Disney recently released a series called ‘Songs of Sign Language’ on Disney+. The series has gained a lot of attention for addressing the needs of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and others who use ASL as their primary form of communication. Disney has brought the magic to even more homes and has made many more children and adults smile.
What is ASL?
ASL, which stands for American Sign Language, is used by millions of people who are deaf to communicate with others. American Sign Language has different hand signs, used in place of words, that make up the language, and they are how deaf people and others communicate with each other. Though ASL is widely used, it is not a universal language because there are 300+ sign languages worldwide, each with its own unique grammatical structure. Another unique and not widely known fact is that ASL is only a signed language, while English is spoken and written, and there is no written language for American Sign Language. It was estimated that there were about 1.35 million adults in North Carolina with hearing loss in 2024. North Carolina recognizes September as Deaf Awareness month, and September 23 is recognized as the International Day Of Sign Language.
The modern American Sign Language of today took form when Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet founded the American School for the Deaf. Dr. Thomas went to Europe looking for help to communicate and educate his young neighbor, who was deaf, and met Laurent Clerc. Clerc went deaf after an accident in his childhood but was taught in France by Abbes Charles-Michel and communicated mostly through French Sign Language (LSF). Gallaudet persuaded Clerc to come back to America with him, and together they founded the American School for the Deaf. This was the first free public school for deaf people in America. There, through a combination of French Sign Language and the students’ own “home signs”, modern ASL was created.
Why:
Disney started making movies with American Sign Language to accommodate children and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. A director at Disney, Hyrum Osmond, was the initiator of the project to incorporate Disney movies into ASL. Osmond was inspired to make Disney movies have ASL by his father, who is deaf. Some songs that Disney has released so far to accommodate Disney-loving people who use ASL are “Beyond” from ‘Moana 2,’ ‘The Next Right Thing’ from ‘Frozen 2,’ and the hit song from ‘Encanto,’ ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno.’
Interviews:
Katherine Roof (‘28), who is also known as Kate, is one of the many students in our school who acknowledges American Sign Language. She shared her knowledge on ASL Disney movies and ASL in general. “I have heard about the ASL Disney songs vaguely, but I like the idea of Disney making these songs because it helps include others in the community in the Disney magic.” Roof states excitedly about the Disney ASL songs. “ I started learning American Sign Language in 7th grade for my own benefit and have continued to learn and use this communication method to this day.” Roof states. “Everyone should learn ASL. It is a good skill to learn in case you meet a deaf or hard-of-hearing person who only knows American Sign Language. It helps us communicate and engage with those who can’t respond to you verbally or hear and understand what you are saying.” Roof states acknowledging the importance of ASL. “American Sign Language can be extremely helpful in general, but it can also be extremely important in situations that could be potentially dangerous for those who are deaf and can only communicate through sign,” Roof explains enthusiastically.
Seerit Gill, a member of the Green Hope ASL club, had much to offer as well. When asked about the Disney ASL songs, she said, “I think it’s great that they are trying to be more inclusive to communities that don’t usually get to experience things like this as kids.” She also mentioned that she thinks it is important for people to try to learn ASL if they are able, because “many people use ASL as their main form of communication, not just deaf people. Many neurodivergent people use ASL as well. And aside from that, it is another real language; learning it will strengthen your brain.” She also said that she wanted people to know that “ASL is starting to become obsolete. With many people getting cochlear implants or other hearing aids, the language doesn’t need to be used as much anymore. I still think it is important that we try to keep the language alive, though, because there are still people who can’t afford hearing aids and because there is so much culture and history in the language.”
The Disney ‘Songs of Sign Language’ has been a very important event for those in the ASL community. It has made both children and adults feel recognized and has allowed them to enjoy multiple popular Disney movies and songs in their native language. Before, they were not able to enjoy Disney songs in the same way as hearing people, but now, the series will help Disney connect with more individuals and include them in the creation of happy memories.
