos and the outreach with the community. It has been a blessing and I am looking forward to learning more. Thank you for all you guys do.

I really enjoyed this course and I learned a ton. I review the phrases and vocab pretty regularly. I’m continuing on with my studies by auditing a college course in ASL in the fall and I can’t wait. I also aspire to sign like Crystal. She is awesome. Thank you so much for putting this site together. I know it must have been a monumental amount of work.

Thank you for developing this course! I was one of those people searching the web, unable to find anywhere structured to learn from. I reeeaalllly appreciate what you and your team have worked so hard to accomplish! I am soooo thankful that you have addressed the need for understanding and studying the culture, as well as ASL syntax and grammar, not just the vocabulary. Speaking of culture, the stories I have read so far from “A Student’s Guide to the Deaf Experience” have been touching, amazing, and way more than just informative. It is a wonderful compilation that definitely exceeded my expectations! I also love how simple you try to keep things – meaning, easy to navigate and not crowded or jumbled. Thank you also for explaining that the coursework (done well) will prepare the student for an ITP. I am hoping to begin an ITP here in Houston in June, and am grateful for the head start/extra help these courses will give me.

Aloha – I am a deaf education teacher, although I am not yet certificated or certified. I was hired as a long-term substitute teacher and had a certificate of participation in a sign language class that was offered on-island by a graduate of Gallaudet college who is also a teacher. If not for your ASL website and tutorials I would not be able to continue and grow at the same time… thank you thank you thank you…

I have known a little bit of Sign Language because my grandma would use it while I was growing up and when I got older I started watching this show and I learned a few things off it. Then I heard my auntie was going to school for becoming an ASL interpreter and I thought I’ve had enough signs and I want to learn and make it a living. I know a lot of basics but I want to be able to have a full conversation!

I am so grateful to have been able to take (and finish) this fabulous course. It has restored a lot of confidence in my ability to learn languages and ability to not give up on something no matter how hard I wanted to sometimes. So thank sooooooo much for helping me to learn a language (and become nearly fluent) that I barely even knew existed 6 months ago and to find a love I never knew I had. Thanks again!

My best friend as a teenager was so excited I wanted to learn sign language, if she knew what I was saying, she didn’t correct me. Also, allowed me to sign Pidgin English rather than ASL, so I feel I have all of these bads habits to overcome. It is so exciting to find a site that teaches it all – Deaf history, the struggles deaf people had to endure as well as the language of ASL. I look forward to learning more and more everyday. Thank you!

My college ASL class is so fast; it’s unbelievable that we are speaking in full sentences (well, trying hard…), have learned the numbers, math basics, colors and so much more… and we are only on week 3. Anyway, it’s waaaaaay too fast for me, despite hours of immersing myself into it the best I can without being around the Deaf community much yet. Coming here and doing these things at the pace I need to see it at (signers are as fast as regular Deaf signers in our class, so hard/impossible for me to understand…), slowing down, watching slower signers… is helping me so very much. Thank you!

I found these lessons very helpful and thorough for learning ASL and it has given me a great start on the journey to learning more and continuing my education. I personally love to learn song with ASL and I plan to continue my education through a local (Canada) college to improve my daily communication.

I have wanted to be fluent in sign language for many many years. I would learn a few word then stop. I’ve known the letters for years but that takes forever to talk finger spelling everything. Now I know words and can make sentences. I teach my grandkids words. Thank you for all your help and I one day hope to be fluent.

This was an amazing refresher for me. I am licensed to teach ASL as a World Language, but I just wanted to refresh and watch actions and facial expressions of others. Thank you so much.

This online course has prepared me for my current position.

Thank you so much for putting this website together! I have been searching for a free course and finally came upon this website. I am a 9th grader at Life Christian Academy and I have always wanted to be an ASL interpreter. I know sign language I just wanted to further my search. So, thank you for this!

This is amazing! Thank you so much for creating this site! I have always wanted to learn, but never really did anything about it. But then I found this site and it’s amazing! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Hi Michelle, thanks for Start ASL, it’s really useful to me. I teach deaf persons back in Africa but now doing my PHD in Europe. Start ASL has been of immense benefit to me and I look forward to receiving more to help me further in my thesis write-up.

