This course focuses upon knowledge and understanding of existing diversities within the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities, and ways in which teaching can most effectively meet the needs and interests of these students for effective learning. Readings and discussions will explore the educational needs of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students with variations of experience related to culture, race/ethnicity, language, educational and socio-economic backgrounds and settings, communication skills, and learning styles. These concepts will be applied to effective teaching and curriculum development.

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 course concentrates on the linguistic structures of American Sign Language (ASL) and English. This course introduces students to the structural description of ASL and English languages at various levels (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and discourse/pragmatics). Issues related to language change and variation, language use in contact situations (for example, code-mode switching), and language use in education will be discussed.

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.