Apps that teach how to speak another language are vast. Ace ASL is a new mobile application designed for those who want to learn or practice American Sign Language (ASL). It is the first ASL learning app to provide real-time feedback.
The Benefits of Ace ASL
The instructor is a native ASL signer whose goal is to prepare users for real-life conversations with another signer. Every instructional unit ends with a quiz to assess progress.
Below are a few additional benefits that make Ace ASL a great option to learn American Sign Language.
Emphasis on User Skill Level and Comfort
Ace ASL was created with the assistance of top-notch linguists, native ASL users, and tech experts. The language learning process is engaging and offered at a wide variety of skill levels. Users choose their own level of comfort, take as much time as is needed, and enjoy learning the fingerspelling alphabet. The app utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) linked to the device camera to recognize overall signing performance and to provide feedback.
Ace ASL is built on the same sign-recognition technology that enables automated and spontaneous translation between American Sign Language and English. Units are structured progressively from “Easy” to “Expert” mode. Some sections also allow experimentation with different speeds and levels of difficulty.
Statistically, the majority of ASL learners consider recognizing fingerspelling as one of the biggest challenges to learning sign language. The Ace ASL app teaches both digits and the alphabet while also focusing on developing a user’s receptive skills.
Diving Quickly Into Learning Sign Language
Ace ASL is designed to promote user engagement. Beginners can dive in with “Get Lessons” to start learning letters and digits interactively. Memorization is made easier by learning from a native ASL signer who uses repetition, flashcards, and signing exercises. Quizzes reinforce concepts and call attention to areas where improvement is needed.
Significantly, Ace ASL analyzes a user’s signing in real-time and offers immediate feedback. In the “Free Practice” section, users can access the best exercises for both signing and receptive skills. These include rehearsing fingerspelling, recognizing and interpreting ASL, watching a native ASL signing, typing out fingerspelled words, or signing back.
In the final section, users can challenge themselves to assess fingerspelling recognition. The section offers five levels of complexity, with 10 units in each level: Beginner, Easy, Normal, Hard, and Expert.
Elevating Sign Language to Parity with Speech
Placing sign languages at the same level as verbal languages is the animating drive behind SignAll’s mission. With regard to spoken languages, there are many apps that allow users to practice their pronunciation and receive immediate feedback. Until recently, this level of functionality was unimaginable for learning sign languages.
In response, SignAll developed Ace ASL to support an interactive acquisition of fingerspelling skills with a focus on recognition as the first step. Future SignAll plans include extending app functionality and offering additional apps for progressively more complex lessons.
Ace ASL App Availability
Ace ASL is available now in the Apple App Store for iOS devices. Development for Android is underway and the app is expected to be available in the Google Play Store in the coming months.
More information on SignAll:
In 2017, SignAll introduced the prototype for an automated system for real-time translation from ASL to English, which was later known as SignAll Chat. In 2019, the company launched SignAll Learn Lab, a catalog of software and hardware resulting in an interactive workstation that supplements ASL classes. The Lab utilizes a set of cameras for providing immediate and accurate feedback on users’ signing.
In 2020, responding to rapid change, SignAll began developing online and mobile solutions in addition to a range of sophisticated offline technology products. The company has successfully created a single-camera and camera-agnostic solution that allowed for extending its product line to mobile solutions while preserving the same level of accuracy. In February 2021, SignAll offered sign language SDK for developers, a solution that integrates ASL recognition into apps or other software.