I had gone all the way to unit 5 where they have the test. While I watched it, I felt like I was being shut out – like something was being said but I didn’t know what – so I went back and reviewed all the units and the video that didn’t make sense before finally made sense! I didn’t feel shut out any more! Thanks Start ASL!

As I ventured to study ASL, I decided to bring what I would be learning to my students. I’m a special education teacher for students identified with autism K-4 grade. Some of my students are non-verbal so learning to communicate with them via ASL was something I felt I had to do. I went as far as to teach my verbal students how to sign the alphabet and some of words like cat, dog, hello, etc. It’s unbelievable how quickly they caught on. I was able to sign a song I frequently sing as part of our morning breakfast. I can’t thank you enough for giving me this opportunity.

I just wanted to say thank you for putting this information online and free. I have been wanting to learn ASL for years but could never attend classes due to my work schedule. I am excited about the opportunity to learn. My daughter and I are doing this together, and I have sent this information to some coworkers. Thank you again.

Mrs. Michelle, I don’t know how to say thank you for what I am learning from Start ASL. I just completed ASL 1 and I am so excited. The knowledge I am receiving from your books have open My eyes about deaf culture. For the pass three years I have been teaching ASL in our school after care program, and I just love it. Your videos are excellent, I would not change anything. I am blessed to live in an area where ASL classes and programs are available from anyone who wants to learn this beautiful language. I plan to get more involved interacting with others who are in this program. Again thank you so much for what you are doing.

This site is awesome! You guys organized it so well. You have taught me so much and are still teaching me ASL.

I wanted to go even farther in ASL when I saw two older deaf gentleman in a Chinese restaurant. One of the gentleman wanted more drink but the waitress went right pass them. Not to be rude, she just didn’t notice them. Knowing a couple of signs I went up to the man. “Do he need help?” ” Do you want more drink” With his reply of yes I went to the waitress and told her that he would like more to drink. I felt so accomplished. After he started to talk to me I told him that I was still learning and was not very fluent. He told me to keep it up and that I was doing very good. He motivated me to learn more. This site is helping a lot in the process of learning sign.

I have completed this course and I love that I was able to take it at my own pace, no pressure or deadlines. I highly recommend this course as it has given me a good start to learning sign language.

Hello. I just want to say how grateful I am already that you and your team have made this resource available. I am taking on the study of ASL as part of my ministry work, and already in Unit 2, I am impressed by the depth and structure of the instructional blocks, and I appreciate the ability to see signers using multiple forms of the same sign, so I won’t be stumped later, when actually able to communicate fluently in ASL. Thank you again, great work, and may God continue to bless this work of yours

I couldn’t be happier to have found this site! I’ve been trying to learn ASL through dictionaries and other methods for a while now after starting to learn for my brother with autism. My family stopped going to classes since it wasn’t a helpful technique for him, but my passion never died. Following up with the classes was expensive, however, I still found the language important to use. SO THANKFUL for this site!! I’m able to communicate fairly well with only the first unit and scarce previous knowledge, without sacrificing the little money I have.

Hi! I am so excited about this journey! I lost my hearing in my right ear in October of 2015. Although I’m hard of hearing, my family and I find it difficult sometimes communicating in public places because I can’t hear them. I’ve always been able to read lips… my sisters and I use to do it when we were little girls in church, but my children don’t have that gift. I started taking sign language classes at my church and wanted MORE! A friend of mine introduced me to this program and I love it! I’m looking forward to learning even more as time goes on. It has really made me feel empowered after losing my hearing. Thank you for such a great program!

Wow, I’m so impressed. I took signing long ago and forgot so much. I started another class but the instructor was terrible. I became so frustrated and angry. Finding this site helps me so much better! I hope to expedite my learning! I’m losing my hearing rapidly and must learn… wish me luck!

Thank you for a well organized and user friendly course. I learned a lot and enjoyed it.

