Visual Language
Sign Language Use for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Babies: The Evidence Supports It
Drawing from a large body of research, there is a clear argument favoring the use of sign language with all children, regardless of their hearing status. This argument is based on three basic points:- Early language learning experiences affect other areas of development and are critical to children’s future success.
- Sign language provides the earliest possible mode through which children can learn expressive language skills.
- All children can benefit from the use of sign language, with no risk to other language skills
- Hearing children
- Deaf children
- Hard of hearing children
- Any child benefiting from technological auditory assistance

- The brain is most receptive to language acquisition during “sensitive periods” early in a child’s development.
- Deaf and hard of hearing children who receive early intervention services have been found to have better language outcomes.
- High levels of family involvement have been found to produce greater language development outcomes in deaf and hard of hearing children.
- Acquiring a complete first language during early childhood is critical for later reading comprehension.
- Learning two languages (that is, American Sign Language and English) is advantageous for deaf and hard of hearing children.
- A child’s language foundation is an important factor in spoken language development.
All Visual Language Articles
ASL Video of the Week 1/8/23: How to Make Paints
Ready to get creative? Gather your family, students, and/or friends and join Joanne Geppert, a teacher at the Maryland School for the Deaf as she shows us how to make paints! A great way to practice colors, measurements, and counting in ASL. Don't forget to wear...
February FREE ASDC Members Class: Why #ASL G-L-O-S-S?
- FREE February Class for ASDC Members - Monday, February 13 | 8 pm ET | Register Today! While deaf people are bilinguals, they read and write in English. Since ASL is a three dimensional language in constant motion, it is not easy to translate into a written...
Celebrating Black History Month: ASL Resources
Get ASL Resources for Black History Month with links to videos of songs, signs, and stories for children in American Sign Language.
WELCOME! Scranton School for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children
Join us in giving the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children a warm ASDC welcome to our family of member schools. The Scranton School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children, a non-profit, tuition-free school located in Northeast Pennsylvania, provides a...

LAST CALL for SUBMISSIONS – Entries due February 6th
Submissions for the Foundations of Literacy Conference in October 2023 are DUE MONDAY February 6th ASDC, CAID, South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind, and the South Carolina Department of Education are working together to create an informative, innovative, and...
ASL Video of the Week 1/25/23: FLY! with ASL
How many ways can you use the word FLY? "He flies airplanes." "They flew a route between Chicago and New York." "We're going to fly kites in the afternoon." "They always fly the flag on the Fourth of July." "There's a fly on the wall." There are so many ways that that...
Mark Your Calendars: Two New ASL Weekends Added!
We've added TWO new ASL Weekends to the calendar!Idaho in June? Or Pennsylvania in September? You've got two more dates to choose from when picking the perfect weekend to take your ASL skills to the next level. ASL Weekend is a fully immersive two-day workshop for...
ASL VIDEO OF THE WEEK 1/18/23: Deaf Artist Finds Her True Colors
Did you know that January is also International Creativity Month? International Creativity Month, celebrated every year in January, was founded by Randall Munson, a speaker, an entertainer, and a bestselling author of books such as “Creativity 102,” This month is...
Donor Acknowledgements: December 2022
Individual Donors Anonymous (10) Darlene & Paul Milena Aspen Ambrose Brenda Huneycutt & Smith Brittingham IV Joshua Brown Claira Cuykendall Catherine & Check Darragh David & Rita Downer Marc Albanese & Rosanne Felicello Lula Hammonds Tsailun Hu...
WELCOME! Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
Join us in giving the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf a warm ASDC welcome to our family of member schools. The Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (WPSD) is a non-profit, tuition-free school that provides academic and extracurricular programs to deaf...