Communicating with deaf people.

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I occasionally have to help deaf customers in the store where I work, and because of my problems understanding non-verbal communication I usually end up nervous and frustrated.
Does anyone know any good strategies for an aspie dealing with deaf/non-verbal people other than writing everything down or getting someone else to help them?

i'd like to know this too
i'm good with blind people, but when i meet deaf people i think i find it hard to put myself in their shoes, and do silly things like turn away whilst i'm talking and just raise my voice a little thinking that'll make up for it. doh. and i think i mumble a lot so i'm not sure if my lip shapes (?) are very clear when i speak.
i worry about these things

I took an ASL class in college. Didn't complete it for various reasons, but I did learn the basics. I wouldn't be the first choice as a translator, as my vocabulary is very limited, but I could hack it out.

Sign languages also vary by region. ASL is used in US and Canada only.

Why not learn to sign?

All you'd need is a few basic signs and the alphabet - a level one course, online course, book, watching a few video's online, DVD's - any of these should teach you enough to be able to communicate on a basic level, different areas will have different dialect, but this is where the alphabet comes in handy. Knowing a bit of their language will make communication in general a little easier, it's also just polite in my opinion to try to use the same language as the person you wish to communicate with and knowing a few signs will always come in handy.

I was non-verbal as a child, so it took a long time to learn English and thus with any other verbal language I was good with reading, writing and listening, but not speaking. With sign language I picked it up instantly as it's not trying to remember words, instead it's action and mimicking patterns of hand and facial movements so I think it's easier to pick up the basics.

I tried to learn sign language I even did a course but it didn't work out and also the girl I was trying to talk to in sign made the sign for stupid I knew that sign I lost interest then as she wouldn't make allowances for me as I have a learning disability as well as autism.

I almost think sometimes words don't come to me as fast as pictures (of course I'm very visual minded) so ASL is easier to learn and communicate in than English.