The Deaf/Hard of Hearing Certificate Program
The Deaf/Hard of Hearing Certificate program provides quality non-traditional training for teachers serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the State of Texas.
The Deaf/Hard of Hearing Certificate program provides a unique opportunity for teachers to be included in the ground level of a program designed to offer individuals throughout the state an innovative opportunity that will prepare them for Deaf Education Certification. These individuals will, through innovative and alternative means, obtain the necessary course work, training and experiences that will lead to certification.
The focus of this certification program provides high quality training with embedded flexibility for students who are in need of nontraditional means of training. The majority of the curriculum and training is provided through electronic means either via ITV, TETN or Web-based instruction (such as WebCT). Practicum sites are developed in collaboration with the Regional Day Schools for the Deaf throughout the state to facilitate each cohort member’s access to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Curricula include topics such as: emergent language and literacy in young children who are deaf or hard of hearing; accessing the general curriculum for students who are deaf or hard of hearing; psycho-social aspects of deafness and hearing impairment; development or oral communication for students who are deaf or hard of hearing; audiology / aural habilitation for students who are deaf or hard of hearing; and two practicum. Embedded within several of the courses will be opportunities for the cohorts to experience and utilize a variety of communication methodologies, such as oral, total communication, signed English, and American Sign Language. Additionally, the cohort will be provided bilingual/bicultural awareness training and positive behavior support training as they apply to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The curricula will be designed with state and national standards for Deaf Education, as well as, the current TExES competencies as its foundation. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) awareness will be an integral part of the preparation as well as demonstrated proficiency in providing modifications of the TEKS as accommodations for students’ special needs.
Education Service Center (ESC) Region 17 is offering a scholarship to offset the out-of-pocket costs of each cohort member by paying for tuition costs, including purchasing the necessary materials and books for each course. In addition Texas Tech University can accept the courses offered as credit toward a Master’s Degree in Special Education.
TTU COE Certification Program: http://www.educ.ttu.edu/certification/default.htm
ESC Region 17 and Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center are collaborating in a project to provide quality training in a non-traditional format [to select individuals throughout the state of Texas] that will increase the number of qualified and certified teachers serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the state of Texas. These graduate courses are designed to prepare participants to meet competency standards for certification through the Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES) Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
ESC Region 17 Scholarship criteria:
- Teachers who would like to participate in this deaf education certification project must be able to commit to two years future work in Deaf Education in Texas
- Have a Texas teaching certification
- Have taught for three or more years
- Application Essay - “Why I Would Be A Good Candidate” - 1 page maximum
- $50.00 application fee made out to ESC Region 17
- One letter of recommendation from school administrator
- One letter of recommendation from teaching colleague
- Copy of teaching certificate
ESC 17 is now accepting applications for this project through April 28, 2006. Selected candidates will be notified by May 12, 2006. Classes begin May 31, 2006. A mandatory orientation at Texas Tech University will be held on June 9, 2006. This project’s course of study will be seven graduate level distance education classes plus two practica that will be completed within twelve months. The sequence of classes begins in May 31, 2006 and will finish in May 2007.
Virginia Murray Sowell Center for Research and Education in Visual Impairment
P.O. Box 41071 | Lubbock, TX 79409 | 806-742-1997 ext. 233 | 806-742-2326 FAX