The American Sign Language program is dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning American Sign Language and Deaf culture. Our program focuses on four broad goals:

1. Developing receptive and expressive skills in ASL and Deaf cultural awareness among hearing, hard-of-hearing and Deaf students so that they will be able to communicate effectively with members of the Deaf community
   
   
2. Developing in each of these student a deeper and broader understanding of the realm of language and communication through the process of learning and using a second language
   
   
3. Developing in each student a deeper and wider understanding of the concept of cultural differences through the process of learning and interacting with the Deaf community
   
   
4. Developing greater awareness and facility in communicating through visual and gestural modes

1. Students learn a language more effectively when they are totally immersed in that language
   
   
2. Students learn a language best when lessons are presented in context
   
   
3. Students retain a language best when activities are meaningful and experiential
   
   
4. Students retain a language best when instructional activities are balanced between expressive and receptive modes of the language

The ASL Program at SRJC serves a wide variety of students, including:

1. Certificate, Associate Degree and transfer students who seek to broaden their liberal arts background and meet their general education requirements
   
   
2. College students who have Deaf or hard-of-hearing family members, friends or colleagues and want to be able to communicate more effectively with them
   
   
3. College students seeking a career in the helping professions who want to be able to communicate with future Deaf and hard-of-hearing clients
   
   
4. College students who have experienced difficulty in overcoming the challenge of learning a foreign language and want to try a visual and gestural language as an alternative
   
   
5. Current and future fire safety and law enforcement personnel who need to be able to communicate with Deaf people in various safety and security situations
   
   
6. High school students who seek an enjoyable and fascinating enrichment experience