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This page holds the answers to several frequently asked questions in the following categories:
- Course Details
- Course Pricing
- Course Duration
- System Requirements
- Continuing Education Unit Details
- Block Enrollments
- ASL vs. Other Sign Languages
- Interpretting/Jobs
Course Details
- Are the courses good?
The courses are fundamentally sound as an ASL learning tool. The course content was created by former professor and Director of Deaf Education at Michigan State University, Dr. David Stewart. He has been teaching ASL for almost 25 years and have written several popular sign language books, including American Sign Language the Easy Way.
Over four thousand students have completed the courses. To date, the courses have received nothing but outstanding reviews from the people who have taken them, as well as from external reviewers.
The courses also have been used by many universities, colleges, high schools, government and non-government organizations, and businesses to educate their students and employees in American Sign Language.
- Who has taken the courses?
The Signing Online series of American Sign Language (ASL) courses were created for people who wish to learn ASL but have no access to instructors or are unable to attend classes. Thus far, people who have taken the course include new signers, ex-interpreters looking for a refresher on ASL grammar, parents, Sunday School teachers, people from the service industry, college administrators who work with deaf and hard of hearing students, high school students, nurses, emergency workers, law enforcement, and many more.
- Should I take the Learning ASL courses sequentially?
The Learning ASL courses are designed to be taken sequentially. Vocabulary, grammar, and topics build from lesson-to-lesson, course-to-course.
You can stop along the way once you get as much knowledge as you want ... but we do not recommend beginning in the middle without taking the preceding courses? However, we allow you to if you wish.
To learn what is covered in each course, read each courses description:
ASL101 Learning ASL I
ASL102 Learning ASL II
ASL103 Learning ASL III
ASL104 Learning ASL IV
Overall, the courses are designed for both beginner signers and experienced signers that may not have formal training in terms of ASL grammar and syntax.
- Do the courses come with a textbook or any other materials?
No. Everything you need to learn and complete the course is available online. If you desire a textbook to supplement your online learning, we recommend American Sign Language the Easy Way... published by Barrons Educational Series.
- Is this a "college course" online? Can I earn college credit?
The Signing Online courses are not college ASL courses. However:
- the four ASL courses are based on the instructional model of the textbook American Sign Language the Easy Way which is used as a college-level textbook.
- The courses were designed by an ASL professor who has taught at the university level for many years.
- Several universities have allowed students to take the Signing Online courses for credit.
Currently you cannot earn college credit directly from Signing Online. However, if you are enrolled in a college or university, you may be able to take an "independent study" (or equivalent) for credit with your academic institution, as you work through a Signing Online course.
- Can I earn high school credit?
Many high schools, across the United States and Canada are now accepting our online ASL courses for credit. The four ASL levels make a sufficiently challenging full year program (approximately 60 hours). Schools may choose our individualized program for a foreign language credit, or an online directed study credit. Students have access to each level for 4 months, or 16 months if all four levels are enrolled at one time.
Schools, home schools, or other organizations that enroll 10 or more students into the program will have an "Organizational" page created with their own pacing specification and allows a course administrator of their choosing to access those students' 'time on line' and exam grades. The course administrator may notify Signing Online if they wish any individual students to re-take exams to achieve a certain competency level before moving on to the next level.
- Can I earn college credit?
We have had numerous students use our ASL classes for college credits. The classes are offered for CEUs (Continuing Education Units) for educators and CEs (Continuing Education Contact Hours) for nurses. However, we cannot grant credit ourselves. For students to receive credit, it is up to the institution (high schools and colleges) to grant this request for a particular student. Usually all it requires is a formal request to the school highlighting the fact that the course is offered to teachers for CEUs, each lesson is followed by a quiz, and the entire course is tested in a final exam. You might also wish to emphasize that the student is able to review videos as often as needed which is one of the key features of the entire program. At the end of the course, we provide a certificate of completion and a letter outlining the performance in the course.
The courses are designed to be learned independently but for students it would be prudent to designate a certain number of hours a week for learning and practicing the signs and sentences. It would also be good if more than one student from a school took the course so that they can spend time practicing together. The practice section of each lesson provides examples of how students can create their own sentences using the knowledge that they have gained in the lesson and previous ones. Each lesson is accompanied with notes about Deaf culture and the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people. Thus, students are not simply learning to sign but are learning about the people for whom signing is very much a way of life.
