Wells Fargo Grant Funds ASL Financial Education Series

Author: Wells Fargo and Company
Published: 17 Nov 2017 - Updated: 7 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Announcement

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This announcement details a significant financial literacy initiative that directly addresses barriers faced by deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The information is authoritative as it comes from official sources - Communications Service for the Deaf (CSD) and Wells Fargo Foundation - and documents a funded partnership creating the first ASL-accessible version of Wells Fargo's established Hands On Banking curriculum. Given that approximately 70 percent of the American deaf community faces unemployment or underemployment, this grant-funded program fills a critical gap by providing self-paced financial education in American Sign Language with voice-over, captioning, and screen-reading compatibility. The initiative matters because it tackles a documented need for deaf-specific financial tools while promoting economic independence through accessible formats that respect the linguistic and cultural needs of deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals.*

At a Glance

• 1 - The Wells Fargo Foundation awarded CSD Learns a $75,000 grant. It funds a pilot ASL Financial Education Series.
• 2 - Courses are self-paced with interactive quizzes and assessments. This creates a dynamic and active learning experience for users.
• 3 - Adapted lessons include topics such as Dealing with Debt and Getting Started with Investing. These come from the existing Hands on Banking learning center.
• 4 - CSD Learns delivers bilingual courses in ASL with voice-over and captioning. The platform also offers screen reading compatibility for broader access.

Topic Definition

ASL Financial Education

ASL financial education is money management instruction delivered directly in American Sign Language, treating ASL as a learner's primary language rather than translating written or spoken material after the fact. Rather than bolting captions onto existing videos, this approach builds the lessons around signed communication and pairs it with voice-over, captioning, and screen reading support so deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing adults can work through budgeting, credit, debt, and investing topics at their own pace. The aim is practical economic independence: giving people the same access to financial knowledge that hearing learners take for granted, in a format that respects the linguistic and cultural realities of the deaf community.

Overview

Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) Learns announced that the organization received a $75,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to create a pilot American Sign Language (ASL) Financial Education Series.

Content from Wells Fargo's Hands On Banking online financial learning center, such as Dealing with Debt and Getting Started with Investing, will be provided in ASL on the CSD Learns site.

"Achieving economic independence is a challenge for many in the deaf community," said CSD Chief Executive Officer Christopher Soukup. "This joint effort with Wells Fargo is an innovative, remarkable step forward in bringing high-quality, valuable information to deaf people in ASL and other accessible formats."

CSD Learns creates innovative, platform-based solutions that overcome barriers and increase learning opportunities for Deaf, Deaf Blind, and Hard of Hearing individuals. Through CSD Learns, bilingual online courses are presented in ASL with voice-over and captioning, as well as screen reading compatibility.

CSD Learns' courses are self-paced, and include interactive quizzes and assessments for a dynamic and active learning experience.

"Wells Fargo strongly believes that people with disabilities should have the same opportunities to improve their financial health and well-being as anyone else," said Kathy Martinez, head of disability and accessibility strategy at Wells Fargo."

"We are proud to collaborate with CSD Learns to make our Hands on Banking program accessible to this community and help them succeed financially."

"About 70 percent of the American Deaf community is either unemployed or underemployed. Research has long demonstrated a significant need for Deaf-specific financial learning tools," said Soukup.

"CSD has listened to diverse Deaf communities share the need for equitable learning resources. Our goal is to see every Deaf individual empowered to educate and enable themselves, including financially. By offering this program on a pilot basis, we can now help strengthen equity for Deaf people in the workplace, and offer tools for self-improvement and autonomous social mobility."

Hands on Banking is a public service offered by Wells Fargo in English and Spanish. The program offers online resources for anyone who wants to learn more about money management. The online learning center can help site visitors find answers to questions, from budgeting tips to buying a home, to responsibly using credit. Hands on Banking offers self-directed courses to improve financial capability, as well as offering classroom resources for educators.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

What is CSD Learns

CSD Learns is a platform from Communication Service for the Deaf that creates online courses in American Sign Language with voice-over, captioning, and screen reading support for deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing learners.

Is the ASL Financial Education Series free to use

The series is built on Wells Fargo Hands on Banking, which is offered as a public service at no cost, so the accessible ASL courses are provided free through the CSD Learns platform.

Who can enroll in the ASL financial courses

The courses are designed for deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing adults who want to build money management skills in their primary language, though anyone seeking accessible financial education can benefit.

Do I need to know sign language to use the program

Because the courses pair ASL with voice-over and captioning, learners who do not sign can still follow along, making the content usable by a wide range of people.

What financial topics does the series cover

Lessons cover everyday money management subjects such as budgeting, responsibly using credit, dealing with debt, saving, buying a home, and getting started with investing.

What is a pilot program in this context

A pilot program is a limited first version of the courses used to test the format and gather feedback, allowing CSD and Wells Fargo to refine the material before wider release.

Why is financial literacy important for the deaf community

Accessible financial literacy supports economic independence and workplace equity, helping to address the high rates of unemployment and underemployment reported within the deaf community.

How can educators use Hands on Banking resources

Hands on Banking offers classroom resources alongside self-directed courses, giving teachers and trainers ready-made materials to support financial capability instruction.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Financial literacy programs specifically designed for deaf communities represent more than simple translation - they acknowledge that economic self-sufficiency requires information delivered in one's primary language. The Wells Fargo-CSD partnership demonstrates how corporate philanthropy can address systemic barriers when organizations recognize that true accessibility means meeting people where they are, linguistically and culturally. As this pilot program unfolds, its success could establish a blueprint for other financial institutions to follow, potentially shifting industry standards toward genuine inclusion rather than mere compliance. The deaf community's high unemployment rate isn't simply a statistic to overcome; it's a call to action that requires innovative solutions like bilingual financial education that respects ASL as a complete, sophisticated language rather than treating it as an accommodation.*

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Wells Fargo and Company and published on 17 Nov 2017, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.