Preparing Todayis Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to Work With Tomorrowis Students: A Statewide Needs Assessment

Abstract

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is explicit in its mandate that students who receive special education services have opportunities to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum. Teachers providing instruction to students who are deaf or hard of hearing are expected to comply with this federal mandate. To determine if teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing throughout the state of Georgia felt adequately prepared to educate this population, a statewide needs assessment survey was conducted. Questionnaires were reviewed from 110 experienced teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. More that half of the teachers who responded judged their teacher preparation program to be appropriate. Specific suggestions for modifications to teacher preparation programs are provided.

A phenomenological case study of a graduate comprehensive deaf education teacher preparation program : implications for collaborative educational leadership in diverse contexts

“…As reported by Dodd and Scheetz (2003), over half of the teachers believed they received appropriate preparation in their teacher preparation programs. The teachers also believed there were gaps in their teacher preparation programs.…”

“…Johnson (2013) and others (Dodd & Scheetz, 2003;Luckner & Howell, 2002;Teller & Harney, 2005/2006 identified "an ever-expanding array of knowledge, skills, and experiences" (Johnson, 2013, p. 441) necessary for educators to teach students who are d/DHH. Information was gathered from a variety of sources such as (a) deaf education teacher preparation faculty, (b) program directors of programs that teach students who are d/DHH and, (c) teachers of students who are d/DHH.…”

“…Furthermore, program directors suggested that teacher candidates needed increased knowledge of the general curriculum and meeting the No Child Left Behind Act requirements. Dodd and Scheetz (2003) completed a statewide needs assessment in Georgia.…”

“…Complexities exist in deaf education (Johnson, 2013) and the role of teachers of students who are d/DHH has changed (Luckner & Howell, 2002). Teachers of students who are d/DHH need to keep up with the changing job responsibilities (Luckner & Howell, 2002), technologies (Dodd & Scheetz, 2003;Johnson, 2013;Luckner & Howell, 2002;Teller & Harney, 2005/2006, and the diverse students they serve. A variety of professionals have recognized that the knowledge and skills needed to teach students who are d/DHH has expanded (Dodd & Scheetz, 2003;Johnson, 2013;Luckner & Howell, 2002;Teller & Harney, 2005/2006.…”

“…Teachers of students who are d/DHH need to keep up with the changing job responsibilities (Luckner & Howell, 2002), technologies (Dodd & Scheetz, 2003;Johnson, 2013;Luckner & Howell, 2002;Teller & Harney, 2005/2006, and the diverse students they serve. A variety of professionals have recognized that the knowledge and skills needed to teach students who are d/DHH has expanded (Dodd & Scheetz, 2003;Johnson, 2013;Luckner & Howell, 2002;Teller & Harney, 2005/2006. Deaf education teacher preparation programs are challenged with responding to this growing need to prepare teacher candidates for the students they will serve (Johnson, 2013;Luckner & Howell, 2002).…”