I started learning ASL in 9th grade and I fell in love with it. My best friend was fluent in ASL so I started learning a few words from her. By 11 grade I had three deaf friends and though I was fluent it still felt nice to be able to talk to everyone. I am now 27 years old and I never kept up on it so I forgot a lot of what I knew. So the is the best course for me because the first few test I breezed through because I just need to refresh my mind. Now we are getting into things I never knew. I don’t know what it is but I just have this draw to ASL. I’m not planning on becoming an interpreter but I do want to be one more person that helps bridge the gap in our world. So really I just want to give a BIG THANK YOU to everyone involved in making this site. You all are truly amazing people.

I first started the StartASL.com ASL 1 course several years ago. However, I never finished it because I became frustrated at a certain point then lost focus. I did continue to study other materials and joined a local ASL class. I then came back and completed all of the ASL 1 units in less than 2 weeks. I breezed through the parts that caused me frustration in the past and realized that learning ASL requires a lot of practice and a lot of patience! I have used books, videos, a live basic ASL class and attended many Deaf events over the last several years. Now, after going through ASL 1 again I realized what an amazing resource this free online course really is! I plan to continue to expand my ASL skill with StartASL.com ASL 2 & 3. Thank you!

This is a great website that is helpful to those who want to understand and learn sign language, whether it be because they need to know if for personal use or they want to learn it in case they meet someone deaf or hard of hearing. I absolutely love this website! I am finding myself learning more and more sign language everyday thanks to you! I can see the amount of effort you put forth into it and I appreciate it.

Thank you, Michelle for this marvelous site. It is a work of Art. I am studying ASL in a Senior Citizen Class and when I found your Start ASL site…….WOW! It helps me so much and I have shared with others. Thank you again

This is amazing and it’s free!! My friends know some ASL and sign to each other a lot, I have been wanting to learn more so I can do the same. I know a little but have recently been so intrigued that I have been teaching myself more through websites such as this one. This is the perfect thing for people, such as I, who are not offered ASL classes in school! Thank you so much! I cannot explain in enough words how much I enjoy this!

Thank you very much!

This is a GREAT beginner course I have learned SO much in the past few weeks! I have a long way to go for sure but this has helped me take that first huge step! This is for anyone that is interested in learning ASL and not just that but about the Deaf community, history, and culture!

Thank you so much for making this website. I’ve learned so much!

I wanted to reach out to you and say thank you. I have searched through 100’s of different ASL classes and free stuff on the Internet. My goal has always been to keep my skills polished so that I won’t lose them. This website and iPhone application has allowed me to learn the correct way to sign and keep my skills up to date. Your program is easy to follow and is organized. Again, I’m grateful and will continue to use your resources to reach my goal of becoming an interpreter! Thank you!

Being some one who has passion for this language, I get to love it more and more while studying it. One faithful day while browsing the net, I stumble don this site and it was so wonderful. It will interest you to know that I even get to learn more that what I expected to find. These ASL classes are so enriching. I thank those who created this site. Though some of the videos are kind of fast, I get to watch them time and again before getting the sense out of it.

As a receptionist we interact with many patients. It was very sad to see us interact with hearing so well and we couldn’t offer that same patience experience to our hard of hearing. I wanted to do something about it and it’s when I decided to start learning ASL. Although I am just learning they feel comfortable approaching me and they get excited to see me. I get excited to see them also because I practice with them. The language is amazing the culture and the people I love it don’t regret starting this new journey. Learn so much in this online course. Thank you for providing this site for us.

I’m very grateful for this site. I work as a BCaBA and have just started with a client who is deaf. I’m so glad to have the opportunity to learn ASL and this online course is great. I’m learning to sign and to understand sign and I can do this on my schedule. I also enjoy learning about the Deaf culture. It will help me serve my client better. Thank you for this opportunity.

I am really enjoying these classes! The format encompasses more than just learning signs but culture as well and real life scenarios! Looking forward to taking more advanced classes!!

I have been learning ASL for only a week and this resource is excellent. I just recommended this site to a friend yesterday. Thanks!

