Review · Course
Lifeprint ASL University — the free course that has taught more ASL than any other
Dr. Bill Vicars' Lifeprint is still the most complete free ASL curriculum on the open web. Here is what it does well, where it shows its age, and when you should still send a learner there first.
4.6/ 5(92%)
By Simple ASL EditorialHearing learner
Published Apr 16, 2026Updated Apr 16, 2026
Why it still matters
Lifeprint is the single most cited free ASL learning resource on the internet. The lesson structure across ASL 1 through ASL 4 still holds up as an introductory path, and the per-word pages are the closest thing the open web has to a shared vocabulary reference.
Where it shows its age
- The site design is 1990s-era and genuinely harder to navigate on a phone than on a laptop.
- Most demonstration videos were filmed over a decade ago and can feel dated in framing, lighting, and pace.
- There is no search facet for regional variation, even when Dr. Bill notes a variant in the text.
When to send a learner there
If someone has no budget and wants a complete free path through beginner ASL, Lifeprint is still the first link to send. Pair it with a paid tutor or a Deaf-led community class for the interaction piece.