Signed.si
The AI guide to American Sign Language and Deaf culture
Learn the basics of American Sign Language, explore Deaf history and culture, and understand how signed languages work as full, natural languages. This is an educational companion, not a certified interpreter or a substitute for immersion learning with Deaf instructors.
No card required · $9/mo Plus · $99/mo Premium
What you get
Everything Signed.si gives you
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ASL fundamentals
Handshape, location, movement, and facial grammar, explained clearly.
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Deaf history & culture
From Martha's Vineyard to Deaf President Now, the community's real history.
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Fingerspelling & grammar
The ASL alphabet and core grammar rules, described step by step.
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Saved study threads
Sign in free and keep every conversation for later study.
Go deeper
ASL & Deaf Culture Library
An educational reference on American Sign Language and Deaf culture and history.
Language Basics
- ASL as a distinct language — ASL has its own grammar and syntax, entirely separate from signed English systems.
- Fingerspelling alphabet — A one-handed alphabet used for names, places, and words without a standard sign.
- Non-manual markers — Facial expressions and head movement carry essential grammatical meaning in ASL.
- Sign parameters — Every sign combines handshape, location, movement, palm orientation, and expression.
History
- Martha's Vineyard Sign Language — An early American signed language that heavily influenced the development of ASL.
- American School for the Deaf (1817) — Founded by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc in Hartford, Connecticut.
- Gallaudet University (1864) — The first institution of higher education built specifically for deaf students.
- Deaf President Now (1988) — A student-led protest at Gallaudet that won the university its first deaf president.
Deaf Culture
- Capital-D Deaf identity — Refers to cultural and linguistic identity, distinct from the audiological condition of deafness.
- Community norms — Deaf culture has distinct etiquette around eye contact, attention-getting, and turn-taking.
- Interpreter certification — The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) certifies professional ASL interpreters.
- Video relay & captioning — Technologies that support Deaf communication access in phone and media contexts.
Pricing
Simple plans that grow with you
Most popular
Plus
$9/mo
- ✓200 questions per day
- ✓Full saved conversation history
- ✓Fingerspelling and grammar practice guides
Premium
$99/mo
- ✓Unlimited questions
- ✓Extended deep-dive answers
- ✓Everything in Plus