Do you want to learn how to communicate with the Deaf community or people with hearing loss who may use American Sign Language (ASL)? Or interested in learning a new language? Learning sign language is easier than ever, thanks to the internet. Just like so many other things, there’s an app for that. There are numerous apps to learn American Sign Language (ASL) outside the old classroom method.
Thanks to today’s technology, anyone with an iPhone, Android smartphone or tablet can learn ASL basics or practice its techniques. To help you get started, we’ve assembled a list of best ASL apps.
Want to learn ASL using your iPhone or iPad or Android? Here are the best apps for learning sign language anywhere.
Sign language apps for iPhone, iPad and Android
ASL is a great app for learning American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary. It is designed to help users learn and become proficient in using ASL so they can communicate with others who use it, whether they are deaf or hearing. The app can also be used by people who are already deaf to learn ASL so they can communicate with others.
It offers short, interactive lessons that are divided into topics such as food, work, technology, and more. Each video lesson includes a tip on how to remember the sign. The practice activities in the lessons are fun and engaging, and they're varied enough to keep your attention.
Devices: iOS and Android
Languages available: American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese
Price: 14-day free trial; $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year after the free trial.
If we missed any of the Best Apps for Learning Sign Language, tell us about them!
ASL BLOOM is a fantastic app that has been designed to help users learn American sign language or ASL. The app has been created to help users learn, and become more proficient in using ASL so they can communicate with others who use it if they are deaf or if they need to learn how to teach someone else who is deaf to use ASL.
The aim is to help them become proficient so that they are able to communicate with other users of ASL or to be able to teach someone else how to use and communicate with ASL.
Devices: iOS and Android
Languages available: American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), Norwegian Sign Language (NSL), Indonesian Sign Language (ISB), Indian Sign Language (ISL)
Price: 7-day free trial; $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year after the free trial.
This app was designed by bilingual (English and ASL) Deaf people and is meant to teach conversational ASL. It’s a visual-only app that offers more than 2,500 ASL signs and phrases. The app features a slow-motion option, search index, and favorites folder. Using more than 1000 videos, it’s packed with features to make learning ASL fun and easy.
The ASL app is designed to be used on the go and one-handed hence it is one of the best ASL app available now.
Devices: iOS
Language: English
Price: Free, in-app purchases available
SignSchool is a best app to learn ASL for free that offers a comprehensive and engaging way to learn American Sign Language (ASL). One of its best features is SignBuilder, which allows you to practice your vocabulary comprehension by randomly displaying signs.
There are hundreds of categories and thousands of signs to choose from, so you can tailor your learning to your interests and needs. To test your knowledge, you can also play a multiple-choice game that reviews different categories.
SignSchool can be used on a desktop computer. The app might be ideal for intermediate signers.
Device: iOS
Language: English
Price: Free
5. ASL Dictionary
(iPhone, iPad)
ASL Dictionary is a visual-only app with more than 5,000 videos. It offers quizzes, fingerspelling exercises, a favorites list, and a slow-motion option. The app also includes a history of played words so you can keep track of signs you’ve viewed.
What’s more, the app allows you to download videos to practice ASL offline. This can be handy if you don’t have consistent access to internet.
Devices: iOS and Android
Language: English
Price: Paid
This app includes 40 real-life signing video demonstrations to help you learn to sign with your baby. Each sign has a detailed video tutorial and is organized into categories such as action words, animals, daily routines and feelings. The app also comes with a fun interactive video quiz to help you learn and remember the signs.
Device: iOS
Language: English, Simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese
Price: Paid
7. Hands On ASL
(iPhone, iPad)
A playful user interface using 3D models to view signs from all angles makes this app a fun and unique learning tool. The playful user interface focuses on teaching the alphabet with fingerspelling exercises and even includes some customized skin color options.
If you want to learn how to fingerspell, consider Hands on ASL. Hands on ASL offers game-style quizzes rather than standard lessons.
Device: iOS
Language: English
Price: Free, in-app purchases available
8. Ace ASL: Learn Fingerspelling
(iPhone, iPad)
This app is a practice tool designed to help improve the ability to read fingerspelling. Users can choose the word length (2-any) and speed (slow to fast) of the fingerspelling, record their answer and keep score. An expert mode is available as ability increases.
Device: iOS
Language: English
Price: Free
9. Marlee Signs
(iPhone, iPad)
Marlee Signs is the perfect app for learners who wish to express themselves in American Sign Language. This app teaches the fundamentals of ASL – from the signed alphabet and basic vocabulary through to common expressions in everyday life – using high-quality video demonstrations starring Marlee Matlin herself.
Each lesson is broken down into individual videos so users can learn at their own pace. The app keeps track of completed lessons and features a “slow motion” setting to allow viewing in greater detail. It's a great choice for anyone starting out who wants to learn the basics from an experienced teacher.
Device: iOS
Language: English
Price: Free, in-app purchases available
Lingvano is a good ASL platform that brings fun to the sometimes difficult task of learning American Sign Language. Lingvano is an interactive platform for learning American Sign Language (ASL). It’s accessible across all your devices (desktop, smartphone, or tablet) and aims to teach you ASL in bitesize lessons that build up your knowledge of the language by learning for just a few minutes a day.
Lingvano is for anyone eager to build bridges between the Deaf and hearing communities. Lingvano’s creators designed the app to help you communicate with friends, family, and neighbors who are hard of hearing.
Lingvano is great for beginners as well as more advanced students who are keen to expand their vocabulary.
Device: iOS and Android
Languages available: American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL), and Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS)
Price: Free with in-app purchases
The Best Apps to Learn ASL
Learning any new language, including ASL, isn't easy. But hopefully these iPhone and iPad apps can help guide you on a successful journey.
Don't forget that your iOS or Android device can help you learn more languages than just ASL. Make sure to take a look at other apps that can help you learn language.
Does Duolingo have ASL?
No, Duolingo does not have American Sign Language (ASL) as a language to learn. However, there are many other language learning apps that do offer ASL, such as Rocket Languages, ASL Bloom, SignSchool, Lingvano, and Memrise.
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