10 Best Online ASL Classes to Train [Updated March 2023]

American Sign Language Courses Online

 

Being able to communicate in American Sign Language (ASL) not only helps you connect with friends and family with hearing impairment, but it has also become a desirable skill in the job market. If you too wish to have this skill up your sleeve and have been searching for “American Sign Language classes near me”, taking online classes can give you a good head start. Enrolling in the best online ASL classes can also help you improve your brain function, concentration, and memory.

 

So, to cut your search short TrumpLearning, in consultation with 16 sign language experts, brings to you the 10 best online ASL classes and courses for 2021. These online ASL courses will teach you the basics of sign language as well as help you understand it better by giving valuable insights.

 

Let us take you through each of these ASL courses and help select the right one for you.

 

10 Best Online ASL Classes & Courses

  1. American Sign Language Level 1 [Udemy]
  2. American Sign Language "Basics" [Udemy]
  3. ASL Expressions Lessons #1-6 [Udemy]
  4. ASL | American Sign Language | The Alphabet [Skillshare]
  5. American Sign Language (ASL) 101 & ISL [Udemy]
  6. ASL | Pronouns + Vocab + Practice | American Sign Language [Skillshare]
  7. The Start ASL Online Course [Start ASL]
  8. Online ASL Courses By Gallaudet University [Gallaudet.edu]
  9. Learn Sign Language Online [Sign Language 101]
  10. Live ASL Classes [Take Lessons]
American Sign Language Level 1 [Udemy]

 

About the Course

The first one in the best online ASL courses is a Udemy bestseller that will lay a strong foundation for you in the American Sign Language. The beginner online ASL classes in this course are apt for anyone interested in learning how to communicate in sign language. This course will brief you on the Golden Age of Deaf Education and the Age of Oralism. These online ALS classes will teach you all the basics such as alphabets, fingerspelling, colors, animals, foods and drinks, verbs, nouns, etc.

 

The duration of this online ASL course is 2 hours and 26 minutes and it consists of 25 video lectures. However, the videos do not have closed captions. This course also includes downloadable study material that you can use for practicing vocabulary and sentences.

 

If you have been searching for “American Sign Language classes near me” this course has one of the best online ASL classes, to begin with. It also claims that by the end of this course you will be able to clearly present a short story in ASL. This course has been created by Intellezy Trainers - computer training specialists. It has a rating of 4.6 and has already been enrolled by 15,591 students so far. You can enroll in this course with a one-time fee which is also covered under Udemy’s 30 days money-back guarantee. You will also be awarded a certificate of completion for this course.

 

What You Will Learn

  • The ASL alphabets
  • Fingerspelling
  • Number signs
  • Colors
  • Animals
  • Food and drink
  • Family signs
  • Key verbs and nouns
  • Feelings and emotions
  • Sentences

 

Review by Laura Stephenson
This course clearly teaches the hand shapes for sign language. It begins with the basics, and quickly moves into sentences. I am getting a lot of knowledge out of the course.

 


American Sign Language "Basics" [Udemy]

 

About the Course

The next one in the top American Sign Language courses online is again a beginner course that, as the name suggests, will cover all the basics of ASL. Through the best online ASL classes of this course, you will be introduced to the Deaf community and Deaf Culture, you will learn how to count to ten, and how to fingerspell. This is one of the best online ASL courses created by JP Cappalonga, an educator of American Sign Language with more than 18 years of experience under his belt.

 

The duration of this ASL training online is approx. 2 hours and it comprises 14 video lectures. Besides that, it also contains practice lessons to improve your fluency in ASL and also to help you review everything that you will learn during this course. So if you have been on the lookout for “American sign language classes near me” this course can be the first step towards this endeavor.

 

To purchase this course, you need to make a one-time payment on Udemy. And, in case you are not happy with these online ASL classes, you can seek a full return under Udemy’s 30-days money-back guarantee. Enrolling in this course will give you full lifetime access to the content and you can also access these classes on your mobile or TV. Plus, you will be awarded a certificate of completion at the end.  This course is one of the best online sign language courses for beginners with a rating of 4.8 and 1000 students on board.

 

What You Will Learn

  • Manual alphabets
  • Numbers from 1 to 10
  • Greetings and introduction
  • Colors
  • Asking WHO and WHERE
  • Fingerspelling
  • Deaf culture

 

Review by G. Lynn
The instructor teaches at the perfect pace. His instructions are clear, and easy to follow. The way he instructs helps learning. He also organizes the subject manner. Excellent job. I hope he teaches more classes!