It would reasonable to expect that students could take all four courses during one academic year. To set this up, insure that students spend a minimum number of weeks on each course before moving on. This would help fill the school year. There are ten lessons in each course.
- Will I get a certificate upon completion?
Upon completion of all 10 lessons in a Signing Online ASL course and a final exam, you will be mailed an official Signing Online Certificate of Completion. Completion of the course is based on successfully completing all ten quizzes and passing the final exam. Please note that you are able to repeat the exam until you have reached this rate.
- Will there be more courses offered in the future?
Yes! We designed the first Learning ASL course series (ASL101, ASL102, ASL103, and ASL104) to teach the fundamentals of American Sign Language. In the future, we plan to offer more advanced and more specialized courses. If there are certain types of courses that you would like to see offered, please email us at info@signingonline.com.
Course Pricing
- How much does it cost?
The regular course enrollment price is $49.95 for 4 months access to each course.
- Are all prices in US currency?
Yes. All prices on the web site are listed in US currency.
If you pay with credit card or PayPal, you will be charged in US currency. If you are international, PayPal or your credit card company will automatically make the exchange at the current rate.
If you pay with a check, you must remit payment using one of the following options:
- Option 1 - Remit a registered check in US currency for the amount indicated, drawn from a US or Canadian bank. Do not send a check drawn from another bank for an amount in US $. We will not be able to cash it.
- Option 2 - Remit a check in your own currency for the indicated amount converted from US currency using the current exchange rate found at X-Rate.com plus 10% to cover the currency exchange fee by our bank.
- How does the multi-course enrollment discount work?
If you enroll in more than one course at a time, you will get a multi-course discount and the course access will be extended, according to the following:
|
Courses |
Price per Course |
Discount per Course |
Total Savings |
Monthly Access |
|
1 |
$49.95 |
$0.00 |
$0.00 |
4 months |
|
2 |
$48.00 |
$1.95 |
$3.90 |
8 months |
|
3 |
$47.00 |
$2.95 |
$8.85 |
12 months |
|
4 |
$46.00 |
$3.95 |
$15.80 |
16 months |
- Do I get the multi-course discount if I sign up for another course later?
No. If you want the multi-course discount, which reduces the price and extends the duration that you can access the course materials, you should sign up for as many courses as your are interested in at the same time.
- Does the multi-course discount only work the first time I enroll?
No, you can take advantage of the discount at any time. For example, if you signed up for only ASL101 and enjoyed the experience. Then you decided to take rest of the courses, and signed up for ASL102, ASL103, and ASL104 at the same time, you would receive the three course discount on the second enrollment. The total duration you have access to the courses would also be extended.
- Do you offer discounts for organizations wishing to purchase blocks of course enrollments?
Yes! See the "Block Enrollment" section below for details.
- Do you accept purchase orders?
Yes! Just send a complete purchase order to:
Signing Online, LLC
215 N. Every Rd.
Mason, MI 48854-9650
Voice#517-980-5662
Fax#517-676-5434
info@signingonline.com
- Can I drop the course and receive a refund?
We currently do not offer refunds on enrollments. However, we do stand behind our work. We believe we are offering very high-quality content at a very reasonable price and our current students agree (based on feedback from course evaluations.)
Course Duration
- How much time does it take to complete the course?
The time it takes to complete the course will vary depending on your previous experience with sign language, ASL, and your own learning style.
With that said, the site will pace you so you can take at most one lesson per day. Each lesson should take you about 1-2 hours of online time. Therefore, a complete course would take 10 days, taking on average around 15-20 hours total to complete.
- Why are the courses 4 months in duration?
The standard course duration, without a multi-course discount, is set at 4 months. This duration was chosen to give you ample time to progress through the course at your own pace. It is expected that many will be able to complete the course in less amount of time. However, any additional time you have you can use to review the content and use the various course tools, such as the ASL Dictionary.
The 4 month duration also gives you a finite time limit to complete the material. This will hopefully give you focus and motivation to move through the material at a reasonable pace.
We recommend that you try to set a pace of one lesson every week. This will allow you to complete a course in 10 weeks, providing you with several additional weeks for review and to take the final exam.
You can move on to a sequential course (i.e., course 1 to course 2) at any time. That is, you do not need to wait 4 months before beginning the next course.
