Open Educational Resources and American Sign Language - ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

This collection was curated by an ASCCC OERI discipline lead.

Organization is by popularity of course according to the frequency courses appear under TOP code 0850.00 Sign Language in the COCI. A section on supplementary/ancillary resources is also included.

As of November 2023, video-centric e-textbooks with comprehensive learning sequences designed for quarter- or semester-long courses have not been developed and released for open educational use.

Very few resources are licensed for open educational use. Most resources listed here are available through free access by organizations or persons making their materials accessible online.

There is a project, funded by a ZTC Pathways Acceleration Grant from the Chancellor’s Office of California Community Colleges, currently underway with the aim of developing video-centric e-textbooks for those courses: ASL 1, ASL 2, ASL 3, ASL 4, Fingerspelling and Numbers, and Deaf Culture. Please check this page each semester for updates.

American Sign Language 1

Lifeprint.com: “ASL University” (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all materials)
Lessons 1 through 15 are listed as appropriate for ASL 1; includes curricular resources such as PowerPoints, practice cards for students, and quizzes; video materials include both recorded lectures and practice sheets with links to video demonstration of phrases; website also contains a comprehensive dictionary of signs and a library of articles on topics covering grammar, Deaf culture, Deaf history, and other topics related to the Deaf community.
Comments: May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using; video quality varies, some material relies on photographical depiction instead of video.
ASL THAT on YouTube (Joseph Wheeler) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Contains ASL vocabulary and grammar lessons covering common ASL 1 topics.
Comments: Basic skills mostly captioned or subtitled. May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using. Wheeler also curated many other videos via playlists.
RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.
American Sign Language. Wikpedia. (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Article highlighting the history and development of ASL.
Comment: Ideal for use as supplemental reading in ASL 1 or as a refresher in ASL 2.
Black American Sign Language. Wikpedia. (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Article highlighting the history and development of Black ASL.
Comment: Ideal for use as supplemental reading in ASL 1 or as a refresher in ASL 2.
Signing Black in America documentary (The Language & Life Project at NC State University) (All rights reserved, free access)
The description for this documentary on YouTube reads as follows: “Just like spoken languages, sign languages have dialects. Black ASL is the unique dialect of American Sign Language (ASL) that developed within historically segregated African American Deaf communities. Largely unknown to outsiders, Black ASL has become a symbol of solidarity and a vital part of identity within the Black Deaf community.”
Comment: Ideal for use in ASL 1 or ASL 2 courses; for viewer resources, including discussion questions and handouts, please visit SIGNING BLACK in AMERICA – Resources.

American Sign Language 2

Lifeprint.com: “ASL University” (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all materials)
Lessons 16 through 30 are listed as appropriate for ASL 2; includes curricular resources such as PowerPoints, practice cards for students, and quizzes; video materials include both recorded lectures and practice sheets with links to video demonstration of phrases; website also contains a comprehensive dictionary of signs and a library of articles on topics covering grammar, Deaf culture, Deaf history, and other topics related to the Deaf community.
Comments: May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using; video quality varies, some material relies on photographical depiction instead of video.
ASL THAT on YouTube (Joseph Wheeler) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Contains ASL vocabulary and grammar lessons covering common ASL 2 topics.
Comments: Basic skills mostly captioned or subtitled. May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using. Wheeler also curated many other videos via playlists.
RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.
American Sign Language. Wikpedia. (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Article highlighting the history and development of ASL.
Comment: Ideal for use as supplemental reading in ASL 1 or as a refresher in ASL 2.
Black American Sign Language. Wikpedia. (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Article highlighting the history and development of Black ASL.
Comment: Ideal for use as supplemental reading in ASL 1 or as a refresher in ASL 2.
Signing Black in America documentary (The Language & Life Project at NC State University) (All rights reserved, free access)
The description for this documentary on YouTube reads as follows: “Just like spoken languages, sign languages have dialects. Black ASL is the unique dialect of American Sign Language (ASL) that developed within historically segregated African American Deaf communities. Largely unknown to outsiders, Black ASL has become a symbol of solidarity and a vital part of identity within the Black Deaf community.”
Comment: Ideal for use in ASL 1 or ASL 2 courses; for viewer resources, including discussion questions and handouts, please visit SIGNING BLACK in AMERICA – Resources.