 


ASL Expressions Lessons #1-6 [Udemy]

 

About the Course

Whether you have a non-verbal family member or are yourself suffering from progressive hearing loss, you may have already searched for “American Sign Language classes near me”. Knowing sign language is a way to stay connected with the world or to help others express themselves if they find it difficult to communicate in words.

 

This beginner course will help you learn the fingerspelled alphabets, 120+ signs of ASL, numbers, grammar, cultural tones, and more than 60 phrases and sentences. This course is one of the best online ASL courses that will teach you how to construct sentences using high-frequency signs, how to introduce yourself, and most importantly to listen attentively and ask for signs you are unaware of.

 

The duration of this online ALS course is 1 hour and 35 minutes. There are seven online videos along with downloadable PDFs. The instructor of this ASL training online is Tara Adams who has been teaching American Sign Language for more than 15 years. Just like the other American Sign Language courses online on Udemy, this course also can be purchased with a one-time fee. You will be given full lifetime access to all the seven online ASL classes which can also be viewed on your mobile or TV. This course has a rating of 4.6 and has been enrolled by 107 students so far. You will also bag a certificate of completion for this course.

 

What You Will Learn

  • Fingerspelling
  • More than 120 signs of ASL
  • Phrases and sentences
  • Numbers
  • ASL grammar
  • Cultural tones
  • Introductions
  • Asking and responding to questions
  • Asking for unfamiliar signs

 

Review by Becky Miller
I really enjoyed being able to watch the courses from my phone and on the Apple TV. It was so convenient to be able to watch a lesson multiple times and in multiple places throughout my day. Each lesson is short and full of well organized information.

 


ASL | American Sign Language | The Alphabet [Skillshare]

 

About the Course

Learning ASL is a practical skill that can help you communicate with new groups of individuals. Therefore, the next course in our best online ASL classes will teach you in detail the most fundamental aspect of ASL i.e. manual alphabet.  This is one of the most persistent American Sign Language courses online created by Able Lingo ASL which teaches individual letters at a slow pace. This course is probably one of the best online ASL courses that will show you all the alphabets from multiple angles.

 

This will ensure that you develop precise hand and finger positioning to communicate in ASL. You will also learn how to recognize and sign multiple letters and short words, practice fingerspelling, and participate in multiple exercises to improve your speed and fluency. By undertaking this best online sign language course you will be much more confident in communicating in ASL and would have developed a rock-solid foundation to study advanced topics.

 

The duration of this course is 2 hours and 36 minutes. It comprises 48 online ASL classes and projects to test your newly acquired ASL skills. This beginner course has been enrolled by 3275 students and 71% of these students state that this course exceeded their expectations. You can enroll in this course by purchasing a premium membership of Skillshare which comes with a 7-days free trial. However, if you are searching for “American Sign Language classes near me” to bag a certificate, you will have to go with other courses on our list.

 

What You Will Learn

  • Individual letters of ASL
  • Correct hand and finger positioning
  • Fingerspelling of multiple letters and short words
  • Signing multiple letters at a time
  • Signing all the alphabets from memory
  • Recognizing letters in ASL

 

Review by Veda Maharaj
Just began these classes but its very clear and makes a lot of sense. The teacher is great and breaks every step down

 


American Sign Language (ASL) 101 & ISL [Udemy]

 

About the Course

This course is one of the highest-rated American Sign Language courses online that will serve as an introduction to every visual sign language used globally and will teach you how to communicate naturally and fluently in ASL. By undertaking the online ASL classes of this course you will learn about facial expressions, use of space, hand gestures, grammar, and the Indian Sign Language. This course has been created by a sign language instructor who likes to call himself the ‘Deaf Instructor’.

 

The reason why we consider this course as one of the best online ASL courses is that it is not sign language-specific. So irrespective of your background and origin, you can enroll in these best online ASL classes to express yourself without words.

 

The duration of this course is 11 hours and it consists of a whopping 129 video lectures. In fact, this course is one of the most comprehensive American Sign Language courses online. It is also choc-o-bloc with practice sign quizzes that will help you keep a track of your progress. Plus, the downloadable resources will aid your learning.

 

Purchasing this best online sign language course will give you full lifetime access to all its classes. You can also access the videos via your mobile or TV. And as an icing on the cake, you will be awarded a certificate of completion which you can share on your social media profiles. This course has a rating of 4.8 and 329 students have enrolled in this course so far.

 

What You Will Learn

  • Basics and principles of ASL
  • Sentence structure concepts and grammar
  • Mouth morphemes
  • ASL collocation
  • ASL classifiers
  • Improving interpreting skills
  • Deaf manner and culture
  • Descriptive signing
  • Intermediate vocabulary
  • Sign concepts
  • Tips and tricks
  • Indian Sign Language (ISL)
  • Deaf culture and deaf psychology

 

Review by R. Shiloah James
As a certified ASL interpreter I took this course to further my education, and it did not disappoint. I learned new points from the insight into deaf culture and absolutely loved the sign language poetry at the end! The way the ISL signs were clear and zoomed in for better viewing made them easy to grasp. A-1 course!

