Inclusion efforts often create barriers to addressing the unique needs of deaf and hard of hearing students, including specially designed instruction from a teacher of the deaf and access to other deaf/hard of hearing peers. The third edition of the Educational Service Guidelines for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, “Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing”, from the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) provides recommended educational practices from early intervention through post-secondary transition. Join us and learn how to use these guidelines to support services for DHH students.

Usher Syndrome is the leading cause of Deaf blindness. According to the National Institute of Health, 3% to 6% of children who are born deaf or hard of hearing will be diagnosed with Usher Syndrome. What are the common signs and symptoms of Usher Syndrome? What are the different types of Usher Syndrome? How can students  who have been diagnosed with Usher Syndrome and their families be supported? Join this training and learn about Ushers Syndrome and how to support those who are impacted by it.

Students with disabilities are guaranteed a free and appropriate public education.  These students also have rights under ADA for effective communication, equal to that of their non-disabled peers. The case of Miguel Perez illustrates how the Special Education referral, assessment, eligibility, and IEP development process can break down when IDEA safeguards are not heeded. We will discuss the case, lessons learned, strategies to avoid, as well as other issues that have emanated from overly inclusive practices.

Communication for an individual who is deafblind varies for many different reasons. Communication through touch is an integral part of that communication. Protactile American Sign Language is a language created for the Deafblind by people who are Deafblind.  Participants will leave this training with the ability to provide information through touch from basic communication needs through Protactile communication.

This workshop will dive into the Danielson Framework and how it applies to the Itinerant Teacher. Itinerant Teachers are often evaluated with a tool that is more heavily geared towards a classroom teacher. Ideas for how to gather evidence for a variety of domains, as well as organizational tools to gather evidence, will be shared during this workshop. If you use the Danielson Framework and you are an Itinerant Teacher, don't miss this workshop!

Join us for an insightful workshop focused on strengthening the collaboration between Teachers of the Deaf and ASL interpreters. This session is designed to create a cohesive and supportive environment that prioritizes the needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.  By the end of this workshop, participants will have a toolkit of strategies to enhance their collaborative efforts, ensuring that Deaf students receive a well-rounded and supportive education that empowers every DHH student to thrive.

Despite recent reports that children who wear hearing technology and had early intervention demonstrate language skills similar to those of typically-hearing peers, studies comparing language outcomes at different chronological ages often find that the language gap between children with typical hearing and children and those with hearing differences widens as children age. Learn about assessments that identify existing language gaps and/or support the development of language goals and objectives for young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This workshop will highlight important considerations to keep in mind when developing a language assessment battery for preschool-aged children who are deaf or hard of hearing.