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Founding of the First Deaf School
At the beginning of the 19th century, experts and educators became interested in challenging the approach to educating the Deaf, as influenced by the integration of Deaf people on Martha’s Vineyard. Their idea was to school the Deaf together, and in turn, promote the practice of signed language.
In the early 1810’s, Thomas Gallaudet went to Europe to study instructions for Deaf children. In London, he learned of the oral communication method, but was dissatisfied with it. Later, in Paris, he learned teaching methodology using signed language. It was with this knowledge that in 1816, Thomas returned to the United States and founded his own school for the Deaf.
The American School for the Deaf was established in 1817 by Thomas H. Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc in Hartford, Connecticut. The school, and the environment it created, greatly influenced the evolution of Deaf education and culture in the United States. The faculty there taught in a version of French sign language, and over time, MVSL began to merge with mainland, French signs to form American Sign Language. In addition, the school was the site of a new commitment to building culture and strengthening community ties among Deaf people.
You can read more about the history of Deaf schools at the American School for the Deaf's Museum website. 