American Sign Language 3

Lifeprint.com: “ASL University” (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all materials)
Lessons 31 through 45 are listed as appropriate for ASL 3; includes curricular resources such as PowerPoints, practice cards for students, and quizzes; video materials include both recorded lectures and practice sheets with links to video demonstration of phrases; website also contains a comprehensive dictionary of signs and a library of articles on topics covering grammar, Deaf culture, Deaf history, and other topics related to the Deaf community.
Comments: May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using; video quality varies, some material relies on photographical depiction instead of video.
ASL THAT on YouTube (Joseph Wheeler) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Contains ASL vocabulary and grammar lessons covering common ASL 3 topics.
Comments: Advanced skills may not be captioned. May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using. Wheeler also curated many other videos via playlists.
RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.

American Sign Language 4

Lifeprint.com: “ASL University” (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all materials)
Lessons 46 through 60 are listed as appropriate for ASL 4; includes curricular resources such as PowerPoints, practice cards for students, and quizzes; video materials include both recorded lectures and practice sheets with links to video demonstration of phrases; website also contains a comprehensive dictionary of signs and a library of articles on topics covering grammar, Deaf culture, Deaf history, and other topics related to the Deaf community.
Comments: May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using; video quality varies, some material relies on photographical depiction instead of video.
ASL THAT on YouTube (Joseph Wheeler) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Contains ASL vocabulary and grammar lessons covering common ASL 4 topics.
Comments: Advanced skills may not be captioned. May contain some regional variation; instructors should review before using. Wheeler also curated many other videos via playlists.
RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.

Deaf Culture

Deaf Awareness Resources (National Deaf Center) (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
Articles, videos, tips for interacting with deaf people, including attention-getting.
Comment: May also be useful for ASL 1 or 2.
The Lifeprint Library (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all articles)
Huge collection of over 700 articles and FAQs covering various topics related to Deaf culture as well as Deaf history, technology, language use, and other aspects of the Deaf experience.
Comment: Articles vary in quality, from simple FAQ structure to student essays to some research papers. Some excellent firsthand perspectives. Instructors should review before using this material in their courses.

Fingerspelling and Numbers

Fingerspelling – A Mindful Approach (Johnston) LibreTexts (CC-BY 4.0)
Readings on fingerspelling through a lens of mindfulness as practiced by an interpreter whose mentor was a CODA, with attention on fingerspelling basics, loan signs, configuration, using context, effective closure, phonetical representation, emphatic fingerspelling, and engagement.
Comment: No video material. Instructors may need to develop their own demonstrative content. May be ideal as assigned readings for reflection or journaling.

Classifiers

RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.
ASL Classifiers Level 1 from Lifeprint.com “ASL University” (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all articles)
Webpage with numerous readings, charts, notes, Q&A, and descriptions of ASL classifiers, includes links to PowerPoint slides focusing on classifiers
Comment: Lacks comprehensive video demonstration; instructors need to be very fluent in ASL in order to prepare and deliver content with accuracy and clarity.

ASL Linguistics

Linguistics of American Sign Language, 5th Ed.: An Introduction. E-Textbook via Project Muse (Gallaudet University, all rights reserved, requires institutional access).
Textbook focuses on defining language and linguistics, before covering the phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics of ASL; includes updated material focusing on Black ASL, bilingualism, and the use of ASL in film, along with video material now included in supplementary material.
Comment: Contact your institution library to see if they offer access to Project Muse texts; if provided, this could make the course ZTC even if the material itself is not an OER.

