M.A. in Deaf Education
Requirements
You may apply for this program if your Bachelors degree is in education and you are eligible for general education licensure. If not, please contact Dr. Julie Mitchiner at julie.mitchiner@gallaudet.edu.
Program of Study
Program Requirements
To complete the Master of Arts in Deaf Education and be recommended for a licensure in the District of Columbia, candidates must satisfy the following requirements:
- Completion of graduate degree requirements.
- Successful completion (grade of B or better) of all academic and practicum requirements specified by the Department of Education.
- Successful completion of all field experiences and student teaching.
- Successful completion of all appropriate Praxis II examinations, and of program performance assessments aligned with courses, field experiences, and student teaching. [Candidates who successfully complete the degree program (i.e., grades of B or better in all coursework) but not the performance assessments may graduate from the program but are not recommended for licensure.]
- American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) rating of 2+.
This program leads to DC Licensure. If you are seeking licensure in another state you are responsible for checking into their reciprocity policy.
Accreditation
Gallaudet University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Title IV approved institution. The Gallaudet University M.A. Education: Teacher Preparation (Deaf Education, Early Childhood Education & Deaf Education, Elementary Education & Deaf Education, and Secondary Education & Deaf Education) program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Preparation (CAEP) organization. The program is also approved by the District of Columbia State Education Agency (SEA) and licensed by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). In compliance with the U.S. Department of Education and the District of Columbia Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) requirements for participation in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA), Gallaudet University provides information pertaining to this program and teacher educator licensure within each of the U.S. states and territories. This program is designed to meet the educational requirements for teacher educator licensure in the District of Columbia. If your intent is to secure licensure outside of Washington, D.C., then BEFORE beginning Gallaudet University's program, use the drop-down list below and select the state or territory in which licensure is intended. This will help you determine whether Gallaudet has obtained confirmation from the state or territory to formally identify whether the Gallaudet M.A. Education: Teacher Preparation (Deaf Education, Early Childhood Education & Deaf Education, Elementary Education & Deaf Education, and Secondary Education & Deaf Education) program meets, does not meet or cannot be confirmed as meeting the educational requirements for licensure.
Plan of Study
Prerequisite Courses
| | EDU 600 or EDU 620 (for ECE majors only) | |
| | EDU 621/631/641 Literacy Teaching & Learning | |
| EDU 665 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| EDU 670 | Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
Summer 1 Semester (Hybrid)
| EDU 701 | Deaf Learners and Education in Bilingual Communities | 3 |
| EDU 707 | The Structures and Application of American Sign Language and English in the Classroom | 4 |
| EDU 720 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| EDU 750 | Persp. & Edu. Implications of Audiology/Spoken Eng Development in ASL/ENG Bi Edu | 3 |
Fall 1 Semester (Online)
| EDU 711 | Literacy Applications in ASL/English Bilingual Classrooms K-12 | 3 |
| EDU 713 | Language Acquisition and Cognitive Development | 3 |
| EDU 719 | K-12 Classroom-Based Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 731 | Home, School, and Community Collaboration for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDU 789 | Practicum II and Seminar: Deaf Education | 2 |
Spring I Semester (Online)
| EDU 735 | Introduction to Special Education and the IEP Process | 2 |
| EDU 797 | Student Teaching in Deaf Education | 7 |
| | Elective | 1-3 |
Elective Options
| EDU 760 | Foundations of Policy and Legislative on Bilingualism: Implications for ASL/ENG Biling for 0-5 | 3 |
| EDU 761 | Theoretical Perspectives of ASL/ENG Bilingual Education for 0-5 | 3 |
| EDU 762 | Early Language Acquisition and Cognitive Development of Bilingualism | 3 |
| EDU 763 | Assessment and Individualized Planning in ASL/English Bilingual Early Childhood | 3 |
| EDU 764 | Applications in ASL/English Bilingual Early Childhood Education for 0-5 | 3 |
| EDU 765 | The Family Collaboration and Partnership: The ASL/ENG Bilingual Lens | 3 |
| EDU 771 | Introduction to Educating Deaf Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| EDU 772 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| EDU 773 | Home-School Continuum: Collaboration with Families, Paraeducators, and Professionals | 3 |
| EDU 775 | Language and Literacy Development for Deaf Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| EDU 776 | Teaching Functional Curriculum to Deaf Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| EDU 777 | Differentiating Instruction in the Content Areas | 3 |
| EDU 779 | Assessment of Deaf Students with Disabilities | 3 |
Field Experiences
