Students with little or no prior knowledge of American Sign Language will be introduced to the natural language and culture of the American Deaf Community. This course provides basic vocabulary and preparation for visual/gestural communication. Emphasis will be on comprehension skills and the fundamentals of ASL grammatical structures. This course is equivalent to two years of high school American Sign Language. Field trips may be required. Transfer credit: CSU; UC.

This is a writing course that emphasizes critical reading, expository and argumentative writing, and mastery of library research techniques. It includes instruction and practice in critical thinking; analytical reading and evaluation of written work, including at least one book-length work of significant literature; and communicating and supporting ideas in organized, coherent essays. Students are required to write a minimum of 5000 formal words, including a research project, based on essays, literature read in class, personal experience, and college-level research. Prerequisites: ENGL V02 or placement as measured by the college assessment process. Transfer credit: CSU; UC. Formerly: ENGL 1A.