Deaf Education, B.A.D.E.

The deaf education program prepares teachers of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (HH), leading to N-12 certification from the Oklahoma Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability in the area of Deaf/HH. The program is accredited by the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) as a comprehensive program. Therefore, students take courses in American Sign Language as well as courses focusing on auditory-oral approaches. In addition to the deaf education course sequence, students apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program and take methods courses provided by the School of Urban Education.

Deaf Education Learning Objectives

To prepare classroom teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students N-12, students will:

1. Demonstrate competency in communicating using American Sign Language (ASL);
2. Demonstrate understanding of the historical and cultural aspects of deaf education;
3. Demonstrate knowledge of visual language acquisition and the ways in which deaf and hard of hearing students develop literacy through visual strategies;
4. Demonstrate knowledge of hearing screening/assessment and interpretation of audiograms for Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings;
5. Demonstrate knowledge of hearing aids and cochlear implants and the application of auditory-verbal techniques for developing aural/oral language in deaf and hard of hearing students;
6. Demonstrate knowledge and skills related to assessment and remediation of language delays and educational achievement in children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
7. Demonstrate knowledge of curriculum planning, unit and lesson plan development, and classroom management;
8. Demonstrate the ability to plan and teach lessons using ASL and English bilingual strategies;
9. Demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction across the diverse population of children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
10. Demonstrate knowledge of federal laws affecting the education of children with disabilities, preparation of IEPs and transition plans;
11. Demonstrate the ability to serve in a consultative capacity in schools serving deaf and hard of hearing children in regular education environments; and
12. Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with parents and other professionals involved in the education of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.