Disney Animator Behind Frozen Makes Powerful Promise With New Free ASL App

Most people know Josh Staub through the worlds he helped create on screen. As an animator and visual effects artist, he contributed to Disney hits like Frozen, Tangled, and Wreck-It Ralph, bringing beloved characters to life for millions of viewers around the world. Yet the project that has captured the most attention recently has nothing to do with blockbuster movies. Instead, it began with a desire to tell one story authentically, a decision that introduced him to an entirely new community and ultimately inspired him to create a learning tool that could change countless lives.

That journey has now resulted in Small Talk ASL, an interactive app designed to help beginners learn American Sign Language through an animated Deaf character named Oscar. Unlike most educational apps that eventually place lessons behind subscriptions or premium memberships, Staub has made an extraordinary promise. The app is completely free today, and he says it will stay that way forever. In an era where almost every digital service comes with recurring fees, the commitment has resonated with people who see language as something that should connect communities rather than create financial barriers.

A Disney Career Led Him Somewhere Unexpected

Josh Staub has spent years building a remarkable career in animation, working on some of Disney’s biggest productions and earning recognition for his ability to breathe life into unforgettable characters. While audiences admired the finished films, few realized that one of his most meaningful creative projects would emerge outside Hollywood. At his own Jubilee Studios, Staub began developing an animated series called Small Talk, centered around a young Deaf boy named Oscar and his family. Rather than treating Deafness as a background detail, the series aimed to place Deaf culture at the heart of the story.

Creating a project like that required far more than technical animation skills. Staub understood that representing Deaf characters authentically meant learning directly from the people whose experiences he hoped to portray. Instead of relying only on consultants, he enrolled in American Sign Language lessons taught by a Deaf instructor. According to Yahoo, what started as research quickly became something much more personal as he immersed himself in the language and culture that surrounded it.

The experience transformed his perspective in ways he never anticipated. Speaking about that journey, Staub explained, “I began learning about Deaf culture and fell in love with the Deaf community, forging deep friendships.” The friendships became the driving force behind everything that followed. His motivation shifted from creating an accurate television series to helping more hearing people discover a language that opens doors to genuine human connection.

Those relationships also revealed a challenge that many hearing people never think about. Friendship depends on communication, yet millions of hearing Americans have never learned even the basics of American Sign Language. Staub realized that if he wanted more people to experience the same meaningful connections he had found, learning ASL needed to become less intimidating and much more accessible.

Oscar Becomes More Than Just An Animated Character

The answer was already sitting inside the world Staub had created. Instead of building another traditional language-learning platform filled with static videos and repetitive flashcards, he turned Oscar into the teacher. The cheerful third grader from Small Talk became the face of Small Talk ASL, giving users a friendly guide who makes learning feel less like attending a class and more like spending time with a friend.

That approach immediately sets the app apart from many educational platforms. Oscar is not presented as a robotic instructor delivering vocabulary lists. He laughs, reacts, expresses emotion, and communicates through the same facial expressions and body language that are essential components of American Sign Language. Every lesson feels designed to introduce learners to the culture behind the language rather than simply asking them to memorize hand movements.

The App Store listing even embraces Oscar’s personality with a playful explanation of his growing vocabulary. It notes that “Oscar currently knows about 200 words (he is only in 3rd grade after all),” while promising that additional lessons and signs will continue expanding over time. The detail reflects the friendly tone Staub wanted learners to experience from the very beginning.

For Staub, creating Oscar as an animated companion solved a problem that many ASL resources struggle to overcome. American Sign Language relies on facial expressions, posture, rhythm, and movement just as much as hand shapes. Explaining that philosophy, Staub said, “Facial expressions are supremely important with ASL and that is where the whole ‘character’ or ‘friend’ part comes in.” Rather than simply demonstrating signs, Oscar helps learners understand how expression gives those signs meaning.

Animation Makes Learning Easier

Staub’s background at Disney proved to be one of the app’s greatest advantages because animation allows lessons that traditional videos simply cannot provide. Since ASL exists in three-dimensional space, learners often struggle to understand signs from a single camera angle. Small details in finger positioning or movement can become difficult to see, especially for complete beginners trying to imitate unfamiliar motions.

To solve that problem, Small Talk ASL lets users rotate Oscar from different angles, slow down every sign, and replay movements until they become comfortable. Learners can also practice fingerspelling, work through number exercises, and gradually build vocabulary without feeling rushed. Instead of adapting sign language to fit ordinary video lessons, the app was designed specifically around how ASL naturally works.

The project continues to evolve beyond those core features. According to the official project page, future updates are expected to include recognition games where users call Oscar’s attention before beginning conversations, interpreter tools, and even sign-recognition technology capable of responding to learners’ own signing. Those additions could make the app feel increasingly interactive while encouraging users to practice rather than simply watch demonstrations.

