An introductory course in American Sign Language (ASL), the native language of the Deaf community in America, this course lays a foundation for effective, respectful participation in a culturally and linguistically diverse society. The course will employ an immersion approach to develop basic skills in conversational ASL and fingerspelling, as well as an appreciation of the basic grammatical principles of ASP, the historical and cultural background of the language, linguistic and ethical principles related to the use of ASL, and the role of Deaf culture in society.