I am hearing, but many years ago learned ASL, just because I wanted to. I got a job with Deaf children while in college. However, many years have past, and due to lack of practice, I forgot most of it. I haven’t been able to find any book, online class, etc, that can help refresh my ASL knowledge. But this class was great! I completed the 1st workbook and all the quizzes and I feel amazed at how fast I was able to learn again what I once knew. I even sent a question and got an immediate personal response! That rarely happens in any other website. I recommend this class for anyone even if they’ve never tried ASL before. It’s so easy to use! It’s great!

Just finished ASL 2… and I’m exhausted! But it’s worth it. It takes hard work and watching the videos over and over and over again. And my progress seems to be pretty slow. But I am entering a Deaf Studies program in the fall, and my signing ability was evaluated via Skype, and as a result, I won’t have to take the ASL I course, only the ASL II. So my online studying paid off.

Learning ASL online for free is awesome! I’m taking an ASL class, and we are all learning from these lessons. I appreciate this site in assisting me to learn ASL better!

This class has been very helpful in learning ASL!! Thanks for all the hard work you have put into this program Michelle Jay!

This site is amazing!!! I tried looking everywhere for ways to learn sign language. This site has helped me so much and it’s all in one place!

When my son was 8 months old I noticed that something was wrong. I tried to convince 5 different doctors that he couldn’t hear me. Finally in June of this year (he is 2 1/2 now) I convinced one of the doctors to do the testing. I was right! He is profoundly deaf on one side and has moderate loss on the left. No one can explain why this happened to him and he could lose more hearing so I took action and started looking for anything, especially a free resource, that could help teach us ASL. I was thrilled to find this set of courses and it has been so wonderful. Convenient and easy to follow. I am grateful for these courses and I appreciate that they are available to us. As we continue our journey with ASL I hope to sign up for the actual classes and maybe even get a mentor. Thank you for providing this online for people like me who are basically overwhelmed at the idea that we all have to step up and learn a new language quickly to help my baby boy.

I can’t believe what an incredible and awesome website this is!!! I found it just when I needed something online rather than at the college because of my work schedule and children at home. I love all of it, everything, all materials couldn’t be any more user friendly!!! I especially love the dictionary and live online showing of words. Thank you ever so much Michelle!

I would like to thank you for this wealth of knowledge and the whole experience I have received so far from this course. It is truly awesome!

I’m 14 years old and I’m really enjoying your course. It’s so simple and easy, just a unit a day and a couple of practice sessions. A while ago I had checked out a book on learning ASL at my library to get me started. When I had to take it back I wanted to find something online that would help me to learn more, and your site is just what I was looking for. I definitely like the practice video where I can talk to someone, and Chris does a great job! Thank you for giving people interested in learning this beautiful language a fun and easy way to do it

I wanted to start learning ASL because one my son was born hearing impaired and my husband is slowly losing more and more of his hearing each year. I have also wanted to learn most of my life and never had the resources. This web site is totally awesome and very helpful. I have learned so much and knowing that most of the teachers learned from CSUN, California made me very happy since they are one of the best schools for ASL.

This is a great unit. It was great review and practice for having finished a first year ASL class. Looking forward to the next units and my local class in the fall. The lessons are very clear and thorough. Thank you for making this possible.

I really enjoyed learning sign for free online. Michelle and the rest of the team really did a great job putting this together. The videos were especially helpful to me. This made a big difference in my ability to communicate. Thanks to all who contributed to this project and please keep up the good work!

Dear Michelle Jay and the Start ASL team, Your online videos and downloads are a great tool to learn real ASL. Many classes that attempt to teach ASL do not explain syntax and sentence structure correctly. They do not demonstrate REAL people signing. You do thank you, it is about time that someone who knows the deaf community shared their knowledge. God Bless you all.

I cannot began to thank Michelle for the wonderful lessons she offers. I would not be where I am today with ASL without her excellent online site. Thanks, Michelle.

Thank you very much Michelle Jay for putting up this free ASL site. It has been a lot of help to me. This will be my third year doing ASL, but my first year on this site, and I have enjoyed every bit of it! Thanks again!

Hi Michelle, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate what you are doing here. I love the way you teach ASL and am really enjoying learning it. I’m not deaf, but have always had a fascination with friends. Thanks again!!!

