Sign Media

What Sign Media does

Sign Media, Inc. is a privately-held publisher and retailer of American Sign Language (ASL) educational materials, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Burtonsville, Maryland. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform at store.signmedia.com selling a catalog of approximately 190 products organized into seven categories: Master ASL! (its flagship standards-aligned curriculum), Learning ASL, ASL Fun, Deaf Culture, Interpreting, Special Topics, and World Signs. Its core product, Master ASL!, is claimed to be the only ASL curriculum meeting national and state standards for learning American Sign Language, and includes a textbook, student companion, and 1-year online video access with over 1,000 interactive vocabulary videos.

The company's product portfolio spans physical media (DVDs, textbooks, workbooks, posters, activity kits, games) and digital subscriptions (1-year and 6-month online video access). Supplementary offerings include the SignMaster vocabulary review game, Teacher's PowerPoint Resource Kit, Interpreter Practice Materials (33-DVD set at $829.95), The Green Books curriculum series, and international sign language materials. Content is produced in-house or licensed and distributed through the proprietary storefront, with phone ordering support and shipping limited to US domestic addresses due to fraud mitigation policies.

Sign Media generates revenue primarily through one-time physical product sales supplemented by a growing recurring subscription component for online video access, plus gift certificates in $25-$100 denominations. The customer base comprises five persona segments: ASL Learners, ASL Teachers, Sign Language Interpreters, Deaf Culture Enthusiasts, and International Sign Language Learners. With 11-50 employees, no disclosed institutional funding, and organic social marketing (X, Facebook, YouTube), the company operates as a bootstrapped specialty education publisher with a niche but defensible market position in standards-aligned ASL curriculum.

Name

Sign Media

Legal name

Sign Media, Inc.

Website

https://store.signmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Publishing

NAICS

Language Schools (61163), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Book Printing (2732)

akta.pro primary industry

Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

World Languages & Bilingual/ESL (K–12) Materials (EDAGAAAC), Academic Language Support (ESL/EFL for School & University) (EDANACAB)

Keywords

• American Sign Language
• ASL curriculum
• Deaf culture education
• Sign language interpreting
• Educational media publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Burtonsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Physical Product Sales: One-time purchase of educational materials including textbooks, DVDs, workbooks, and curriculum sets sold through the e-commerce platform. Products range from individual items to complete educational kits.
2. Subscription-based Online Access: 1-year and 6-month online video access subscriptions for Master ASL! content providing interactive vocabulary and video content delivery.
3. Gift Certificates: Prepaid gift certificates sold in denominations of $25, $50, $75, and $100 for recipient-directed purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sign Media publishes and sells American Sign Language (ASL) educational materials through its e-commerce platform store.signmedia.com. The company offers a catalog of over 190 products spanning curriculum, DVDs, textbooks, workbooks, activity kits, and online video access for learning ASL, interpreter training, and Deaf culture education. Its flagship Master ASL! curriculum is the only ASL curriculum meeting national and state standards.

Product overview

Sign Media is a publisher and retailer of American Sign Language (ASL) educational materials, operating primarily as an e-commerce platform. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized into seven product categories: Master ASL! (their flagship curriculum meeting national and state standards), Learning ASL, ASL Fun, Deaf Culture, Interpreting, Special Topics, and World Signs. The core Master ASL! Level One Package includes a textbook, student companion, and 1-year online video access, supported by the SignMaster vocabulary review game and Teacher's PowerPoint Resource Kit as companion products. Beyond the curriculum line, they sell individual DVDs, books, workbooks, activity kits, and posters covering topics from basic ASL phrases to Deaf history, interpreting skills, and international sign languages. The company also offers gift certificates and specialty items like the Eyeth poster and postcards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Master ASL!: The primary American Sign Language curriculum product line that meets national and state standards for learning ASL. Includes textbook, student companion, PowerPoint resources, and SignMaster vocabulary review game.
• SignMaster

Products and services

• Master ASL! Level One Package

Quantifiable outcome

• Standards-aligned curriculum accepted nationally for ASL instruction
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• HandSpeak: Online ASL dictionary, phrase library, and baby sign language resources. Competes with Sign Media's vocabulary and beginner-learning products in a free-with-premium model.
• Sign It ASL: Online ASL course series featuring Deaf instructors and designed for self-learners. Comparable offering to Sign Media's Master ASL! online access for distance learners.
• Memrise: Language learning app with some sign language content. Demonstrates the broader consumer shift toward app-based vocabulary acquisition relevant to Sign Media's catalog positioning.
• Lingvano: Subscription-based app for learning ASL with structured lessons and interactive feedback. Represents the digital-first format competing with Sign Media's physical curriculum.
• The ASL App: Mobile-first ASL learning app produced by Deaf signers. Competes with Sign Media's DVD/textbook learning format for casual learners preferring subscription app experiences.
• Signing Savvy: Online ASL dictionary and learning resource with subscription model. Overlaps with Sign Media's vocabulary and video access offerings for self-learners and teachers.

Direct peers

• DawnSignPress: Publisher of ASL and Deaf-culture books, children's ASL storybooks, and instructional materials. Direct competitor to Sign Media in the printed ASL curriculum and Deaf culture publishing space.
• ASL University (Lifeprint): Free online ASL instructional resource founded by Dr. Bill Vicars. Competes with Sign Media's Learning ASL and Master ASL! textbook offerings by providing free structured ASL lessons.
• Gallaudet University Press: Academic publisher specializing in Deaf studies, ASL linguistics, and Deaf culture. Comparable to Sign Media's Deaf Culture and Interpreting book categories.

Broad incumbents

• Rosetta Stone: Major language-learning platform with subscription app model. While focused on spoken languages, it represents the broader self-paced language learning market in which Sign Media's Master ASL! competes for consumer spending.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MasterASL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SignMediaInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sign Media