A Historic Milestone for Deaf Education
Did you know that today marks an important milestone for Deaf communities and American Sign Language (ASL)? On April 15th, 1817, the first American school for the Deaf opened in Hartford, Connecticut. This event marks a foundation step for Deaf education in the United States, and one more step forward for Deaf accessibility, inclusion, and empowerment.
The Origins of ASL Day
The story goes that, In 1817, the educator Thomas Gallaudet visited his family in Hartford, Connecticut. As he gazed out the window one day, he saw that his younger brothers and sisters were playing together, excluding another child who was nearby.
When he went out to investigate, he learned that this girl, Alice Cogswell, was deaf. Not knowing any sign language, Gallaudet attempted to communicate with Alice by pointing to his hat and writing H-A-T in the dirt.
Alice understood Gallaudet, and he became motivated to find a way to teach her more! The problem was that, at the time, there were no schools for Deaf children in the United States. So, Alice’s father agreed to send Gallaudet to Europe to learn how to teach sign language.
Eventually, Gallaudet would inspire the creation of Gallaudet University, the world’s only university for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students, which to this day remains a famous place of empowerment for Deaf and signing people.
Community and Connection
At the core, the history of both American Sign Language and also Lingvano share a core of empowering human connection. American Sign Language was developed to help people communicate more fluently with one another, and Lingvano was founded to break down language barriers and build bridges. Learning ASL enables you to connect with friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, customers, and anyone else who signs ASL.
A Special Gift to Start Learning ASL
To celebrate ASL Day, we are excited to offer you a special welcome gift, of 40% off a Lingvano subscription, available only until April 16th. Don’t miss this chance to become a part of the thriving ASL community!
Celebrate With Us on Social Media
If you’re feeling inspired, join thousands of others celebrating ASL Day, by completing your first ASL lesson with Lingvano, and sharing a new sign you learned on social media with the hashtag #ASLDAY.