 


ASL | Pronouns + Vocab + Practice | American Sign Language [Skillshare]

 

About the Course

If you have completed the online ASL course on Skillshare to learn ASL alphabets, you can continue your learning with this second course created by Able Lingo ASL. However, completing the previous course is not a pre-requisite to enroll in these online ASL classes. This course will teach you how to use personal and possessive pronouns in ASL and how to combine them with ASL vocabulary. By the end of this course, you will be able to sign and recognize personal and possessive pronouns with much more ease. You will also be able to create meaningful phrases and sentences using pronouns and feel much more confident using sign language.

 

The duration of this course is 2 hours and 27 minutes and it consists of 40 online classes. Plus, there is also an assignment for you that will help you practice everything learned in this course.  This course has already been undertaken by 1322 students and most of them feel that it has one of the best online ASL classes that meet and exceed student expectations. To sign up for these classes, you will need to purchase the premium membership of Skillshare. However, no certificate will be awarded.

 

What You Will Learn

  • Signing and recognizing ASL personal pronouns
  • Signing and recognizing ASL possessive pronouns
  • New words such as house, purse, happy, sad, scared, hungry, etc.
  • Combining ASL pronouns and vocabulary to form phrases and sentences

 

Review by Trey Green
Really enjoyed this review on pronouns and vocab! Coming from a beginner, I felt like I have accomplished so much in 39 videos! Not only were the pronouns broken down diligently but he took his time to fully engage with the difference between all of them! Thank you so much and I cannot wait to start my next lesson!

 


The Start ASL Online Course [Start ASL]

 

About the Course

‘The Start ASL’ is a sign language learning platform offering curriculum-supported ASL training online that can also help you earn academic credits. Joining the Start ASL program will give you access to three levels of the course – ASL 1,2 and 3 which are jam-packed with video lessons, quizzes, assignments, and tons of reading material. Each level of this online ASL course is equivalent to a year of foreign language in high school or one semester in college.

 

This course has some of the best online ASL classes as they won’t just teach you a bunch of signs, but will enable you to start communicating in ASL right away. This self-paced course is truly one of the best online sign language courses that will equip you with essential ASL vocabulary and grammar, and will also introduce you to the Deaf community. Plus, you will get to join the community of students undertaking these online ASL classes so that you all can learn together.

 

Enrolling in this course will also grant you access to the tutoring program wherein you can study under an online tutor by paying an additional fee. Plus, you will learn from nine different signers which will make you more versatile while communicating in ASL. You will earn a certificate of completion for each level of this ASL training online that you can print and share. You can have some of the introductory lessons for free. Further, to sign-up for this best online sign language course, you can either purchase their silver or gold subscription. While the features of both are pretty much the same, the gold membership is for students who want to earn academic credit. However, you can also sign-up for free to access the free lessons.

 

What You Will Learn

ASL 1 Course:
  • Fingerspelling
  • Numbers
  • The five sign parameters
  • Word order
  • Sentence types
  • Pronouns and indexing
  • Verbs
  • Identifying people

 

ASL 2 Course:
  • Sentence types
  • Temporal aspect
  • Classifiers
  • Pluralization
  • Time, duration, and regularity
  • Distance
  • Inflection
  • Describing rooms, objects, and locations

 

ASL 3 Course:
  • Role shifting
  • Narratives
  • Giving information
  • Sign language games
  • Literature
  • Storytelling
  • Interpreting songs

 

Review by Susan
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.

 


Online ASL Courses By Gallaudet University [Gallaudet.edu]

 

About the Courses

Gallaudet University has been the pioneer of education for deaf and hard of hearing students and has also been the forerunner of deaf rights worldwide. Carrying forward its legacy, the Gallaudet University, through its ASL Connect platform, is offering some of the best online ASL courses for adult learners. These courses include ASL levels 1 to 4, beginner and intermediate courses on fingerspelling, and Visual Gestural Communication.  All these courses are taught by ASL professionals and are aimed to improve your comprehension and communication skills by engaging you with fluent ASL users via live interactions.

 

The duration of these online ASL courses is eight weeks. These courses comprise video lessons, assignments, and interactive activities. While they are self-paced, they do have weekly deadlines for assignment submissions, and students are required to participate in online language sessions. All of these American Sign Language courses online are eligible for academic credits. However, you will have to check the course availability to sign up for their spring, summer, or fall sessions.