The emphasis on hands-on learning has also inspired people to explore sign language beyond the app itself. Beginners who want extra practice can easily find introductory lessons online, including tutorials covering essential everyday signs before moving into more advanced conversations. Together, these resources help make the first steps into ASL feel approachable for people who may never have considered learning the language before.

Built With The Deaf Community, Not Just For It

One of the strongest aspects of Small Talk ASL is that it was never intended to be a hearing person’s interpretation of Deaf culture. From the beginning, Josh Staub wanted the project to be shaped by the people it was designed to serve. The app was developed with a team that included Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing animators, consultants, engineers, and producers, ensuring that every lesson reflected authentic language and cultural experiences rather than assumptions.

That collaborative approach extended beyond technical accuracy. According to Upworthy, the project was built around inclusion, accessibility, and respect for the Deaf community. Instead of presenting American Sign Language as a collection of isolated gestures, the app encourages users to appreciate it as a complete language with its own grammar, history, and cultural identity. Every animation, facial expression, and interaction was designed with guidance from people who use ASL every day.

Staub has also been careful to explain that while technology can make learning easier, it should never replace real human interaction. He believes the app serves as an introduction rather than a complete education. As he put it, “I want it to be very clear that learning from a Deaf ASL teacher is by far the best way to learn the language.” His goal is to give beginners enough confidence to take that next step and engage with the Deaf community directly.

That philosophy reflects the project’s broader mission. Rather than positioning the app as the ultimate learning solution, Staub hopes it removes the hesitation many hearing people feel before trying to learn ASL. Once those first lessons become familiar, users are encouraged to continue building relationships through classes, community events, and conversations with Deaf individuals.

Why Free Access Could Make A Real Difference

The impact of a free ASL learning app becomes even clearer when viewed alongside the realities many Deaf families face. According to the American Society for Deaf Children, more than 90 percent of deaf and hard-of-hearing children are born to hearing parents. Yet the National Association of the Deaf estimates that around 70 percent of those hearing parents never learn to sign, leaving many children growing up without full communication inside their own homes.

Those statistics represent more than numbers. They describe everyday moments that hearing families often take for granted. A child may struggle to follow conversations during family dinners, miss jokes shared around the table, or find it difficult to express emotions without a common language. Love may still exist within the family, but communication becomes far more difficult when everyone speaks differently.

Several factors contribute to that gap. Formal ASL classes can be expensive, some communities have limited access to qualified instructors, and many parents simply feel overwhelmed about where to begin. By removing the financial barrier entirely, Small Talk ASL offers families a welcoming first step that can eventually lead them toward more advanced learning with Deaf educators.

The app also makes learning feel approachable instead of intimidating. Rather than asking beginners to memorize long vocabulary lists from the very first lesson, it introduces signs gradually through an animated companion who encourages exploration at a comfortable pace. That playful design may help more families take the first step toward learning a language that can strengthen communication at home.

Why Accessibility Matters

Free educational tools can have a lasting impact because they eliminate some of the biggest obstacles people face when trying to learn a new language.

• No subscription fees, allowing anyone to begin learning without financial pressure.
• Interactive three-dimensional lessons that make signs easier to understand from different angles.
• Lessons designed for beginners, reducing the intimidation many first-time learners experience.
• A pathway toward deeper learning with Deaf teachers and the wider Deaf community.

A Rare Promise In Today’s App Economy

Many educational apps begin as free downloads before introducing subscription plans, premium memberships, or paid lesson packs. That business model has become so common that users often expect additional costs after only a few sessions. Staub has deliberately chosen a different path.

When announcing the app, he committed to keeping Small Talk ASL completely free, not only during its launch but permanently. Explaining that decision, he wrote, “Because there should never be an obstacle to learning ASL, we’re committed to keeping it that way, forever.” It is a simple promise, yet one that stands out in a digital marketplace increasingly built around recurring payments.

The commitment reflects the purpose behind the project. Staub never described the app as a commercial opportunity. Instead, he sees it as a way to help more hearing people discover a language that transformed his own life through friendship and shared experiences. Removing the cost barrier gives anyone with curiosity the opportunity to begin learning without hesitation.

He also hopes learners remember that Oscar is only the beginning of the journey. Sharing one final message, Staub encouraged users to look beyond the app itself by saying, “For some of you, Oscar is your first Deaf friend. Don’t make him your last.”

Those words capture the heart of the project. The app teaches signs, but its bigger purpose is helping people build connections that might never have happened otherwise. Every new learner has the chance to make communication easier, strengthen relationships, and help bridge the gap between the hearing and Deaf communities, one conversation at a time.