Issues and Trends in the Deaf Community

The Daily Moth: Deaf News and Top Stories (Copyrighted, free access)
Video blog and news platform summarizing news about Deaf people around the world, along with top stories, using ASL. Captions and transcripts are included.
Comment: May also be suitable for studies focusing on Deaf culture, Deaf history, or as practice for advanced comprehension (ASL 3, 4, Introduction to Interpreting).
The Lifeprint Library (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all articles)
Huge collection of over 700 articles and FAQs covering various topics related to Deaf culture as well as Deaf history, technology, language use, and other aspects of the Deaf experience.
Comment: Articles vary in quality, from simple FAQ structure to student essays to some research papers. Some excellent firsthand perspectives. Instructors should review before using this material in their courses.

Conversational ASL

MELMIRA by Melissa Elmira Yingst (Copyrighted, free access online)
Community-based talk show spotlighting a wide range of Deaf people from a variety of social cultural backgrounds, focusing on topics including personal growth, relationships, health, taboo issues, and community-based concerns. Found on YouTube and Facebook.
Comment: Content consists of conversations among Deaf people. May be ideal for studying conventions of ASL discourse.
Let’s Chat! American Sign Language (ASL) Conversation Activities (The Pathways Project) (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Collection of over 160 interpersonal activities for novice and intermediate learners. Content consists of lesson plans for instructors written in English text with ASL gloss. Links to open-use images and other resources included. No videos.
Comment: Activities may also be useful in other ASL courses.

ASL Literature

ASLized Library. (All rights reserved; access is free)
Includes community-owned literary works, ASLized orginals, videobooks, glossary, and the Journal of American Sign Languages & Literatures.
Comment: Contains a variety of video materials from child-friendly to research-based that instructors and students could use in learning about and appreciating ASL literature.
Telling Tales in ASL: From Literature to Literacy (part 1 and part 2) (Gallaudet University) (All rights reserved, free access online)
Video program of two hours and twenty minutes duration in which experts discuss features of ASL literature from story telling techniques to literacy instruction. Broadcast was via satellite in 1997.
Comment: Video is archived and is no longer supported by media services.
American Sign Language literature Wikpedia. (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Article offering a brief overview of ASL literature, its development, and its most common features.
Comment: May serve as an introduction to the concept of ASL literature.

Introduction to Deaf Education

Position Statement on Language Access (California Department of Education) (Copyright by California Department of Education; public access)
Article describing the context of the Deaf Child’s Bill of rights (Assembly Bill 1836, encoded as Education code 5600.5); involves considerations for accessible education and critical mass with deaf and hard of hearing peers; access to deaf role models; full social participation at school; description of the least restrictive environment for deaf children; and focusing on the deaf child’s needs when developing an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Comment: Any introduction to deaf education course should involve study of the legal issues involved in deaf education.
SB 210 Language Development Milestones (California Department of Education) (Copyright by California Department of Education; public access)
Detailed description of language milestones experienced by all babies as they develop from birth to age 5. Includes English and ASL developmental milestones.
Comments: Any introduction to deaf education course should involve study of language use and its development, with consideration for whether students are kindergarten ready or may need remediation when they arrive in school. Spanish version here for educators to use with parents and community members: SB 210 Hitos del desarrollo del lenguaje.
RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.

Deaf History

Deaf history (Joseph J. Murray, for Britannica.com) (All rights reserved, free access)
Encyclopedia article on the history of the deaf, from early communities to modern day life.
The Lifeprint Library (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access to all articles)
Huge collection of over 700 articles and FAQs covering various topics related to Deaf culture as well as Deaf history, technology, language use, and other aspects of the Deaf experience.
Comment: Articles vary in quality, from simple FAQ structure to student essays to some research papers. Some excellent firsthand perspectives. Instructors should review before using this material in their courses.
Deaf History That (National Association of the Deaf) (All rights reserved, free access)
Series of 16 videos covering early Deaf history in the United States; features historical reenactor Linsay Darnall Jr. who incorporates historical forms of ASL into his narrations.

