Do you know how to say "hello", "thank you" or "I‘m sorry" using just your hands? Sign language offers that power. And learning even basic sign skills can profoundly deepen understanding between people.
Over 900 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss, including over 10 million in the US alone. That‘s 1 out of every 8 individuals. And as populations age, this number is rising rapidly.
Yet learning a new language becomes more challenging as adults. So sign languages often remain shrouded in mystery.
The good news? Thanks to passionate innovators, it‘s never been simpler or more convenient for anyone to discover the rich world of sign language communication.
This guide will highlight 17 top-rated sign language learning apps and sites suiting every preference for unlocking this life-enriching realm…with often just 5 fun minutes a day.
Why Learn Sign Language Basics?
Beyond enabling connections across sound barriers, here are 3 compelling benefits supported by research:
1. Cognitive Superpowers
Learning sign language enhances numerous cognitive abilities like visual-spatial processing, creative thinking, memorization skills, reaction times and mental flexibility between symbolic systems.
Studies even show bilingual signing eliminates normal age-related cognitive declines!
2. Educational Leg Up for Kids
Children learning sign language alongside spoken language show faster acquisition of verbal skills, expanded vocabularies and improved reading comprehension by grade school.
Signing also reduces frustration-fueled tantrums for pre-verbal kids by enabling them to communicate needs and desires more effectively long before full speech mastery.
3. Building a More Inclusive World
Deaf individuals face barriers to information, employment, healthcare access and social connection stemming primarily from communication challenges.
Yet most hearing people rarely think about this invisible divide. Learning sign language basics sensitizes us to the deaf perspective so we can build more inclusive communities.
Now let‘s survey some top-rated apps and sites making sign language learning fun, easy and accessible for all!
Sign Language Learning Apps
Thanks to passionate innovation by deaf community members and allies, perfectly rated sign language learning apps now bring expert guidance to your pocket.
Here are 10 top picks spanning both iOS and Android:
1. Deaf SignSchool ASL App
Platforms: iOS (Android version in development)
Straight from experts at an acclaimed sign language instruction school, this highly engaging app packs a complete curriculum with over 1000 lessons for all skill levels.
Track mastery, take quizzes and get Udemy-style video lessons from world-class Deaf instructors. One happy user raves:
"I just want to learn how to have basic conversations with my new neighbor who is deaf. This app is perfect! Easy to use and just a few minutes a day is all I need."
Key Features
- Complete curriculum all skill levels
- 1000+ video lessons by Deaf teachers
- Quizzes and mastery tracking
Cost: Free trials. Subscription plans $9.99+/month
2. Sign School ASL Lessons
Platforms: iOS, Android
Another top-rated favorite, Sign School also impresses with American Sign Language video lessons organized thoughtfully around real conversational skills.
Users praise the encouraging teaching style and manageable bite-sized daily practice commitment that keeps motivation consistent.
Key Features:
- Conversational vocabulary focus
- Short daily video lessons
- Warm accessible teaching style
Cost: Free version. $4.99 monthly for full access.
3. The ASL App
Platforms: iOS
Created entirely by deaf-led teams, including Deaf-owned startup TruAbility, this app wins rave reviews for making learning fun and conversational.
Users especially appreciate slowing video speed controls, personalized progress tips and social sharing functions. As one happy reviewer shares:
"I just started using the app to prepare for my hearing impaired sister-in-law’s wedding in a few months. It’s super easy to use and keeps me excited to learn more every day."
Key Features:
- Made for learners by deaf professionals
- Conversational vocabulary focus
- Video playback speed controls
Cost: Free – $24.99/year subscription options
4. ASL Fingerspelling Practice
Platforms: iOS, Android
Quickly mastering the one-handed ASL alphabet accelerates reading and writing skills vital for fulsome communication.
This app focuses exclusively on nail the ABCs through clear instructional videos, games, quizzes and even an AR mode for next-level interactive practice.
Key Features:
- Video lessons tackle single letter mastery
- Quizzes, games and AR mode reinforce learning
- Track percent mastery
Cost: Free version. $3.99 unlocks full app.
5. Learn ASL Alphabet
Platforms: iOS, Android
Another top choice for tackling the ASL alphabet effectively. This app keeps motivation high with colorful illustrations, badges for skill milestones plus a smooth one-thumb navigation interface.
Key Features:
- Colorful one-thumb navigation
- Badge incentives celebrate progress
- Illustrated video examples
Cost: Free version. $4.99 unlocks full app.
6. ASK Fingerspelling Practice
Platforms: iOS, Android
Afavorite for building confident ASL alphabet signing skills through repeated video-based practice.
Keep sharpening accuracy with its clear interface simpy prompting you to mirror videos of fluid fingerspelling sequences. Smooth, distraction-free design keeps the learning process frustration-free.
