ASL University | Bookstore | Catalog | Dictionary | Lessons | Resources | Syllabi | Library  

To Registration Page ►

ASLU Catalog

ASL University
 ASLU is an online curriculum resource center.  ASLU provides free self-study materials and lessons as well as fee-based instructor-guided courses.

 

Background
ASLU has been offering online sign language instruction since 1997.  The program began as an effort to support parents of deaf children living in rural or "outlying" areas without access to sign language classes.  Many students requested the opportunity to use these courses to fulfill language requirements at their local high school or college. This required documentation of course participation and verification of the student's signing ability.  Since verification and documentation is a time consuming process requiring the attention and participation of a skilled ASL instructor, a formal fee-based program was provided in addition to the free resources.   Students who do not need documentation or instructor-based evaluation should not register nor pay tuition. Such individuals are welcome to self-study from the publicly available online lessons for free.

 

Leadership
ASLU was set up by Dr. Bill Vicars who is currently the director, lead instructor, and webmaster. He holds an accredited doctorate in Deaf Studies / Deaf Education from Lamar University and he currently is a full time Asst. Professor of ASL / Deaf Studies at California State University - Sacramento.

Accreditation
Since ASLU is mainly a curriculum resource center we are not seeking accreditation.  We do not claim to prepare individuals for employment.  Nor do we offer a degree.  We provide documentation for students which can be used to demonstrate to the student's local college or school that the student has completed a course of study equivalent to that of a college or high school ASL program.  ASLU documents the amount and quality of work completed by registered students. This documentation is on a transcript in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs).  One Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is equal to ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction. We do not award college credit. Your local college may award credit for your participation in this program. Check with your local college or high school to determine if they will accept your work in this program for credit.  Get it in writing. The ASLU transcript provides letter grades based on test scores and completed assignments. 

Course schedule:
Courses are open enrollment, open completion.  Each course requires approximately 45 to 60 online hours to complete, as well as additional homework and practice hours. Each course is designed to fit into a traditional 15-week semester-length study program but can be completed either faster or slower depending on each student's needs, abilities, and time availability. Assignments and examinations may be turned in early without penalty. Students may work as fast or slow as they would like. ASLU allows a maximum of one year to complete a course.  High Schools and Colleges collaborating with ASLU may require specific schedules and due dates.

Location:
ASLU University is an online program.  It is hosted by Lifeprint.com
Workshops are available at your location.
The mailing address for ASLU is:  ASLU, Attn: Dr. Bill Vicars, 8506 Everglade Dr., Sacramento CA 95826.

Attendance Policy:
No in-person attendance is required, but students are expected to complete a minimum of one lesson every three weeks to be considered progressing. Upon three weeks of inactivity, students may be dropped from program.

Grading:  See your syllabus.

Eligibility:  To participate in the documentation program, students must be eighteen years of age or older or have parental permission. Students are required to read all assignments and complete required summary reports and/or exams.  In addition, they must be free from harmful drugs or alcohol while participating in any interactive, real-time, interactive course activities.  Students who do not meet the age requirement may register as long as their parent or legal guardian signs the registration form as well..

 

 

Course Listings and Information:
 

ASL 1
Description:  ASL 1 is an introduction to American Sign Language (ASL). Includes basic grammar, vocabulary, fingerspelling, numbers, and cultural information related to the Deaf Community.
Prerequisites: none
This course is comparable to the following courses and credit:
● College programs:  First semester, lower division, 4 semester-credit hours or 6 quarter-credit hours
 ● Public School K-12: First year - first semester
 ● Continuing Education Programs: 6 CEUs, Course Contact Hours:  45 to 60
 Sample Lessons: 01|02|03|04|05|06|07|08|09|10|11|12|13|14|15
Sample Syllabus: ____________
 

ASL 2
 Description:  ASL 2 is a continuation of ASL 1.  Expands vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, and cultural awareness. Introduces increasingly complex grammatical aspects.
Prerequisites: ASL 1 or permission from the instructor.
This course is comparable to the following courses and credit:
● College programs:  Second semester, lower division, 4 semester-credit hours or 6 quarter-credit hours
 ● Public School K-12: First year - second semester
● Continuing Education Programs: 6 CEUs, Course Contact Hours:  45 to 60
 Sample Lessons: 16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30
Sample Syllabus: ____________
 

 

