American Sign Language Online Courses and Certificates

Purdue University’s online American Sign Language (ASL) courses and certificates offer a basic introduction to ASL for students with no previous knowledge, as well as information about the cultural and historical aspects of ASL and the Deaf community. Upon completion the certificate, students can expect to acquire basic ASL skills to engage in everyday conversations and demonstrate understanding of Deaf culture and community.

The certificate’s three courses use interactive activities that give students the opportunity to concentrate on the purpose rather than the mechanics of a conversation. Students will also learn to tell stories, use the language in various settings, and study ASL grammar with attention to nonmanual features such as facial expressions, head positions and body positions.

Learning Outcomes:

Display conversational and narrative skill proficiency with ASL vocabulary, fingerspelling, and number signs.
Incorporate appropriate ASL grammatical rules, non-manual signals and features in sentences, dialogues and storytelling,
Understand complex interactions using expanded ASL signs and sentence structures.
Demonstrate advanced conversational and narrative skills in ASL with both concrete and abstract concepts.
Utilize appropriate ASL grammatical features, nonmanual signals, intensity, and characterizations in dialogues and storytelling.
Showcase understanding and respect for Deaf culture and community by applying ASL skills.

Courses

For an enriching and comprehensive experience, it is highly recommended that students consider enrolling in the Foundations of ASL and Deaf Culture, which includes ASL 1, ASL 2, and American Deaf Community.

This program is offered 100% online and taught by Purdue faculty, giving students flexibility and a high-quality learning experience. All courses are taught asynchronously, allowing students to access the content at their convenience. This means students can engage with the material whenever it aligns best with their schedule, making it easier to balance educational pursuits with other commitments.

All ASL offerings include a course content accessibility window of six months after registration. This timeframe ensures that students not only have the flexibility to learn at their own pace but also the freedom to revisit and reinforce their understanding of the material.

ASL 1 and 2 cohorts are available every spring and fall semester and dates are announced 4-6 weeks prior to course starts. To learn more or be notified about a course, please submit your information, in the form below or email poapply@purdue.edu.

American Deaf Community is offered as open enrollment.

American Sign Language 1

This course serves as a foundational introduction to the captivating world of American Sign Language (ASL). This comprehensive course is meticulously designed to equip students with the essential tools needed to grasp the basics of ASL grammar at both expressive and receptive levels. Through engaging lessons and hands-on activities, students will navigate the intricacies of ASL structure, gaining proficiency in conveying and understanding messages.

American Sign Language 2

This course is designed to build on and apply ASL conversational skills and cultural behaviors acquired from the previous course, ASL 1, to a functional level that includes new expanded conversational and narrative skills using both concrete and abstract concepts. Students will continue to learn the units of the Signing Naturally curriculum, which uses the “functional-notional” approach where ASL grammatical principles are also emphasized in this course. This method focuses on the communicative purposes or “functions” of social interaction. The course incorporates interactive activities, which will encourage a natural language environment using the target language, American Sign Language by giving students situations, which allow them to concentrate on the purpose rather than the mechanics of the conversation.

Students will also learn to tell stories, use the language in a variety of settings and study ASL grammatical rules with attention to non-manual features including non-manual grammatical signals, and prosodic features of intensity and characterization. Emphasis is placed on narrative receptive and expressive skill development. Attention is given to the basic discourse structures used in both dialogues and storytelling.

American Deaf Community

This self-paced course is designed to introduce students to American Deaf culture and components of the American Deaf community including history, norms, rules of social interactions, values, traditions, and dynamics during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Educational, social, and political factors unique to the Deaf community will be explored, as well as community organizations, impact of technology, and emerging issues/trends.

The mission of this course is to enable students, as participants in the Deaf community via interpreting or otherwise, to effectively carry out roles by arming you with knowledge of this community—and to spark a desire to continually enrich this knowledge by immersion into, and allyship with, this community. Note: This class is open to everyone, regardless of ability to use ASL.

Foundations of ASL Certificate

Embark on a transformative journey of communication and cultural understanding with our Certificate in American Sign Language (ASL) Proficiency. Comprising two dynamic courses, ASL 1 and ASL 2, this program is designed to equip you with essential skills and cultural knowledge needed to navigate the world of American Sign Language. ASL 1 introduces foundational tools for mastering grammar, while ASL 2 builds on conversational skills and cultural behaviors, taking you to a functional level. Through interactive activities and real-world scenarios, our program goes beyond language mechanics, fostering genuine communication and cultural sensitivity. Join us in unlocking the transformative power of effective communication and cultural understanding.

Foundations of ASL and Deaf Culture Certificate

Begin a transformative journey with our Certificate in American Sign Language (ASL) Proficiency and Deaf Community Awareness, a comprehensive three-course program that seamlessly integrates language mastery and cultural understanding. ASL 1 lays the foundation, introducing basic grammar skills and delving into the cultural and historical dimensions of ASL and the Deaf community. Building on this, ASL 2 elevates your proficiency to a functional level, emphasizing expanded conversational and narrative skills using the Signing Naturally curriculum's functional-notional approach. Interactive activities create a natural language environment, focusing on the communicative purposes of social interaction. The self-paced American Deaf Community course broadens your perspective, exploring the community's history, norms, and dynamics, irrespective of ASL proficiency. This empowering journey equips you with the knowledge and skills to meaningfully engage with the Deaf community, fostering allyship and understanding.

Course Cost

Individual Course Registration

American Sign Language 1 - $500
American Sign Language 2 - $500
American Deaf Community - $350

Certificate Registrations

Foundations of ASL Certificate - $900
Foundations of ASL and Deaf Culture Certificate - $1000

Course Material Costs:

GoReact Subscription: $31.99
- Note: If enrolling in both ASL 1 and ASL 2, the subscription needs to be purchased separately for each course.
Signing Naturally Workbook Interactive Online: $69.95
- Includes chapters 1-6; One-time payment covers access to the entire workbook.
Finding Zoe: A Deaf Woman’s Story of Identity, Love, and Adoption
- Ebook: $9.99
- Physical copy: $19.99

Meet the Instructor

Mr. John Borkowski holds a master's degree in Deaf Secondary Education from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, NY. He is originally from Buffalo, NY, where he attended St. Mary’s School for the Deaf. Upon high school graduation, he attended Gallaudet University and obtained his Bachelor of Art (BA) majoring in prelaw. He worked as a computer specialist for the U.S. Government before returning to the teaching field. John started his career as a professional K-12 educator. His experience as a secondary social studies teacher spanned over five different deaf schools in New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and DC. John’s first experience in teaching ASL was as a tutor in the Interpreting program at RIT when he was a graduate student. After graduation, he started teaching introductory ASL in the deaf community and local colleges in Indiana such as Ball State University and Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI). He then taught various intermediate ASL level courses, including the linguistics, culture, and historical aspects of the Deaf Community. As an ASL instructor for Purdue University, John Borkowski aims to connect people who are interested in learning about the Deaf World, community and culture.