 

Courses and What You Will Learn

  • Beginning Fingerspelling (1 credit)
  • Intermediate Fingerspelling (1 credit)
  • Special Topic: Classifiers I
  • Special Topic: Classifiers II
  • Visual Gestural Communication (3 credits)
  • ASL I (3 credits) – Basics of ASL
  • ASL II (3 credits) – Use of basic ASL sentence types
  • ASL III (3 credits) – Complex ASL grammatical features and vocabulary, short stories, narratives, and dialogues
  • ASL IV (3 credits) - Development of ASL vocabulary and grammar including the use of two to three character role shifts

 


Learn Sign Language Online [Sign Language 101]

 

About the Course

Sign Language 101 is offering one of the best online sign language courses which consist of two self-paced courses for the price of one. Created by Dr. Byron Bridges, a well-known teacher and lecturer in ASL and sign language interpretation, these courses will introduce you to more than 1400 vocabulary words, a plethora of worksheets and fingerspelling activities, and everything will be taught via bit-sized online video classes.

 

The prime reason why we have featured this course in the top American Sign Language courses online is that the lessons here are fun and unintimidating and anyone above the age of 10 can enroll in these courses. Also, you will be awarded a certificate of completion that you can use to showcase your achievement.

 

Level 1 Level 1 of this course contains online ASL classes covering basics of ASL, 700 + vocabulary words, numbers, tips, and an introduction to the Deaf culture. The duration of this course is approx. 10 weeks and it contains around 3.5 hours of video content. Plus, it has more than 40 activities and worksheets to concrete your learning.

 

Level 2 Level 2 of this course will bolster your learning in ASL. In the 10 new online ASL classes, you will learn how to form sentences, describe people and things, and improve your ASL grammar. You will also enhance your receptive skills and fingerspelling. The duration of this online ASL course is 10 weeks with 5 hours of video instructions. Besides that, this course contains 65+ activities and worksheets, practice interactions, and 100+ fingerspelling activities.

 

You can either purchase the complete package or buy the Level 1 and 2 separately. Besides the paid courses, you can also access the free videos uploaded by the instructor that cover the basics of ASL, language tips, and a brief introduction to the Deal culture.

 

What You Will Learn

Level 1
  • Facial expressions and body language
  • Numbers and alphabets
  • The body
  • Colors
  • Everyday phrases
  • Time and calendar
  • Food and drinks
  • People and hobbies
  • Antonyms
  • Clothes
  • Verbs
  • Direction
  • Animals
  • Sports
  • Deaf Culture

 

Level 2
  • Describing people and things
  • Numbers: Hundreds, thousands, millions
  • Travel
  • School and education
  • S. cities and states
  • Careers and professions
  • Feelings
  • Pronouns
  • Classifiers
  • Verbs
  • Height, weight, and measurement
  • Banking and accounting
  • Math terminology
  • Receptive practice

 


Live ASL Classes [Take Lessons]

 

About the Course

Last but not least is a live learning platform for those who prefer to learn in-person and are searching for “American Sign Language classes near me”. This platform offers a two-way interactive video technology for students to ask questions and for teachers to give live feedback. By signing up for a ‘Take Lessons’ membership you can get access to a library of beginner and advanced on-demand videos, live interactions, and online chat.

 

You can practice ASL in a collaborative environment with like-minded individuals who will encourage and support you in your learning journey. This ASL training online is offered 7-days a week and covers topics across a variety of subjects. Plus, you get access to extensive study material to supplement your real-time studies. You can even access your online ASL classes via your tablet or phone anytime anywhere. The online membership also comes with a 14-days free trial and the fee is billed monthly.

 

What You Will Learn

The online classes have been divided into three categories basic, technique, and practice. Some of the topics covered under each include:

 

Basics 
  • 25 must-know signs
  • Essential ASL vocabulary for beginners
  • Fingerspelling: Tips and Tricks

 

Technique
  • Signing live
  • Asking and answering questions
  • Workplace vocabulary

 

Practice 
  • How to sign about relationships
  • Deaf culture
  • Must-Know ASL for shopping and dining out

 

Review by Trina
Vanessa is an AMAZING teacher! She is so patient and understanding she knows what it’s like to start learning ASL and teaches it so well. I look forward to every class with Vanessa! HIGHLY recommend her!

 


Conclusion

That brings us to the end of our best online ASL courses. Learning sign language can be fun and useful and with the list of these 10 courses, your search for “American Sign Language classes near me” can finally come to an end.  Enrol in these exciting courses today to learn one of the most used languages in the world.

 

American Sign Language Courses Online Reviewed by 16 Sign Language Experts 4.7
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