- What if I can't finish a course in the duration given?
You can renew the access on any course that you have taken in the past. The cost of renewal is $20.00 for 4 months for each course. There is no multi-course discount for renewals.
NOTE: When you renew, you also get access to all the course tools, including the ASL Dictionary.
System Requirements
- What type of computer do I need to access the course materials?
The courses were designed for modern Windows or Macintosh computers, including:
|
Windows |
Macintosh |
| Processor |
A Pentium processor-based PC or compatible computer |
A PowerPC or Intel processor–based Macintosh computer. |
| Operating Systems |
Windows 98
Windows NT
Windows Me
Windows 2000
Windows XP or later
Windows Vista |
Mac OS 8.6 or later
Mac OS 9 or later
Mac OS X 10.1.3 or later |
| Memory |
At least 32 MB of RAM
64 MB or more preferred |
At least 32 MB of RAM
64 MB or more preferred |
| Hard drive Space |
At least 100 MB of free space on your hard drive. |
At least 100 MB of free space on your hard drive. |
If your computer does not meet any of these requirements, the courses may still work. However, we make no guarantees.
- What Web Browser do I need to access the course materials?
The course materials have been tested on Internet Explorer 5.0 and newer, Netscape 6.0 and newer and Apple Safari 1.0 and newer. If your browser is older, you may want to upgrade. You should be able to download a free browser from Microsoft, Netscape, or Apple.
If you are using another type of browser the courses may still work. However, we make no guarantees.
- Do I need any other software installed to access the course materials?
Beyond a capable web browser, the only other software that you need is either Flash 6 or newer browser plug-in or QuickTime 5.0 or newer. You can download Flash or download QuickTime free of charge for both Windows and Macintosh.
- What type of Internet connection do I need to access the course materials?
The course materials were designed for a 56K modem or faster connection. However, the course contains extensive use of digital video. If you are accessing the course materials on a 56K modem (or slower), you may have to wait several seconds, at times, for the digital video content to load. If you have a broadband connection, the wait time should be minimal.
Continuing Education Units Details
- I am an educator, can I earn State Board Approved Continuing Education Units (SB-CEUs)?
Yes! The ASL Learning series of courses have been State Board Approved for Continuing Education Units from the Michigan Department of Education. You can earn 1.5 SB-CEUs per course. This is an excellent option for educations, social workers, or anyone requiring SB-CEUs.
These SB-CEUs are granted by Michigan State University. That is, upon completion, you will receive a Michigan State University record of participation. To receive CEUs, you must log 15 hours online and fill out a CE completion form upon completion of a course.
To take a course with SB-CEUs, make sure you enroll in the Educator CEU version of the course. The Educator CEU courses costs $20 more than the non-CEU courses to cover processing costs.
- I am a nurse, can I earn Continuing Education Contact Hours (CEs)?
Yes! You can earn Nursing CEs for the ASL Learning series of courses. You earn 18 contact hours per course.
The CEs are issued by Michigan State University College of Nursing, which is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the Michigan Nurses Association, an accredited approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Commission on Accredtitation. To receive CEs, you must log 15 hours online and fill out a CE completion form upon completion of a course.
To take a course with Nursing CEs, make sure you enroll in the Nursing CE version of the course. The Nursing CE courses costs $20 more than the non-CEU courses to cover processing costs.
- How are the CEU and CE courses different from the standard courses?
The courses are identical, however in the CEU and CE version your time online is tracked. You are required to spend at least 15 hours on the course. You will not be able to take the final exam until you have accumulated 15 hours of online time on the course.
- Who can take the courses for CEUs or CEs?
The SB-CEUs are primarily for educators (teachers and administrators), social workers, counselors, other disciplines that require SB-CEUs for certification.
The CEs are primary for nurses.
- Are the SB-CEUs approved in all 50 states?
The SB-CEUs are approved by the Michigan Department of Education and granted by Michigan State University. Most, if not all states will accept SB-CEUs approved by the State of Michigan and granted by Michigan State University. However, you may want to check with your certifying body to be certain.
- Are the courses approved for other types of CEUs?
If you need another type of CEU, please let us know and we will seek to get the appropriate approvals. Some CEU granting organizations will pre-approve our SB-CEUs to count for their CEUs, as well. For example, "Missouri Interpreters Certification System" has preapproved our CEUs for equivalent MICS CEUs.
