Cultivating a student-centric learning environment is paramount for long-term educational success. These environments help students develop communication and social skills, promote intrinsic motivation to learn, and, ultimately, help students transfer skills to the real world. During this workshop, we will discuss effective techniques and strategies for teachers, interpreters and related service personnel to use to promote student-centric learning with Deaf and hard of hearing students.

Participants will leave this interactive workshop with:

• An understanding of potential communication and cultural gaps between Deaf/hard of hearing students and educational professionals, and their impact in K-12 settings;
• Best practices to develop trust and establish open lines of communication with Deaf and hard of hearing students; and
• Tools and strategies to support Deaf and hard of hearing students’ academic, cognitive and social and emotional development.

Positioning Deaf and hard of hearing students in the driver seat of their own education is of utmost importance. While easier said than done, the presenter will examine Deaf community members’ social historical experiences and how they shape personal identities and social relationships. With this pertinent foundation in place, the presenter will then discuss advocacy and empowerment strategies as approaches to create meaningful social justice changes in educational settings.

Participants will leave this interactive workshop with:

• An understanding of educational professionals’ potential preconceived notions and their respective impacts in educational settings;
• Best practices to empower students and cultivate self-advocacy; and
• Strategies to counter systemic barriers that further marginalize and perpetuate the status quo.

While Deaf and hard of hearing students benefit from a wide range of accommodations, including sign language interpreters, Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), and notetakers, these accommodations do not entirely address Deaf and hard of hearing students’ needs in mainstreamed and itinerant settings. With an emphasis on creating student-centered environments, we will take a deep dive into the fundamental differences between simply providing accommodations and creating equitable, inclusive and accessible environments for Deaf and hard of hearing students.

Participants will leave this interactive workshop with:

• An understanding of potential communication and cultural gaps between Deaf/hard of hearing students and educators;
• An appreciation of how potential communication and cultural gaps may impact inclusion, equity and accessibility initiatives in educational settings; and
• Evidence-based practices and strategies designed to improve the overall experience for Deaf and hard of hearing students.

As placement can ultimately impact a student’s academic trajectory and their social and emotional well-being, this interactive workshop explores how federal law may be counterproductive and inhibit Deaf and hard of hearing students’ academic, social and emotional growth. Understanding the potential disparate impacts on students will position educational professionals to effectively discuss the perceptions and realities for student placement.

Participants will leave this workshop with:

• Tools and strategies to ensure students are an integral part of the placement discussion;
• Reframing techniques designed to share alternative perspectives with parents, school districts, and other pertinent stakeholders in the placement process; and
• Talking points that address the importance of placing students in environments that maximize overarching outcomes.

As interpreting for Deaf and hard of hearing students is not one-size-fits-all, this workshop takes a deep dive into the distinct experiences hard of hearing students face in educational settings and beyond. Exploring potential cultural differences and communication preferences positions educational interpreters to discuss the perceptions of and realities faced when interpreting for both groups of students, as well as hone in on how educational interpreters can provide support to maximize hard of hearing students’ educational outcomes in K-12 settings.

Participants will leave this interactive workshop with:

• An understanding of the cultural identity journey and communication challenges hard of hearing individuals experience;
• An understanding of the perceived audiological differences between Deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
• Tools and strategies to support hard of hearing students’ unique communication needs; and
• Tips for working effectively with the educational team (e.g., teachers, administrators and related service personnel).

As Deaf and hard of hearing students have distinct experiences in educational settings, this workshop will take a deep dive into hard of hearing individuals’ sociocultural experiences and communication preferences, as well as their respective relevance in educational settings and beyond. The presenter will also deliver unique insight and impact enabling teachers, sign language interpreters, support service professionals and administrators to better understand how to adapt accordingly and provide support in a variety of settings.

Participants will leave this interactive workshop with:

• An understanding of the cultural identity journey and communication challenges hard of hearing individuals experience;
• An understanding of the perceived audiological differences between Deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
• Tools and strategies to support hard of hearing consumers’ overarching communication needs; and
• Tips for working effectively with other members of the educational team.

This interactive workshop will take a close look at how educational professionals working with Deaf and hard of hearing students can impact their students’ social and emotional growth. Through Deaf lens, the presenter will discuss how educational professionals can effectively prioritize Deaf and hard of hearing students’ overarching needs by utilizing a whole-child approach inside and outside the classroom.

After this workshop, participants will:

• Understand the various roles Deaf Education professionals have in the implementation of a social-emotional curriculum;
• Recognize how different factors may impact a Deaf and hard of hearing students’ social and emotional well-being; and
• Apply tips and strategies discussed to mitigate differences amongst students’ socioeconomic statuses.

This interactive workshop explores how teachers, sign language interpreters, support service professionals and administrators can deliver culturally sensitive and responsive education in K-12 settings. During this workshop, we will take a deep dive into Deaf culture and combine this with practical, real-life stories and situations to help educational professionals better recognize potential implicit biases and cultural differences, as well as how these professionals should react in different situations.

After this workshop, participants will:

• Understand Deaf and hard of hearing students’ sociocultural experiences and their relevance in educational settings;
• Recognize language differences, body language and expressions of emotions;
• Apply techniques and strategies to effectively identify possible challenges Deaf and hard of hearing students may encounter due to cultural and communication differences; and
• Implement strategies to bridge communication and cultural gaps between Deaf/hard of hearing students and hearing students/professionals.

