Some classes can be difficult to get into, but the wait list for American Sign Language (ASL) 101 is more than 300 students.

ASL is offered at the UW in sequence only (101 is available only in the fall, 102 only in the winter, etc.), and is offered twice this quarter, with a total of 44 available spaces.

The course is taught by program coordinator Lance Forshay, who is also the president of the Washington State ASL Teachers Association. Forshay previously taught ASL at Puyallup High School and Pierce College.

"Many of [the students] have taken ASL at high school and even at community colleges in our state," he said. "In the past, I have received several concerns from my former high school ASL students who asked me why [ASL classes weren't offered]. I have heard and seen many UW students taking ASL classes at three community colleges in our area because UW didn't offer any."

The linguistics department emailed students on the waitlists for both sections of the class Aug. 1 to let them know that the demand was so great that "only those whose list submission date was May 8th or earlier have even a remote chance of receiving an add code."

Erica Sekins, a senior in the ASL class, said she believes the high demand is indicative of the need to recognize ASL as a prominent language in the United States.

"The first day, only a couple of people showed up and asked how to get add codes," she said. "That's how I found out the class had such a large waitlist. The professor said it was something like 400 students ... I don't think anyone dropped the class."

Forshay believes that an ASL class at the UW is long overdue.

"Many students and faculty have been exposed to deaf community with their language and culture in our metro-Seattle area for years," he said. "They have been asking for ASL classes at UW for a long time because they wanted to be able to communicate and even serve this population in various community functions and businesses."

Executive Vice Provost, Ana Mari Cauce noted that the waiting list was so long that many students attempted to secure a position by registering for both offered sections.

"Waiting lists are one of many factors which affect demand," she said. "Sometimes when courses are high demand, advisers may advise students to take other classes, or ASL may be one of several options a student is already considering."

Although hopes remain high for expansion of the program, Forshay recommends taking the community college route to students who want to take the class but can't get in.

"We [the administration] have recently become aware of the waiting list and are very pleased that interest is so high," said Cauce. "This bodes well for the future of the program."

[Reach reporter Chris Paredes at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]