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OK, Now we are going to look at module 4, which talks about: the role of the Deaf Ed.
teacher, related services, and finding resources for support. Very very important topics! Let’s
start with the role of the Deaf Ed. teacher. If you can, think back to the continuum of
placements. It makes sense because we find our teachers where we find our students. There’s
been a big change in the role of the Deaf Ed. teachers as we have more students being
more successful in the general ed. environments. So, there’s four big ones, or the most common
ones I should say. We have the self-contained classroom. The Deaf Ed. teacher stays in the
classroom all day, teaches all the subjects to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
Resource: The teacher probably has a classroom. Maybe the students are scheduled to come for
a specific amount of time. Maybe the students come as needed, if they need to bring their
tests for extra support, or maybe the interpreter comes to interpret the test for some students.
Inclusion: That’s my absolute favorite. I love going into the classroom and giving
the support needed for the students to be successful in that environment. Along with
inclusion is co-teaching. Usually co-teaching the teacher has a little bit more responsibility
for the hearing students. I see many co-teaching situations that look more like inclusion.
That’s where the Deaf Ed. teacher really is there to focus on the needs of the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing students. Then, there’s itinerant/consult. That’s where the Deaf
Ed. teacher travels, maybe between classrooms, maybe between schools, maybe between districts.
Sometimes they pull the student to work with them. Maybe they are just talking to the teachers,
interpreters, and staff. With all of these, it depends on the needs of the students, of
course. And it depends on the teacher, the program, the district. A lot goes into how
the programs actually look. We also have early intervention. That with our little ones, our
babies from birth to three. The Deaf Ed. teacher will go into their homes and help the families
kind of get started. And then, very very common for the Deaf Ed. teacher to take on multiple
roles. Myself, I’m the only deaf Ed. teacher in the district. I have students who are itinerant.
I have students who are consult. I have students who are Resource, and I have students who
are Self-Contained where I actually teach their Reading and Writing everyday. So, very
busy and I think that’s a common experience with the district-wide Deaf Ed. teacher. Let’s
talk about related services, I’m sure you’re familiar with them. I want to back up and
make sure you know the definition of related services from IDEA. This is straight from
the website. It says Related Services means transportation and such developmental, corrective,
and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit
from special education. So first, if they qualify for special ed., then we see if they
also qualify for related services. Some are common, like I said, I’m sure you’re familiar:
OT, PT, Speech, Nursing, even Psychological services. There are some that are less common.
We won’t get into all those. I want to focus on the two that are specific for Deaf and
Hard of Hearing: Audiology and Interpreting. And Audiology includes of course, the services
provided by a certified audiologist. And it also includes some services provided in the
school. If you’re working on speech-reading with a student, or even if you’re going
and helping with the hearing aids, that can be considered Audiological services as a related
service. And then interpreting, of course, that wasn’t always a related service. It
used to be considered an accommodation. No matter which related service your student
has, they need to have at least one, usually two IEP goals that go with that service. Sometimes
for Audiology, it’s commonly accepted, if it’s for maintenance only, you’re just
checking the hearing aids, you might not need a goal for that. But you need to check with
your district administrator to make sure. For interpreting, I usually correlate my students’
language IEP goals with the interpreting services. If they have an opportunity to facilitate
language development, I definitely want them to take that opportunity. Finding resources
for support can be more difficult if you are kind of on your own, if you’re not working
with other Deaf Ed. teachers. Some people are more fortunate. They have several Deaf
Ed. teachers in the school, maybe a connection to the local school for the Deaf, and that
makes things easier. I want to share one website with you. Most of you have probably already
been there, but it’s deafed.net . They are now joined with Hands and Voices, the parent
organization. They have a lot of information and a lot of links to other websites that
have information. I advise you, if you haven’t yet, go ahead and start a binder or folder
or something. Start putting these things that you find that you think you will use later.
Sometimes it’s hard to go back and find them again. If you find a specific tool, something,
document, that you think you will use, an assessment. Go ahead and print it out and
keep it now. You will thank yourself later. That’s it for now!