Learning ASL has not been as hard as I expected. There are some signs that are hard for me to remember, but I’m sure that’s normal, especially for beginners like me. My favorite part of this course is probably just learning the signs themselves. It’s cool to be able to speak in a different language. Well, I guess not “speak”, but technically sign a different language. I am learning even more than I had expected! I expected it to be more like signed English, but ASL is so different, but in a good way. I’ve learned a lot about deaf culture. Also about how to act around a deaf person.

I’ve completed all 3 levels of free courses offered at StartASL.com. Since beginning, I’ve been able to converse with a Deaf friend for more than an hour, understand some of the simpler videos on YouTube, and understand more than half of the ASL translations of “Welcome to Night Vale.” This course was beneficial because it offers concepts like classifiers as batches, rather than one at a time; I learn better that way. I am an Autistic adult, partially mute, and getting more mute with age. My spouse is hard of hearing, so ASL is quickly becoming our primary means of communicating. This resource has been a blessing in a difficult economy.

I have enjoyed and learned so much from this amazing website!!! Thanks and keep up the great job.

My experience has enhanced my relationship with my daughter. We have conversations online now with Skype. My start was a little rocky, but as time progressed and the few times I signed with my daughter, I started to feel more at ease. I am still a little hesitant, but the slow process from an old man’s point of view is slow but consistent. Trying to read the signs seems to be the most fun for me. Watching the conversations online are my favorite part of class. I still struggle sometimes, but I am learning what I set out to do with the motivation of sharing this with my little girl. Thank you M. for the opportunity.

I have been trying to learn sign language for several years and I just couldn’t get the hang of it. I think I needed some motivation and someone to help me stay on track. I have always loved your website and how it is set up. I have seen other ASL sites, and there typically is no one to help when you need it, plus it just doesn’t run smoothly like yours. Your site offers so many classes, help with classes, and the work that needs done with those classes, as well as so many books that you offer at great prices! One of the top qualities attributed to your site is that everyone is so friendly! The customer service is fantastic! I have recommended your site to several people I know and they are impressed just like I am.

Man, am I ever enjoying this online class! I cannot currently afford to enroll in a college or community ASL course right now, but this wonderful internet class enables me to do something right now & not have to wait until such time as I CAN afford the real world thing. A huge “thank you” to everyone here at StartASL.com. I specifically appreciate the slower motion of the alphabet & numbers, though it gets a bit tougher for me with the actual video conversations. Which, of course, mimic real life, so I NEED to be able to catch on time full speed ASL between people. I also like the way I can take this course at my own comfortable rate–some days I have more time to devote to it than others, but I can always learn at my own pace. I’ve long wanted to be able to sign as a service to our church’s deaf members, but never moved beyond that “want to” stage til now. Thanks so much for making this a real possibility for me.

I’m glad that this site is available to people who cannot afford classes. I was born deaf, but due to the school rules in the small town where I was born, signing was illegal. I always felt so shy because I was forced to learn how to talk despite not being confident. Now I can relearn ASL and become confident in everything I do. Thank you so much for making this site for people.

I am learning ASL for the first time. This program is an excellent jump-off point to begin your studies. It is easy to comprehend and very mobile. Most importantly, as a full time police officer it is difficult to make it to classes so I really appreciate being able to study at my own pace.

Thank you for starting this program! My grandmother was an interpreter and my mother and aunt and uncle all use ASL to communicate among themselves… I’m sad to say I was never taught very much and am trying to learn as much as possible on my own. Thanks to EVERYONE who has given their time and effort to making this program possible!

I’ve been wanting to learn ASL for quite some time. This is EXACTLY what I have been looking for. I love how clear the videos are and that I can do it at my own pace. I also love that there are quizzes to keep me on track. I like going back and watching some of the videos over and over again so that I can really get it. I’m so very impressed and grateful for the hard work that has gone into the class. I’ve only completed the first two units and can’t believe how much I’ve already learned. GREAT JOB!!! Thanks so much!

The whole set up of the site is perfect! There are many different ways to practice and it gives you everything you need, seriously. I didn’t think I would have as much as I have in ASL 1 but I learn a lot! This site has taught me the most out of any other site. Trust me I’ve been to many sites and they only give you half the info you need. This is a great site and I recommend it to everyone!

