when was american sign language created
ASL emerged as a language in the American School for the Deaf (ASD), founded in 1817. This school brought together Old French Sign Language (OFSL), various village sign languages, and home sign systems; ASL was created in this situation of language contact.esides North America, dialects of ASL and ASL-based creoles are used in many countries around the world, including much of West Africa and parts of Southeast Asia. ASL is also widely learned as a second language, serving as a lingua franca. ASL is most closely related to French Sign Language (FSL).