Our Mission
Guided by Deaf language experts, our mission is to help bridge the gap between the hearing and Deaf communities by making American Sign Language accessible and affordable for all.
Our History
Sign Language 101 traces its roots back to the initiative of Dr. Byron Bridges and his son, Brandon Bridges, co-owner of 3 Bridges Sign Language Services. Recognizing a significant gap in high-quality online American Sign Language (ASL) educational resources, they were determined to democratize ASL learning, making it accessible and affordable to all. Collaborating with Sonia Bridges, the Sign Language 101 website took its inaugural steps in the summer of 2013.
Our commitment to breaking barriers led us to offer our initial course for free, a resource that remains accessible on our Free Videos page to this day. Word quickly spread, and people from across the globe flocked to our website for their ASL education. The resounding positive feedback from our students inspired us to expand our offerings. Thus, in 2021, we introduced our Level 2 course, enabling students to delve deeper into their ASL journey.
In 2022 we teamed up with JanelleKay Brigham, Sandra Mae Frank, & Julian Moiwai to create our very first ASL course tailored for children. We also attained accreditation from IACET (International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training), paving the way for our courses to be integrated into colleges and universities. Concurrently, we launched our first ASL workbooks, providing students with valuable additional practice, and introduced the option of earning CEUs (Continuing Education Units) through our courses.
As we step into 2023, we proudly mark a decade of Sign Language 101's presence with the release of our revamped Level 1 course, an enhanced workbook and a new mobile app. Over the past ten years, Sign Language 101 has blossomed into one of the largest online ASL educational hubs. We've empowered hundreds of thousands of individuals to embrace ASL, and our journey is far from over.
Join us as we celebrate a decade of sign language excellence, and stay tuned for the innovative resources and opportunities we'll continue to bring to ASL enthusiasts worldwide.
Advisory Board
Byron Bridges, Ph.D.
Deaf Educator, ASL Instructor
Born deaf to deaf parents and growing up with a deaf sister, Dr. Byron W. Bridges has used ASL as the primary language throughout his whole life. He attended deaf schools and public schools. Dr. Bridges earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Deaf Studies at California State University of Northridge, Masters of Arts (MA) degree in Linguistics from Gallaudet University, and a doctoral degree (Ed.D) in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education at Lamar University. Born deaf to deaf parents and growing up with a deaf sister, Dr. Byron W. Bridges has used ASL as the primary language throughout his whole life. He attended deaf schools and public schools. Dr. Bridges earned his Bachelors of Arts degree in Deaf Studies at California State University of Northridge, Masters of Arts (MA) degree in Linguistics from Gallaudet University, and a doctoral degree (Ed.D) in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education at Lamar University.
Dr. Bridges co-authored the book, Deaf Tend Yours. He has written video scripts and produced numerous sign language related videotapes/DVDs. He is a nationally-known teacher and lecturer in ASL and sign language interpretation. Dr. Bridges has been in the field of ASL linguistics, interpreting and post secondary teaching of ASL as a second language for over 30 years. He is a certified Deaf interpreter (CDI), earning the certification through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.
Janellkay Brigham, Ph.D.
Deaf Educator, ASL Instructor
Janellkay Brigham, Ph.D. has been teaching ASL in Texas for over 30 years in public school, online and at the university level. She earned degrees in Deaf Education, Habilitation and Adult Education and is certified in American Sign Language, Deaf Education and Special Education. Dr. Brigham has received numerous awards in teaching and service to the Deaf community. One achievement includes being on the writing team that rewrote the current standards for the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for ASL. Her ongoing work is to emphasize the importance of language acquisition for deaf children focusing on global proactive rather than reactive parental knowledge of deafness. Dr. Brigham enjoys being director of a Deaf choir and in any free time, loves the outdoors, being near the water and spending time with family.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Lloyd Bridges & Jim Scoggins
Best friends and pioneers of Deaf rights and equal access for Deaf Americans. Read more about their history - opens in new window