I am mute. I hear, but I can’t speak. My whole life, I have gotten by on writing every word I’ve ever had to say. I won’t get in to details, but my situation growing up left me learning just to understand spoken word, and write back. Nobody has patience to read what I jot, and it’s limiting to write it all. So, I rarely said anything to anybody. Now… I’m learning ASL from StartASL.com as I couldn’t afford to go take a course somewhere. My life is very different. There are people I can just communicate with, just talk to. No need to rummage around for some paper or a gadget. I have friends who actually include me in group conversations. Something as simple as “How are you?” doesn’t require I find a pen!

I took ASL 1 and 2 30 years ago in Community College. I had always hoped to continue but never found the time. My skills were rusty at best and I was ready to give up when I found StartASL. Wow! First I signed up for the email newsletter. Then I purchased the classes by month and the e-books, and now I’m ready to consider the tutoring services. I love this site! Thanks and keep up the good work!

I started going to a sign language class being offered by our local church & discovered that I was the only one who was fluent in sign (even the teachers fluency is questionable). If it were not for you doing what you do best, I would seriously be going crazy right about now. I have always wanted to teach sign language and now thanks to you, I may get the chance. Your confidence in your students has given me confidence that becoming dependent on sign language is not the end of the world. My 15 yr old is now well on her way to being fluent & even encouraged me to translate a preschool song I had done years ago into sign language that we taught to the church class.

Michelle you are an AMAZING person. Thank you so much for everything you do.

I’m hearing and I’ve always wanted to learn sign language to have a job as an interpreter! Now I can! I’m only on unit 2, but having so much fun learning. My friends at school are so jealous of my skill and want me to teach them! If you’re frustrated just go slow and don’t quit! You’ll be signing in no time!

Thank you for sharing your reasons for the speed in signing in your videos. I agree with you 100%! I greatly appreciate the opportunity to watch ASL at the speed of fluent signers. I believe this helps in the ability to learn the language in a natural way. Not needing to focus on every single sign, but the context and meaning of the overall content. My teachers have all been wonderful and I am fortunate to have been taught by Deaf teachers who are passionate about Deaf Culture. But I have been taught by signing slowly at first, picking out each individual word, and slowly increasing speed as we go. For me, it has taught me bad habits that are hard to break! I think, had I learned the speed from the beginning, with the cadence and flow of the language, advanced signing concepts would have come far easier and more naturally. In the end, I just wanted to thank you for sticking to your principles. I agree with those principles completely! It really seems like the best method to use for long-term success! Again, thank you for all that your classes do in teaching this beautiful language. Especially for those of us who may not have the opportunity to communicate in the Deaf community as often as we would like. It has helped me a great deal.

These classes have definitely been an experience for me. Before I started to take these classes, I hardly knew any sign language. Then my friend started signing all of these new signs, and I was like, Where did you learn all of these signs. She said that she found a website with different chapters, and books. Each chapter has phrases and vocabulary each with its own video on how to do it. Overall, I absolutely love these classes and will continue to take them until I am done with all of the chapters/units in each book.

I am a retired professional and am going deaf very rapidly. I took two classes with a Deaf Action Center in another town. Then we moved and there is no DAC here. Then I found Start ASL and find the instruction and action of the signers excellent. The key for me is repeat, repeat, repeat. Then go stand in front of a mirror and practice. Thank you all!

We would like to thank you so much for offering this course. I have a deaf son who is extremely successful in both the hearing and deaf community. After graduating from college, he worked in jobs from the East Coast to the West Coast and back and did it completely on his own. We are very proud of him. He attended both schools for the deaf and was mainstreamed. We knew that signing was his preference but he also is a wonderful lip reader and his speech is pretty good. As a result, we did little to no signing with him at home. I took the signing classes at least four times but my heart was never in it. I know a lot of vocabulary words but have a hard time reading it. Your site has given me the opportunity to read it and to explore deaf culture. It has been extremely helpful and has helped me see things in a different light. Guess it’s never too late to mend some fences. Thank you again.