Introduction to Interpreting

Integrated and Open Interpreter Education. (Maroney et al.) LibreTexts. (CC-BY-NC 4.0)
Readings focus on interpreter engagement in the community, service learning, citizenship, linguistic and cultural aspects of interpreting, orientation to the interpreted interaction, interpreting for English grammar classes, developing confident and competent DeafBlind interpreters, reflective practice, interpreter mindset, pre-interpreting, technical skills, adaptive skills, supervision, professional identity, and preparation for working with people.
Comment: No video material
RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.

Audism and Inequality of the Deaf

Definitions of “Audism” (Gallaudet University) (All rights reserved, free access)
Four formal definitions from peer-reviewed sources or renowned publications are shared in this library guide.
Audism Resources (Deaf Studies Digital Journal, Gallaudet University) (All rights reserved, free access to links)
Contains excerpts from scholarly works along with links to video resources.
Comment: Some scholarly works listed may be accessible through college libraries; please check with your institution.
What is Audism? 5 Examples to Learn and Avoid (AI Media) (All rights reserved, free online article)
AI Media is a company that focuses on captioning technology with recent forays into AI-powered solutions; they also share community-centered knowledge about experiences involving accessibility via their Knowledge Hub.

ASL with Infants and Toddlers

RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free access)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.
ASL Stories Directory (American Society for Deaf Children) (Website directory for free videos)
Directory contains links to hundreds of free videos of ASL retellings of stories for deaf children. More tips including “How to Read and Sign a Story with Your Child” are shared.
15 Principles for Reading to Deaf Children National Deaf Education Center, Gallaudet University) (All rights reserved; free access via registration)
Videos and accompanying descriptions share best practices for how to read aloud to deaf and hard of hearing children. They are based on research on how Deaf parents read to their Deaf children, and are intended give parents and teachers of deaf children skills and strategies for reading aloud in American Sign Language.
Comment: Ideal for ASL students who plan to work with children, such as in schools or community settings (e.g. storytime at the library, daycare); videos and training modules require registration and account creation in order to access NDEC resources.

Visual Gestural Communication

“What is Gestural Communication?” (Gesture Literacy Knowledge Studio) (All rights reserved, free access)
This video is a brief introduction to some basic components of visual gestural communication: Pointing; copying and acting out actions; describing sizes; describing shapes; and showing your feelings, reactions, and opinions.
Visual Gestural Communication – Intro, Lecture, Activity (Dr. Naomi Sheneman and Salatiel Pineda) (All rights reserved, free access)
Naomi Sheneman introduces an activity developed and explained by Salatiel Pineda for using visual-gestural communication through sight translation with health care documents.
Comment: This may be too narrow in scope but could serve as inspiration for further investigation of similar topics; videos are not captioned.

Deaf Art

De’VIA Curriculum (free to use for educational purposes)
WordPress site containing information about the history of Deaf art; common elements, themes and motifs found in Deaf art (including videos and annual challenges), along with lesson plans, resources, and other information.
Comment: Website is currently undergoing repairs and portions may be unreadable.

Creative Signing

RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free videos)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.

Introduction to Deafhood

Deafhood Institute: Recommended Materials—Video Resources (Museum of Deaf History, Arts & Culture) All rights reserved, video links are free to access)
Collection includes “The Preservation of American Sign Language” (15 mins. Credit to Sign Media, Inc. 1997), “Do You Know what Language Deprivation Is?” (2 mins. The Nyle DiMarco Foundation. Dec 2016), “Madness in the Mainstream” (114 mins. Brown University. Oct 2014), “Deafhood and Deaf Culture: The Relationship” (8 mins. Ella Mae Lentz. Nov 2009), “Early Interventions: The Missing Link by ASLized” (7 mins. Dec. 2011), and “Climbing the Avalanche” (39 mins. ASLized. May 2018)

Deaf Literature

The Deaf Poets Society (All rights reserved. Free online access)
Website includes nine journal issues of literature, art, and poetry related to the deaf and disabled experience. Emphases focus on centering the previously marginalized from across multiple spectra of ethnicity, disability, gender, and LGBTQIA lives.
Comment: Journal is currently on hiatus as of November 2023; archived issues are available.

