![]() ![]() Rationale IntroductionĪSL is a distinct, rule-governed language that has existed in the United States and parts of Canada for more than 200 years. Like all languages, ASL evolves over time within specific historical, social, and cultural contexts. ASL is distinct from other signed languages around the world and from English. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) affirms that American Sign Language (ASL) is a language, possessing complex levels of language organization, including phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics. Position Statement: American Sign Language (ASL) Position Statement: American Sign Language (ASL).Respondents included audiologists, speech-language pathologists, linguists, teachers of the deaf, ASL teachers, interpreters, researchers, administrators, other related professionals and students, professional associations, individuals who are D/deaf, families, and advocacy groups. The statement was open for peer review by all interested parties prior to final approval by the BOD. Marie Ireland, Vice President for Speech-Language Pathology Practice (2018–2020) served as the BOD liaison. The Committee members who developed this position statement were James Mahshie, chair Katie Brennan Tina Childress Cheryl DeConde Johnson Brenda Seal and Aaron Shield. The Committee included a member who is deaf, an ASL linguist, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and a teacher of the deaf. The resolution charged that the Committee consist of six ASHA members with expertise and experience regarding ASL. In August 2018, the ASHA Board of Directors (BOD) approved a resolution to form the Ad Hoc Committee to Establish a Position on ASL (hereafter, "the Committee"). This statement formally clarifies and affirms ASHA's long-held position that ASL is a distinct language. Although ASHA has long recognized that ASL is a language, the request to draft this statement arose from inconsistencies in how federal agencies view ASL as a language distinct from English for the purposes of service provision (see, e.g., National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 2019 National Science Foundation, 2019 U.S. ![]() ASHA develops position statements when the Association's official stance on a topic needs to be clearly established for members and the public. Ad Hoc Committee to Establish a Position on American Sign Language (ASL)Ībout This Document: This position statement is an official policy of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). ![]()
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