As unconscious biases are created and often reinforced by our environments and experiences, this workshop will explore how potential individual and systematic biases impact Deaf and hard of hearing students. Through Deaf lens, the presenter will map out a variety of best practices for educators to use to identify unconscious biases and provide proactive and strategic support that will make a concrete difference in improving Deaf and hard of hearing students’ educational outcomes.

After this interactive workshop, participants will:

• Recognize what power and privilege looks and feels like from the perspective of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
• Understand and apply best practices to determine which privileges to leverage, minimize or divest;
• Apply tips and strategies discussed to hold other educational professionals accountable for their actions; and
• Utilize promising approaches for more open and authentic dialogue with Deaf and hard of hearing students.

Geared towards administrators working in Special Education and Deaf Education settings, this workshop aims to ensure Deaf and hard of hearing students have access to a free and appropriate public education that meets their respective educational needs, particularly their communication and related needs. With a Deaf lens, the presenter will evaluate the impact of federal laws, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), on student placement, accommodations and modifications offered, and students’ educational outcomes. The presenter will also build a business case for developing a more in-depth understanding of the cultural nuances as it relates to making decisions for and working with Deaf and hard of hearing students.

After this interactive workshop, participants will:

• Understand the fundamental similarities and differences between Special Education and Deaf Education;
• Understand Deaf and hard of hearing students’ sociocultural experiences and their relevance in educational settings;
• Recognize the disparate impacts of ableism and implicit biases on Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, as well as educational professionals working with this student population; and
• Identify solutions to ensure administrative decisions result in the delivery of culturally sensitive and responsive education.

While higher ed programs and institutions have made proactive efforts to provide students with a wide range of accommodations, these efforts may not entirely address the needs of disabled students, let alone those who are Deaf and hard of hearing. Consequently, these organizations fail to create wholly diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible environments. With an emphasis on creating student-centered environments, we will take a deep dive into the fundamental differences between simply providing accommodations and creating equitable, inclusive and accessible environments for Deaf and hard of hearing students.

Participants will leave this workshop with:

• An understanding of potential communication and cultural gaps between Deaf/hard of hearing students and educators;
• An appreciation of how potential communication and cultural gaps may impact inclusion, equity and accessibility initiatives in educational settings; and
• Evidence-based practices and strategies designed to improve the overall experience for Deaf and hard of hearing students.

As Deaf and hard of hearing students have distinct experiences in higher education settings, this workshop will take a deep dive into hard of hearing individuals’ sociocultural experiences and communication preferences, as well as their respective relevance in educational settings and beyond. The presenter will also deliver unique insight and impact enabling teachers, sign language interpreters, support service professionals and administrators to better understand how to adapt accordingly and provide support in a variety of settings.

Participants will leave this interactive workshop with:

• An understanding of the cultural identity journey and communication challenges hard of hearing individuals experience;
• An understanding of the perceived audiological differences between Deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
• Tools and strategies to support hard of hearing consumers’ overarching communication needs; and
• Tips for working effectively with other members of the educational team (e.g., professors, administrators and support staff).

As unconscious biases are created and often reinforced by our environments and experiences, this workshop will explore how potential individual and systematic biases impact Deaf and hard of hearing students. Through Deaf lens, the presenter will map out a variety of best practices for educators to use to identify unconscious biases and provide proactive and strategic support that will make a concrete difference in improving Deaf and hard of hearing students’ educational outcomes.

After this interactive training, participants will:

• Recognize what power and privilege looks and feels like from the perspective of Deaf individuals;
• Understand and apply best practices to determine which privileges to leverage, minimize or divest;
• Apply tips and strategies discussed to hold other educational professionals accountable for their actions; and
• Utilize promising approaches for more open and authentic dialogue with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.

As interpreting for Deaf and hard of hearing students is not one-size-fits-all, this workshop takes a deep dive into the distinct experiences hard of hearing students face in educational settings and beyond. Exploring potential cultural differences and communication preferences positions educational interpreters to discuss the perceptions of and realities faced when interpreting for both groups of students, as well as hone in on how educational interpreters can provide support to maximize hard of hearing students’ educational outcomes in higher education settings.

Participants will leave this interactive workshop with:

• An understanding of the cultural identity journey and communication challenges hard of hearing individuals experience;
• An understanding of the perceived audiological differences between Deaf and hard of hearing individuals;
• Tools and strategies to support hard of hearing students’ unique communication needs; and
• Tips for working effectively with the educational team (e.g., professors, administrators and support staff).

This interactive workshop explores how professionals in the higher education settings can deliver culturally sensitive and responsive education to Deaf and hard of hearing students. During this workshop, we will take a deep dive into Deaf culture and combine this with practical, real-life stories and situations to help educational professionals better recognize potential implicit biases and cultural differences, as well as how these professionals should react in different situations.

After this workshop, participants will:

• Understand Deaf and hard of hearing students’ sociocultural experiences and their relevance in educational settings;
• Recognize language differences, body language and expressions of emotions;
• Apply techniques and strategies to effectively identify possible challenges Deaf and hard of hearing students may encounter due to cultural and communication differences; and
• Implement strategies to bridge communication and cultural gaps between Deaf/hard of hearing students and hearing students/professionals.