U of A to Offer American Sign Language Course in Fall 2015

The program in communication disorders at the University of Arkansas will annually offer an undergraduate course in sign language beginning in the fall of 2015.

The three-hour course is an introduction to American Sign Language and the deaf community that uses it. Students will learn to communicate with sign language using ASL vocabulary, structure and grammar.

The course will also include a study of the deaf community to provide learners with a context for understanding language use.

The communication disorders program re-introduced the course as a response to student interest on the U of A campus. While sign language classes are taught within the Northwest Arkansas community, students requested a credit-bearing course that could apply to their degrees.

The course will be open to students from all majors and colleges. It will be listed in the 2015-16 course catalog as CDIS4103 Sign Language and Deafness.