The National Association of the Deaf
The mission of the National Association of the Deaf is to promote, protect, and preserve the rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing inpiduals in the United States of America. The National Association of the Deaf was established in 1880 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The NAD has a long history of defending the rights of deaf and hard of hearing people. Throughout the history of the NAD, new challenges always arise and breakthroughs and achievements have created a better life for deaf and hard of hearing people.
Please visit their site at: http://www.nad.org
Listening and Spoken Language Knowledge Center
The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The Listening and Spoken Language Center ~ Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell) is a lifelong resource, support network and advocate for listening, learning, talking and living independently with hearing loss. Through publications, outreach, training, scholarships and financial aid, AG Bell promotes the use of spoken language and hearing technology. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with chapters located in the United States and a network of international affiliates, AG Bell's global presence provides its members and the public with the support they need-close to home. With over a century of service, AG Bell supports its mission: Advocating Independence through Listening and Talking!
Please visit their site at: http://www.agbell.org
Described and Captioned Media Program
The mission of the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) is to promote and provide equal access to communication and learning through described and captioned educational media. Our funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Education and is administered by the National Association of the Deaf. The ultimate goal of the DCMP is for accessible media to be an integral tool in the teaching and learning process for all stake holders in the educational community, including students, educators and other school personnel, parents, service providers, businesses, and agencies.
Please visit their site at: http://www.dcmp.org
ASL Sign Language Websites
The following websites are valuable resources for those that wish to learn ASL or improve their signing skills.
ASL Pro (http://www.aslpro.com/) is a free online ASL educational resource website featuring over 11000 ASL Signs. This site uses video dictionaries and quizzes to help you hone your signing skills.
Spread the Sign (https://www.spreadthesign.com/us/) is a teaching aid designed to make sign language accessible to everyone. This site features an international dictionary of the following national sign languages: Swedish, English (BSL), American English (ASL), German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Icelandic, Latvian, Polish, Czech, Japanese, Turkish. American Sign Language and baby signs are also included in this dictionary.
Signing Savvy (https://www.signingsavvy.com/) is a sign language dictionary containing several thousand high-resolution videos of American Sign Language (ASL) signs, finger-spelled words, and other common signs used within the United States and Canada. This site incorporates tools to help your improve your skills by creating, building and sharing word lists and creating flash cards and quizzes.
- ASL - American Sign Language (http://www.lifeprint.com/) is an interesting site originally created by an ASL instructor at California State University, for his students. He then decided to share the site with anyone interested in learning ASL. This instructor’s approach to teaching ASL and the tools he uses are all readily available to all.