The American School for the Deaf: America's First School for the Deaf

In 1817, a remarkable school opened its doors in Hartford, Connecticut, changing the course of DEAF education in America forever. This school, now known as the AMERICAN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, or ASD, was the very first permanent school for the deaf in the United States. Its founding marked a turning point — before ASD existed, most deaf people in America had no access to formal education at all. The school was originally called the Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons, a name that reflected the language of that era. Today, it stands as a living INSTITUTION with a proud history spanning more than two centuries. Hartford, Connecticut became the BIRTHPLACE of deaf education in America, a legacy the city still celebrates.