American Sign Language is a complex range of hand and facial gestures used among deaf and hearing-impaired communities throughout the United States and Canada. It is a rich, colorful, and diverse language, which is quite distinctive from spoken or written English. This direcory is a basic introduction to the vocabulary, grammar, and etiquette of ASL. It begins with numbers and the letters of the alphabet, before moving on to a range of common words and simple phrases. It is a suitable guide for all newcomers to the language, and includes:* An introduction to the fourth most commonly used language in the United States.* A starters guide to the principles of ASL.* Graphic illustrations showing the handshapes, movements, and facial gestures for each word, letter, or number.--- from book's back cover