- How long does it take to receive CEUS or CEs once I complete the course?
When you complete a course for CEUs or CEs, you will be provided with a continuing education approval form that you will fill out and mail to Signing Online. Received forms are processed at the beginning of each month. Processing takes approximately two weeks. If we do not receive the forms by the beginning of the month, they will not be processed until the following month, so total time may take 4-6 weeks. Please plan accordingly. (We can only process forms once a month based on restrictions set by our continuing education sponsor, Michigan State University.)
Block Enrollments
- Do you offer block enrollments?
Yes. Schools, businesses, government, and non-government organizations can purchase blocks of course enrollments at the following discounted prices:
|
Block Rate
|
Course Enrollments
|
Price per Course
|
Discount per Course
|
|---|
|
1
|
5-49
|
$45
|
$4.95
|
|
2
|
50-99
|
$44
|
$5.95
|
|
3
|
100-499
|
$42
|
$7.95
|
|
4
|
500-999
|
$40
|
$9.95
|
|
5
|
1000-4999
|
$38
|
$11.95
|
|
6
|
5000-9999
|
$35
|
$14.95
|
|
7
|
10000+
|
$30
|
$19.95
|
If you wish to purchase a Block Rate. Please contact Elizabeth Stewart at:
Signing Online, LLC
215 N. Every Rd.
Mason, MI 48854-9650
Voice#517-980-5662
Fax#517-676-5434
info@signingonline.com
- How does an organization sign up individual students within their block?
The standard method is that Signing Online provides the organization with a promotion code. The organization can then use that promotion code when enrolling students OR the organization can give the promotion code to the students and they can enroll themselves. Enrollment is done online on the Signing Online web site.
- How much access time do students receive in the courses?
Access works similar to multi-course enrollments. If an organization signs up students for a single course, they receive 4 months access to that course. If an organization signs up students for multiple courses at one time, their access time to the set of courses increases. For example, if an organization signs up students to all four courses at one time, the students will receive access to those courses for 16 months.
Note, access time begins once the student is enrolled in the course, not when the block order is placed. Therefore an organization can purchase a block of courses and divvy them out over time without penalty. Unused course enrollments are valid for five years after the date of purchase.
- Does the organization need to purchase seats in each course?
The block enrollments can be divided between any of the courses. For example, if an organization purchases 100 course enrollments, they can apply all 100 for seats in ASL101 or they can use 100 spread across the four courses, which would equate to 25 seats of the four-course sequence.
By default, the promotion code given to the organization for their block can be applied to any of the courses. If the organization wants to limit students to a certain set of courses, they can request that the promotion code be limited to a certain set of courses.
- How can an organization track their students' progress?
Each organization can allocate one or more course administrators. This administrator has access to an organization report on the Signing Online web site. The report lists all students that have signed up using the organizations promotion code and includes details on how long they have spent on each course and what scores they have received. The administrator also has the option to send email messages to their students via the Signing Online web site.
- Does the organization get the same block rate on multiple, separate orders?
If an organization purchases courses at one block rate, they are eligible to purchase additional courses at the same block rate within the same year. For example, if an organization purchases 75 courses in one order, they will receive Block Rate 2. Two months later, if they order and addition 40 courses, they will receive those courses at Block Rate 2. Note, orders placed at different times do not combine to increase the Block Rate. For example, if this organization wishes to receive Block Rate 3, they must place an order for 100-499 courses in a single order.
- Do you accept purchase orders?
Yes! Just send a complete purchase order to:
Signing Online, LLC
215 N. Every Rd.
Mason, MI 48854-9650
Voice#517-980-5662
Fax#517-676-5434
info@signingonline.com
- Have further questions about block enrollments?
If you have further questions about block enrollments or wish to purchase an enrollment block, please contact Elizabeth Stewart at:
Signing Online, LLC
215 N. Every Rd.
Mason, MI 48854-9650
Voice#517-980-5662
Fax#517-676-5434
info@signingonline.com
ASL vs. Other Sign Languages
- What is the difference between ASL and Signed Exact English?
This is often asked by new signers. ASL is a language that has a unique grammar and vocabulary that is different from English or any other spoken language.
