How does American Sign Language (ASL) differ from other forms of sign language?
Many forms of sign language exist today, as it is a complex rich set of languages with differences between countries and regions. While sign language for the deaf had its birthplace in sixteenth century Spain, it branched out to other countries that developed their own forms of this visual-spatial language. Our own American Sign Language is a unique language all its own that was introduced to this country by the French teacher Lauret Clerc. It is closer to the sign language used in France than in Britain, contrary to what most people would assume.
