Deaf people who communicate in ASL come from different backgrounds, but feel unified as a deaf community by their use of sign language and their shared experiences. Some deaf people are born with profound hearing loss while other people become deaf later in life, so deaf people may learn ASL at different times, the National Association of the Deaf advises.
Parents can learn how to sign basic signs with babies. Signing plays an important part in language learning by babies. The National Association of the Deaf says that research reveals that babies who learn basic signs show earlier language development than children who don't sign. The early acquisition of ASL can enhance a child's communication skills, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders states.
Nine out of 10 deaf children have hearing parents, according to the National Association of the Deaf. Knowledge of ASL enables families of deaf children to communicate. Parents of a deaf child can request ASL instruction through early intervention systems like the child's school. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the federal law that regulates early intervention systems, mandates that sign language services be provided to families of deaf children on request. The National Association of the Deaf says that learning sign language does not interfere with a child's ability to learn speech, and that learning ASL may help the child improve his speech ability.
Hearing people can benefit from learning sign language by reading body language and understanding nonverbal signals. Hearing people can develop natural gestures that communicate their meaning during speeches or talking to others, according to Lifeprint.com.
Sign language is taught in elementary schools and offered in high schools as a foreign language credit. Sign language classes are available for hearing people who want to learn for personal interest. Sign language students can also attend deaf community events. ASL dictionaries and sign language instruction are available online.