American Asylum for Deaf-mutes

school, Hartford, Connecticut, United States

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June 17, 2026

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The American Asylum for Deaf-mutes, established in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1817, was the first American school for the deaf. Founded by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc, it initially used a form of Signed English, which attempted to represent English grammar visually. This approach was later superseded by American Sign Language (ASL), which is a natural language distinct from English. For over 50 years, the asylum served as a primary training center for instructors of the deaf. The history of deaf education in the United States has seen shifts between oral methods and the use of sign language, with ASL eventually recognized as a full language.12

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Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet
…and Laurent Clerc established the American Asylum for Deaf-mutes at Hartford, Conn., in support of which the U.S. Congress made a land grant. For more than 50 years this school was the main training centre for instructors of the deaf.
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…and Laurent Clerc established the American Asylum for Deaf-mutes at Hartford, Conn., in support of which the U.S. Congress made a land grant. For more than 50 years this school was the main training centre for instructors of the deaf.
Read More