ASL with School Age Children

ASL Stories Directory (American Society for Deaf Children) (Website directory for free videos)
Directory contains links to hundreds of free videos of ASL retellings of stories for deaf children. More tips including “How to Read and Sign a Story with Your Child” are shared.
15 Principles for Reading to Deaf Children National Deaf Education Center, Gallaudet University) (All rights reserved; free access via registration)
Videos and accompanying descriptions share best practices for how to read aloud to deaf and hard of hearing children. They are based on research on how Deaf parents read to their Deaf children, and are intended give parents and teachers of deaf children skills and strategies for reading aloud in American Sign Language.
Comment: Ideal for ASL students who plan to work with children, such as in schools or community settings (e.g. storytime at the library, daycare); videos and training modules require registration and account creation in order to access NDEC resources.
RMDSCO on YouTube (Jeni Jackerson and team) (All rights reserved, free access)
Their ASL Storytelling playlist contains over 80 stories translated into ASL; with the Toddler Program listing 49 stories. Many stories contain use of classifiers, role shift, temporal aspect, and other ASL storytelling conventions.
Comment: Ideal for practicing comprehension of ASL skills in ASL courses, studying translation choices in interpreting courses, or for deaf educators focusing on literacy instruction.

ASL for Health and Medical Personnel

NDC Online Learning—Self-Paced Courses National Deaf Center (All rights reserved, free access via registration)
Self-paced modules with 1.0 hour CPE each for teaching topics related to community advocacy, health and medical personnel, and paraprofessional preparation.
Medical Sign Language Lesson 01 part 1, Lesson 02 (Part 1), Lesson 03 (Part 2), and Lesson 04 (Part 2) (Dr. William G. Vicars) (All rights reserved, free access)
Intended for students with conversational skills; those videos cover vocabulary, phrases, statements, and questions related to health topics.
Your Right to Effective Communication in Healthcare Settings (ASL) (DisabilityRightsCA) (All rights reserved, free access)
Available through YouTube, this video covers essentials involved with obtaining communication access in healthcare settings.
Comment: Useful information for training ASL students who may become first responders, community advocates, or healthcare providers.
Healthcare Videos in ASL (DisabilityRightsTexas) (All rights reserved, free access)
Aimed at deaf and hard of hearing consumers, those videos cover key information related to understanding rights related to Medicaid and getting vaccines.
Comment: May serve as models for ASL students who want to increase their ASL fluency related to health care topics.

Supplemental/Ancillary Resources

ASL-LEX database and visualization (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Database of 2,723 signs that are categorized by similar parameters (phonological components). Available as a searchable web interface and as raw data in spreadsheet form.
Comment: May be suitable for lessons covering ASL parameters or linguistics.
ASL Signbank (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
ASL Signbank is a collection of ASL signs linked with ID glosses. It is meant to be used by fluent ASL signers as an annotation tool for ASL videos with ELAN and the ASL SLAASh conventions. Reference: Julie A. Hochgesang, Onno Crasborn, and Diane Lillo-Martin. (2017-2023) ASL Signbank. New Haven, CT: Haskins Lab, Yale University. https://aslsignbank.haskins.yale.edu/
Comment: May be used for reference and analysis of ASL signs.
American Sign Language grammar Wikpedia. (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Article covering various grammatical aspects of ASL.
Comment: Ideal as starting points for readings and lectures focusing on grammatical lessons in ASL 1, ASL 2, ASL 3, and ASL 4.
American Sign Language Dictionary by SignASL.org (Free access to site)
Aggregator containing over 40,000 videos depicting variations in signs from more than 16 sources.
Comment: Ideal for exploring and analyzing sign variations when studying vocabulary, grammar, or linguistics. Useful with all levels of ASL.
Handspeak (Copyright by Jolanta Lapiak, limited resources for personal, non-commerical purposes; links may be shared)
Subscription-based website with some pricing models; free resources include a dictionary with video entries and some articles.
Comment: Dictionary signs may be useful for students in ASL 1 and ASL 2.

Using an OER resource that is missing from the list above? If so, please let us know.

This page was last updated on November 30, 2023.