Originally Posted by Levonian

I’d suggest that you start teaching yourself. Once you get a small vocabulary built up and a basic grasp of ASL’s grammatical structure, your coworkers can start to help you with your progress. All you need to do is get a crowbar in the door, and the rest will fall into place over time. Bear in mind, however, that some Deaf people have no tolerance for people with limited ASL skills, and will shut you out if you ask them for help. But you will also find many who are happier than a pig in shit that you are showing an interest in the subject, and who will gladly help you. I’d recommend the following three sources for a thorough introduction to ASL vocabulary and grammar:

A Basic Course in American Sign Language, by Tom Humphries and Carol Padden.

American Sign Language: A Teacher’s Resource Text on Grammar and Culture, by Charlotte Baker-Shenk and Dennis Cokely. (Gallaudet Green Book Series).

The Random House American Sign Language Dictionary, by Elaine Costello.

You can get all three of these from Amazon for about $90 paperback. This is all you really need to gain a solid working vocabulary and a firm grasp of the grammar. Personally, I would recommend that you avoid all the overhyped and overpriced DVD’s, software, videos, etc., and just start cracking the books. With just these three sources of instruction and a small circle of native signers with whom you can practice, and who will reinforce your skills, you should be able to make substantial progress in a year or less if you pursue it aggressively enough. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.