American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language that uses hand, facial, and body movements to communicate. Sign language promotes communication with the Deaf community and provides an accessible language for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals from birth. Learning ASL can enhance cognitive skills, strengthen the connection between the body and mind, and support more effective communication. It is also the sixth most commonly used language in the United States.
When taken at the 201-level, ASL will fulfill UMBC’s General Education Program (GEP) Foreign Language requirement. ASL Courses are offered every semester: Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.
Spring 2025
First Day of Class: January 27th, 2025
Last Day of Class: May 13th, 2025
Finals Week: May 15th-21st, 2025
ASL 101 Classes
Description: American Sign Language 101 is designed for students who have little or no previous knowledge of ASL. The course emphasizes simple receptive and expressive conversational skills and the unique features of American Sign Language grammar. Readiness for learning will be approached via visual-gestural communication techniques, visual discrimination, and visual memory exercises, emphasizing the acquisition of comprehension, production, and interactional skills using basic grammatical features. ASL will be taught within contexts and related to general surroundings and everyday life experiences. The course also provides a historical overview of American Sign Language and an introduction to deaf culture and folklore. Videos, films, readings and non-verbal feedback exercises will be a part of the instruction using tools.
American Sign Language I | MoWe 5:30 – 6:45 pm
Section: 01-LEC (5866)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Debra Wolff
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with components of Synchronous online meetings and Asynchronous work. In order to move into ASL 102 to meet the language requirement, this course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
American Sign Language I | MoWe 7:00 – 8:15 pm
Section: 02-LEC (5867)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Debra Wolff
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with components of Synchronous online meetings and Asynchronous work. In order to move into ASL 102 to meet the language requirement, this course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
American Sign Language I | TuTh 1:00 – 2:15 pm
Section: 03-LEC (5875)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Maher Eshgi
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. In order to move into ASL 102 to meet the language requirement, this course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
American Sign Language I | TuTh 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Section: 04-LEC (5876)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Maher Eshgi
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. In order to move into ASL 102 to meet the language requirement, this course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
American Sign Language I | Th 5:30 – 6:45 p.m.
Section: 05-LEC (6689)
Location: Physics 107
Instruction Mode: Hybrid – In Person/Asynchronous
Instructor: Daniel Frame
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This course is taught in the Hybrid format, with In-Person meetings on Thursdays and Asynchronous work for the remaining credit hours. In order to move into ASL 102 to meet the language requirement, this course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
American Sign Language I | TuTh 10:00 – 11:15 am
Section: 06-LEC (6690)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Sagar Kothari
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. In order to move into ASL 102 to meet the language requirement, this course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
American Sign Language I | TuTh 11:30 – 12:45 am
Section: 07-LEC (6691)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Sagar Kothari
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. In order to move into ASL 102 to meet the language requirement, this course must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.
ASL 102 Classes
Description: American Sign Language 102 is designed to build on ASL 101 providing for a higher level of receptive and conversational practice and will introduce several “uninterpreted” activities. Learning goals will focus on the development of American Sign Language (ASL) skills with a primary focus on refining the use of basic ASL sentence types. Pronominalization, classifiers, spatial referencing, pluralization, and temporal and distributional aspects are introduced. Students will learn routine communicative functions of the language: asking, requesting, providing clarification, giving and asking for directions. Information about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture will be included.
American Sign Language II | Th 2:30 – 3:45 pm
Section: 01-LEC (5868)
Location: Physics 107
Instruction Mode: Hybrid – In Person/Asynchronous
Instructor: Daniel Frame
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This course is taught in the Hybrid format, with In-Person meetings on Thursdays and Asynchronous work for the remaining credit hours. New students enrolling in ASL102 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL 101 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for two years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: ASL 101 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
American Sign Language II | Th 4:00 – 5:15 pm
Section: 02-LEC (5869)
Location: Physics 107
Instruction Mode: Hybrid – In Person/Asynchronous
Instructor: Daniel Frame
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This course is taught in the Hybrid format, with In-Person meetings on Thursdays and Asynchronous work for the remaining credit hours. New students enrolling in ASL102 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL 101 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for two years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: ASL 101 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
American Sign Language II | MoWe 4:00 – 5:15 pm
Section: 03-LEC (5877)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Maher Eshgi
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. New students enrolling in ASL102 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL 101 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for two years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: ASL 101 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
American Sign Language II | TuTh 1:00 – 2:15 pm
Section: 04-LEC (5878)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Sagar Kothari
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. New students enrolling in ASL102 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL 101 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for two years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: ASL 101 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
American Sign Language II | MoWe 1:00 – 2:15 pm
Section: 05-LEC (6694)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Sagar Kothari
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. New students enrolling in ASL102 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL 101 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for two years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: ASL 101 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
ASL 201 Classes
Meets GEP Language Requirement.
Description: American Sign Language 201 is designed to build on ASL 102 in order to further develop the receptive and expressive visual communication skills in ASL. This will include adding more complex ASL grammatical features and vocabulary, short stories, narratives, and dialogues. The course will include a description of general surroundings, appropriate sequencing, temporal aspects, and conditionals. The course will also focus on cultural aspects of the deaf community and will include discussions and formal signing presentations.
Section: 01-LEC (5870)
Location: Physics107
Instruction Mode: Hybrid – In Person/Asynchronous
Instructor: Daniel Frame
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This course is taught in the Hybrid format, with In-Person meetings on Thursdays and Asynchronous work for the remaining credit hours. New students enrolling in ASL201 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL101 and ASL102 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for three years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: ASL 102 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
American Sign Language III | MoWe 5:30 – 6:45 pm
Section: 02-LEC (5879)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Maher Eshgi
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with synchronous meetings. New students enrolling in ASL201 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL101 and ASL102 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for three years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: Prerequisite: ASL 102 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
American Sign Language III | MoWe 1:00 – 2:15 pm
Section: 03-LEC (5880)
Instruction Mode: Online
Instructor: Roxanne Dummett
Note: If course permission is needed, email Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu). This is an online course with components of Synchronous online meetings and Asynchronous work. New students enrolling in ASL201 must provide documentation that they have completed a course equivalent to ASL101 and ASL102 from another college or university or that they studied ASL for three years in high school. This can be verified by providing UMBC with a transcript from the relevant college or high school. Please email this documentation to Dr. Laila M. Shishineh at the email listed above.
Prerequisite: Prerequisite: ASL 102 with a grade of ‘C’ or better.
If you have already taken ASL and/or already know how to sign, please contact the ASL Department Chair, Dr. Laila M. Shishineh (lailams@umbc.edu), to inquire about placement options and/or proficiency testing opportunities.