How to Sign "Special" in American Sign Language

The short answer

In American Sign Language (ASL), the language most widely used by Deaf communities in the US, "special" is commonly signed by holding up the index finger of your non-dominant hand, pinching its tip with your dominant hand, and lifting it a short distance upward. The idea is visual: one item is picked out and raised above the rest. The same sign is often used for "except"; context tells the viewer which meaning you intend.

Two points can change this answer. First, sign languages are not universal. British Sign Language, Auslan and other sign languages have their own signs, so this description applies to ASL only. Second, if you are looking for a phrase such as "special needs" or "special education," those are not a single sign. Usage varies between communities, and some signers fingerspell or describe the idea instead. A fluent signer or a reputable ASL dictionary with video is the best check for phrases.

Forming the sign step by step

• 1. Decide which hand is dominant. This is usually the hand you write with. Keep it the same throughout.
• 2. Raise your non-dominant hand to about chest height. Extend the index finger upward and curl the other fingers into a loose fist. Your palm generally faces you or slightly to the side.
• 3. Bring your dominant hand to the tip of that raised index finger. Pinch the fingertip lightly between your thumb and index finger.
• 4. Lift the pinched fingertip upward a short distance, as if pulling it up and out of a group. Move both hands together smoothly and briefly. Do not drag the movement out.
• 5. Use a facial expression that fits your meaning. In ASL, the face carries grammar and tone, so a neutral or positive expression reads differently from a questioning one.

Common variations: some signers grip the finger with the index and middle fingers rather than the thumb and index finger. The lift may be shorter or slightly angled outward. These are normal regional and personal differences, not mistakes. If the people you sign with use a particular version, follow their usage.

How to check that you are forming it correctly

• Handshape check: your non-dominant hand shows one clearly raised index finger, not two fingers or an open hand.
• Contact check: your dominant hand actually holds the fingertip before the movement starts, rather than hovering near it.
• Movement check: the motion is a single upward lift, not a twist or a repeated tap.
• Comparison check: watch a video of a fluent signer performing the sign, then record yourself and compare handshape, position and movement side by side.

Self-checking confirms that your hands match a reference, but it cannot confirm natural rhythm, facial grammar or whether a local community prefers another variant. Feedback from a Deaf signer or a qualified ASL instructor covers those gaps. This guide had no video demonstration or dictionary entry supplied as evidence, so treat the description above as a starting point to confirm against a visual source.

If you are unsure of the sign at the moment you need it, fingerspelling S-P-E-C-I-A-L is an understandable fallback.

If you will sign it on a video call

Several separate things must work for a signed word to come across on a call. The browser or app must have permission to use the camera. The camera must capture a usable picture. The call connection must deliver that picture smoothly. A preview that appears only shows that the first two are working. It does not show how the video looks to the other person after compression or on a slow connection.

• 1. Frame yourself from roughly the top of your head to your waist, with space on both sides. This sign is made at chest height, so a tight face-only crop can cut it off. Success check: in your self-view, both hands stay fully in frame while you make the sign.
• 2. Light your face and hands from the front. Avoid a bright window behind you, which can turn your hands into silhouettes. Success check: the pinch on your fingertip is clearly visible in the preview.
• 3. Choose a plain physical background that contrasts with your skin tone and clothing. Virtual backgrounds and blur effects can make fingers blur, flicker or disappear around the edges. If you notice that, switch the effect off. Success check: your fingers do not fade into the background or break up when they move.
• 4. Remember that many apps mirror your own preview, but other participants usually see you unmirrored. Your preview may look reversed to you while appearing correct to them. Do not switch hands to fix how the preview looks.
• 5. Run a short test with a second device or a willing contact before an important call. Success check: they can identify the sign at normal speed. That is the only check here that reflects what the viewer actually receives.

The camera and lighting steps improve visibility, but they do not guarantee clarity on a poor connection. If the video stutters, signing slightly more deliberately, or fingerspelling a key word, can help the other person follow you.