Key Features:
- Simple mimicking visual design UX
- Repeat video signing sequences
- Mirror native signers with slow mo
Cost: $2.99 one time purchase
7. Interpreter Now: Sign Language Translator
Platforms: iOS, Android (web app also available)
Breaking exciting new ground in sign language translation technology, this app uses inbuilt phone cameras with advanced machine learning algorithms to detect and translate sign language into spoken word captions…instantly!
Still improving accuracy, it makes casual conversations more graspable for new signers when human interpreters are unavailable.
Key Features:
- Cutting edge translation software
- Detects + captions sign language
- Optimized for casual chatting
Cost: Basic version free. $3.99 monthly subscription.
Sites Offering Sign Language Lessons & More
Beyond mobile apps, these 8 specialized websites also enable step-by-step sign language self-study journeys:
8. Start ASL
URL: StartASL.com
One of the most comprehensive browser-based sign language learning sites available, Start ASL impresses with its wide range of high-quality instructional content being constantly added to weekly.
Key Features:
- 1000+ video lessons for all levels
- New lessons added weekly
- Community support components
Cost: Starts free. $8+/month for full access.
9. ASL University
URL: ASLU.edu
This non-profit e-campus from professor Bill Vicars packs a rich library of academic materials for motivated self-starters.
Resources span sign language lingustics analyses, lessons for 15+ sign languages globally, fingerspelling shortcuts and Deaf culture insights alongside the expected vocabulary content.
Key Features:
- Breadth of languages and topics
- Academic analysis resources
- Global scope
Cost: Free with donation options to access member areas.
10. DeafVerse
URL: DeafVerse.org
DeafVerse takes a modern gamified approach to studying American Sign Language online.
Users progress through "Immersion Maps" centered on real-world scenarios like ordering coffee or riding the subway. Pop quizzes keep knowledge sticking.
Key Features:
- Game-based web platform interface
- Practical immersion lesson maps
- Quizzes reinforce retention
Cost: Starts free. $12/month subscription.
11. Signing Savvy
URL: SigningSavvy.com
Another beloved source for expanding ASL vocab through video demonstrations. Signing Savvy keeps motivation high by tracking your strengths, letting you save favorite signs and vocabulary lists.
Key Features:
- 1000+ sign vocabulary videos
- Track stats on mastery
- Save vocabulary lists
Cost: Basic membership free. $25/year subscription unlocks all features.
12. ASL Nook
URL: ASLNook.com
Specialized practice accelerating essential ASL fingerspelling skills that facilitate reading comprehension.
Choose practice difficulty levels the thoughtfully designed interface detects and scores your signing accuracy via webcam!
Key Features:
- Interactive fingerspelling practice
- Webcam sign detection
- Accuracy scoring
Cost: Free version. $4.99 monthly subscription.
Breakthrough Sign Language Learning Innovations
Sign language tech advancements now bring expanded accessibility closer each year through gloves, glasses, apps and more.
Here are 2 recent innovations making communication flows more frictionless:
Interpreting Gloves by Jessie Livemore
These remarkable gloves designed by Jessie Livemore detect 22 ASL handshapes and gestures.
Speakers can select translated words from an accompanying tablet app that are wirelessly converted into a small display on the palm.
Still in prototype, imagine the possibilities for spur-of-the-moment barrier-free interaction! Cost TBD.
SoundShirt by CuteCircuit
This ingenious haptic wearable translates sounds in the environment into vibrational cues deaf users can feel across their torso.
Still under development via a successful Kickstarter campaign, this tech-fashion hybrid reads audio visualizations via a connected app, converting loud and meaningful noises into gentle vibrations in real-time. Around $400 at launch.
Tips from Sign Language Learners
What wisdom do experienced signers recommend for beginners starting their journey with the handspeak communication realm?
Here are encouraging words from 3 people on how sign language changed their lives:
"Learning ASL opened my heart in ways I never imagined. Understanding even basic signs let me see the world from a radically more compassionate lens where obstacles to connections evaporated." – Carla D., high school teacher
"I decided on a whim to take a sign language night class after my 50th birthday. It ended up being a total joy and social highlight of my week. Now my ASL skills give me a way to bridge divides across generations when volunteering with deaf kids on weekends. Don‘t underestimate what is possible!" – Frank T., retiree
"As someone losing my hearing increasingly through my 30s, learning sign language literally gave me back my ability to communicate. The deaf community welcomed me with open arms. I cannot overstate the power of sign language to transform isolation into belonging." – Jade K., entrepreneur
Let Connections Bloom
The world of sign language learning overflows with potential waiting to be unlocked. With so many fun, convenient apps and online tools now available, begin your journey toward richer connections and understanding anytime.
Start with just 5 minute per day committing to a specialized sign language learning app. Or visit a Deaf meetup event and immerse yourself in sign conversations.
Wherever you start, let your hands do the talking. Sign languages dissolve divides. Understanding expands what it means to be human together across all barriers that try in vain to separate us.
So why not begin today?