ASL 3
 Description:  ASL 3 is a continuation of ASL 2.  It is an intermediate-level course that further develops comprehension and production skills. This course increases conversational competence and expands vocabulary range.
Prerequisites: ASL 2 or permission from the instructor.
This course is comparable to the following courses and credit:
● College programs:  Third semester, upper or lower division, 4 semester-credit hours or 6 quarter-credit hours
 ● Public School K-12: Second year - first semester
● Continuing Education Programs: 6 CEUs, Course Contact Hours:  45 to 60
 Sample Lessons: 31|32|33|34|35|36|37|38|39|40|41|42|43|44|45
Sample Syllabus: ____________
 

ASL 4
(Under Construction Fall 2008, should be ready for the public by 2009 Spring)
 Description:  ASL 4 is a continuation of ASL 3.  It is an intermediate-high level course that further develops comprehension and production skills. This course increases conversational competence and expands vocabulary range.
Prerequisites: ASL 3 or permission from the instructor.
This course is comparable to the following courses and credit:
● College programs:  Fourth semester, upper or lower division, 4 semester-credit hours or 6 quarter-credit hours
 ● Public School K-12: Second year - second semester

The material at these links should not be used yet.
Lessons: 46|47|48|49|50|51|52|53|54|55|56|57|58|59|60
Sample Syllabus: ___________

 

 

 

 

Tuition and fees:
Cost per course for documentation, grading, email correspondence, and related services: $483

 

 

$443

  Receptive evaluation

$20

  Expressive evaluation 

$20

  First official transcript mailed (Additional transcripts mailed $10)

free

Tuition per course:   

$483

Total per 2-course program:   

$966

  Possible other fees:  Exam retake fee $20.00  (Must pass finals with a "C" or better)

  

Go to registration page ►

  

Go to payment page ►

  

 

Transcripts:  Letter grades will be awarded based on test scores and completed assignments. Full documentation of participation and progress will be provided upon completion of the program.  Lifeprint will maintain transcripts of student work for a minimum of 360 days after completion of program.  The first transcript is provided free.  After which it is $10 for one transcript plus $1 for each additional copy in the same request.

 

Notice:  ASL University is not claiming to prepare anyone for certification or employment. To receive credit from an accredited institution you must contact that institution's registration department and make arrangements.  Get it in writing. While this program is intended to fulfill college or high school foreign language entrance and exit requirements -- additional training beyond the scope of this program would be required to prepare you to be a certified sign language interpreter. Prior to interpreting for pay in most states, individuals must first become certified by passing a rigorous examination administered by a state or national organization. Certifying organizations generally charge for such examinations and there is no guarantee that you will pass.

 

What you learn in courses 1 and 2: 
● Around 400 vocabulary per course
● Dozens of grammar principles
● ASL related terminology
● Deaf Culture related information
● ASL History related information

Payment Schedule:  Full payment required prior to beginning program.  

Refunds:  1st to 3rd day, 100% refund. After which, no refund. 

 

 

For more courses, see the "Lessons" page

For course syllabi, see the "Syllabi" page

 

In a message dated 6/6/2006 12:13:22 PM Pacific Daylight Time, a person from Canada writes:
Dear Dr. Bill,
You mentioned there is no guarantee in passing the course and I am concerned about this. Is it that difficult to pass?
-- Canadian (name changed)

Dear Canadian,
It is not difficult to pass if you set up an actual schedule, dig in, invest 45 to 60 hours online and another 20 or so doing the quizzes, research paper, expressive video, and receptive final.
The difficulty is not in the material, but in the self-discipline to schedule your time accordingly.
So far I've only failed a few students (out of well over 100) due to "lack of ability."  Let me tell you about a typical case. It was a woman in her late 40's. Her mistake was in going through the quizzes as mere assignments to be completed instead of as tools to prepare for the final.  She would visit the lesson pages long enough to identify the signs on the quiz, type them, submit them, and then move on.  But the signs were simply going into her short term memory and being forgotten the next day.  At the end of the semester she had earned credit for the 20 quizzes but she did not know the 400 or so signs she covered in the quizzes well enough to recognize them on the comprehensive final (receptive), and thus could not pass it with a C or better (which I require of my students to pass my class).
But if a person will simply set a goal to learn all 400 (or so) signs and the grammar that goes with them and remember them long enough to complete the receptive final and expressive video then they will certainly pass.
Would you believe many of my students (online) are Special Education (developmentally disabled) students?
But they tend to complete the course with flying colors because their local aide sets up a schedule for them and "makes" them sit down and get to it.
If they can do it--I'm sure you can do it.

Bill

 

 

Resources:
-  The lessons are online at www.lifeprint.com
-  e-mail access to the instructor
(Tip:  Check your own local public library and the hundreds of online ASL-related websites)