Course work and field experiences are equally essential components of the Master of Arts in Education: Teacher Preparation Program. Coursework and field experiences are, in concert, geared to prepare candidates to become teacher as change agents who have significant impact on the academic success of their students through direct experiences with children and youth under the supervision of teacher-mentors in partner schools and university instructors. The candidate will complete field experiences each semester of enrollment, the first three semesters and summer in the form of practica in school and community settings, and the final two semesters through student teaching in general and deaf education. Field experiences are designed in ways that are integral to their program of studies, including meeting the requirements for licensure, and are directly linked with specific courses and/or a seminar each semester. They provide candidates with authentic experiences with which to apply content, concepts, and learning theory, and over time develop as critical thinkers, problem solvers, and agents of change. Over the course of five semesters and one summer, the candidate should expect to have a range of K-12 experiences, including experiences in deaf education and bilingual education as well as experiences in the area of general education focus (i.e., Early Childhood, Elementary, or Secondary). Reflection is an integral component of all field experiences, including student teaching, and candidates will be required to show evidence that they are able to critically reflect to improve as effective teachers. Weekly face-to-face and/or online seminars are conducted by university instructors to guide these reflections as well as to guide candidates in their practices and completion of required assessments for licensure. Additionally, during seminars, the candidates are guided in completion of the performance assessments that allow them to transition within the program, and ultimately be recommended for licensure through DC.
The foci of the first semester (Fall-1) of field experiences is on the home, school, and community, and candidates are afforded a broad range of experiences with families and community resources, and with visitation to various and diverse school settings with the DC Metro area. During the second semester of study (Spring-1), the focus of field experiences becomes the classroom. Candidates will have one 10-week field experience where they will work in a classroom under the direction of the teacher-mentor, observing and assisting the teacher by working one-on-one or in small groups with students. Semester three (Fall-2) consists of a second 10-week field experience, and the candidates begin to apply their content and pedagogical knowledge in specific areas of teaching within the K-12 deaf education framework. Candidates will actively participate in the schools, teach and assess students, and reflect on their teaching and the students' learning. In the second spring semester of study, candidates will student teach in their general education content area-the first of two capstone experiences. Finally, during the fifth semester (Fall 3) of study, the candidate will student teach in deaf education, and will have an on-the-job option for completing this requirement. For both student teaching experiences, the candidate must be prepared to set up learning goals taking contextual factors under consideration, plan and assess learning affectively, and show evidence of and reflect upon their impact on the learning of every child. (Candidates who enter the program with general education degrees will complete one field experience and one semester of classroom-focused practicum followed by one semester of student teaching in deaf education.)
Program Outcomes
Based on the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) Standards and Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles
Standard 1: Learner Development:The teacher candidate understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and values the perspectives of the child, their family, and the community.
Standard 2: Learning Differences: The teacher candidate uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures, languages, and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that are developmentally appropriate and provide challenging learning experiences for each and every learner to achieve their highest potential.
Standard 3: Learning Environments: The teacher candidate works independently and with others to create environments that support individual and group learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement, and self-motivation.
Standard 4: Content Knowledge:The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for each and every learner.
Standard 5: Application of Content: The teacher candidate understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, evaluation, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
Standard 6: Assessment: The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, monitor learner progress, and guide the teacher's and learner's decision-making.
Standard 7: Planning for Instruction:The teacher candidate plans instruction that supports each and every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
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Standard 8: Instructional Strategies: The teacher candidate uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop a deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
Standard 9: Reflection, Professional Learning, and Ethical Practice: The teacher candidate engages in ongoing reflection and professional learning and uses evidence to evaluate practice, particularly the effects of the teacher candidate's choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community, and adapts practice to meet the needs of the learner.
Standard 10: Leadership, Advocacy, and Collaboration:The teacher candidate seeks appropriate advocacy and leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth.
Standard 11: Technology:The teacher candidate uses knowledge of effective multimedia communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and accessibility to support interaction in the classroom.
Standard 12: Literacy and Numeracy: The teacher candidate applies a variety of instructional strategies to develop and enhance the literacy and numeracy skills of each and every learner including the use of multiple representations and explanations to present ideas and concepts.