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 kiverse language, which is quite distinct from spoken or written English. This directory 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 starter"s guide to the principles of ASL*graphic illustrations showing the handshapes, movements, and facial gestures for each word, phrase, letter, or number.