A historical analysis of change and continuity in educational history from colonial through contemporary America. Special emphasis will be given to the development of the field of Deaf education in the United States. Lectures, seminar discussions, and readings offer comprehensive coverage of the salient intellectual themes.

This course focuses on providing students with basic information regarding the needs of deaf and hard of hearing learners with special educational needs, including (1) developmental disability, (2) emotional or behavioral disorder (3) learning disability, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or (4) visual impairment. Topics include incidence, identification, assessment, teaching strategies, and working with parents. The goal is to enable students to see students in a holistic fashion, and thus will include the perspectives of parents, teachers and deaf and hard of hearing learners with special educational needs. Learning strategies may include site visits, presentations, films, and interactive workshop style classes offered by experienced teachers, psychologists, counselors, disability advocates, and parents of learners with special educational needs. The course will regularly incorporate guest lecturers who have specialized expertise in teaching or research in one or more of the topic areas covered in the course.

This introductory course provides an overview of the current theories of assessment, curriculum, instruction, and learning across diverse educational settings in the field of deaf education. The course covers the use of educational technologies to enhance the learning experiences of deaf students and options for classroom management, learning environment appropriate to K-12 classrooms, and methods for assessment. Reflection and application of effective instructional practices are demonstrated through microteaching and field-based experiences. To progress to MSSE-714 Practicum, student must obtain a grade of at least B in this course.

This course addresses assessment as educational decision-making, involving the selection and interpretation of assessment tools as applied to classroom-based student learning. The course focuses on students who are deaf and hard of hearing; including students with diverse learning needs. Assessment and educational planning for students are discussed as part of a cooperative model, including the relevant stakeholders in the decision-making process. This course also addresses the development and interpretation of both formative and summative assessment strategies in light of acceptable criteria of validity and reliability, and the absence of assessment bias. Criteria for evaluating the appropriateness of standardized tests, with emphasis on deaf and hard-of-hearing students, are discussed and practiced. Collection and interpretation of assessment information are applied to the development and revision of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs).

This course introduces students to current theories of language acquisition and learning in educational settings. The stages of acquisition and learning, and variables that influence these processes will be included. Bilingual and second language acquisition and learning will also be addressed. Implications for instruction with Deaf students will be discussed.

This first assignment consists of 8 weeks (40 days or 250 hours) of teaching and observation. Teacher candidates are placed with cooperating teachers in residential schools for the Deaf or mainstreamed programs. They develop lesson and unit plans and teach in the content area in which they plan to receive New York State certification. To progress to MSSE-761, students must pass this student teaching assignment with a minimum grade of B and submit a student teaching portfolio.

This second assignment consists of 8 weeks (40 days or 250 hours) of teaching and observation. Student teachers are placed with cooperating teachers in residential schools for the Deaf or mainstreamed program. They develop lesson and unit plans and teach in the content area in which they plan to receive New York State certification. Students must pass this student teaching assignment with a minimum grade of B and submit a student teaching portfolio.

This course is an introduction to research and inquiry in education. The course includes the evaluation of selected Deaf education research studies, including methodologies, data collection and analyses, and implications of the studies to teaching and learning. Action research in the classroom is examined in depth. Students will prepare a review of literature and an action research plan related to a specific curriculum topic or problem in the learning/teaching of their content areas. The focus of the course is upon the student as a consumer rather than a practitioner of research, however the student will exit the course with basic practitioner knowledge, especially in the area of teacher research.

Independent study courses will be developed based on student interest and demand as well as faculty interest and availability. These courses are usually taken on an elective basis.