Signing Exact English is a sign communication system that uses signs and fingerspelling to code English. When you sign in Signing Exact English you are signing in English word order. Most of the signs used in Signing Exact English are the same as the signs used in ASL.
When you sign in ASL you are using a grammar that is different from English. For example,
| English: |
The sunset was beautiful yesterday. |
| Signing Exact English: |
THE SUNSET WAS BEAUTIFUL YESTERDAY
(you have a sign for each of the above words) |
| ASL: |
YESTERDAY, SUNSET BEAUTIFUL.
(The English sentence is translated to ASL then signed.) |
There are other differences between ASL and Signing Exact English. The big question for people is, "Which should they learn first, ASL or Signing Exact English?"
ASL is far more widely used than Signing Exact English. ASL is used in schools and in the Deaf community. Signing Exact English is used only in some schools and a few homes (usually hearing parents of deaf children who are enrolled in a program that uses Signing Exact English).
There are people who know Signing Exact English but cannot understand ASL. However, anyone who learns to sign ASL can easily learn Signing Exact English if they already know the English language. Therefore, it is highly recommended that people who want to learn Signing Exact English first learn to sign ASL, so they develop fluency in the use of signing. They can then use this skill to help learn Signing Exact English.
The Signing Online ASL courses will help you understand ASL and allow you to sign with a wide range of people in a far wider spectrum or educational and social settings. If you already know English then the transition to Signing Exact English can be made.
- What is the CASE and how does it differ from ASL?
CASE stands for Conceptually Accurate Signed English. As stated above, with Signed English ASL signs are used in English word order. The "Conceptually Accurate" phrase refers to the use of signs that are conceptually in line with the meaning of the word. For example in the sentence "I can't afford to go to the movie because I don't have any bread." The ASL sign for BREAD is not used, instead the ASL sign MONEY will be used since it reflects the meaning of the English word.
- Do other countries have their own sign language, just as with spoken languages?
Yes. American Sign Language is used primarily in the United States and parts of Canada. There is a British Sign Language (BSL), French Sign Language, Korean Sign Language, and so forth.
So how do Deaf people from different countries communicate with one another? Because all sign languages are visual-gestural, Deaf people are quite proficient at creating images in the air. When they meet someone who doesn't know their sign language but does know how to sign, they rely on this skill to create images about what they are trying to say. But it is not all pantomime. As the two Deaf people communicate, they will teach each other signs that will then be used in their communication.
Interpretting/Jobs
- After completion of the course will I be certified as a sign language interpreter?
You will not be certified as a sign language interpreter upon completion of this course. Interpreting requires that you interact with people in order to learn how to effectively interpret ASL to English and English to ASL. But after taking all four courses you will have the foundational ASL skills that will enable you to consider if you might enjoy using ASL and English in a career as an interpreter. If you enjoy what you have learned in all four courses and feel that you have the interest in learning more ASL then you may decide to pursue options that will help you develop interpreting skills. Once you have decided to become an interpreter then you are highly advised to enroll in a sign language "interpreting program" which will help prepare you for certification as an interpreter. Certification is then gained by taking a national test that is administered by the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf.
- I am looking to interpret and or teach sign language. Will these courses prepare me to do so? How do I get started?
The field of interpreting is an expanding and very broad field. Interpreting requires that you interact with people in order to learn how to effectively interpret ASL to English and English to ASL. After taking our courses you will have the foundational ASL skills that will enable you to consider if you might enjoy using ASL and English in a career as an interpreter.
If you enjoy what you have learned in all four courses and feel that you have the interest in learning more ASL then you may decide to pursue options that will help you develop interpreting skills. Once you have decided to become an interpreter then you are highly advised to enroll in a sign language "interpreting program" which will help prepare you for certification as an interpreter. I would suggest checking into your local Community College or the closest University to see what kind of Interpreter Training programs are offered. Most programs can be completed in 2-3 years. Certification is then gained by taking a national test that is administered by the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf.
- I would like to work with children in this area but I do not know how to get started!
If you think you want to work with children, Educational interpreting would be something to check into. Check with your local school district or intermediate school district to see how many interpreters they presently employ and what you need to do to get in and observe their program. This will give you a better idea of whether or not this is really something you want to pursue.
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Additional Questions?
If you have other questions, not addressed here, send an email to the appropriate link below:
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