According to the World Health Organization, there are 466 million people in the world with disabling hearing loss; 34 million of them are children. Estimates indicate that there could be more than 900 million people by 2050.

Individuals who are deaf often communicate using sign language. However, the lack of teachers who are trained in sign language can be a challenge for many children and young people trying to obtain an education. The Wayne State University College of Education seeks to address this issue by offering ASE 3000 — a new fully online, introductory course in American Sign Language (ASL) — this fall.

Students will study the basics of ASL, the third most common language in the United States. By the end of the course, they will be able to explain the origins and purpose of ASL, exchange greetings, ask and answer questions, use nonverbal communication, and discuss topics one-on-one.

Ronald Malcolm, Ph.D., the instructor for ASE 3000, learned braille and American Sign Language early in life. He has taught ASL for 36 years and said knowing the language helped him pursue his passion for working with children with disabilities.

“Being fluent in American Sign Language allowed me to communicate with my students who were deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind. It has helped me assist deaf and hard-of-hearing students in educational environments, within the court system, in the medical field, during job placements and more,” he said. “I have used my American Sign Language skills with my own students at work, my students at the university level and several of the 58 foster children my wife and I have cared for.”

ASE 3000 was open not only to students in the College of Education, but also to students in other schools and colleges, faculty and staff. Response to the class was positive, and all 30 seats were filled within weeks after the college began promoting the course.

According to Malcolm, there are a number of reasons why people want to learn sign language.

“Many have a family member or friend who is deaf. Some are interested in the deaf community and its rich culture, and others are attracted to the beauty of the language itself,” he said. “Others want to become teachers of the deaf, speech and language therapists, audiologists, social workers, counselors, or sign language interpreters. There is a huge need for these types of professionals all across the United States.”

Kelly Driscoll, director of communication for enrollment management at Wayne State, said she was grateful she could take advantage of university’s tuition benefit to take the class. A few years ago, her husband suffered sudden hearing loss that was unable to be restored and uses a cochlear implant to hear.

“Even with the implant, he still has his challenges. When the processor is not connected, he is mostly deaf. Learning sign language will allow us to better communicate with each other,” she said. “Aside from our personal circumstances, I’ve always wanted to learn sign language so I could communicate with those who are deaf or hard of hearing. It’s such a beautiful way of communicating that offers a meaningful connection.”

Learning sign language offers students a number of benefits. It can increase awareness of and sensitivity to the deaf and hard of hearing community, strengthen communication and listening skills, improve spelling and small motor skills, help build vocabulary, and boost brain health by helping to improve thinking skills and memory. Use of facial expressions to express emotions in ASL can enhance emotional intelligence.

In addition to improving communication among family members and connections between teachers and students, sign language can help professionals in counseling, psychology, social work, health, business and other fields. Learning sign language may expand career options and improve marketability. According to Malcolm, who has graduate degrees in deaf education and counseling, many organizations need individuals who can communicate with deaf and hard of hearing people.

Jessica Beatty is a senior majoring in communication sciences and disorders and minoring in linguistics. She said she has wanted to learn sign language for years and now feels it is required to serve and support others in her profession effectively.

“I work in applied behavior analysis therapy, and I often interact with kids and teenagers who are nonverbal. Knowing a few signs and the basics of syntax in ASL will be extremely useful in my career and help me become a more complete communicator,” she said. “By offering this course, the university is helping make the world a more comfortable place for members of the deaf community, non-verbal individuals and individuals on the autism spectrum. I am elated to be enrolled in this class for the fall. It is my last semester at Wayne State, and I get to take my dream course.”

For more information about ASE 3000, contact the Division of Teacher Education at 313-577-0991.