The Art and Science of Itinerant Teaching

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The Art and Science of Itinerant Teaching

• John L. Luckner, Ed.D.
• Director, National Center on Low-Incidence
  Disabilities
• University of Northern Colorado

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Get Ready The Times They Are A-Changing

• a. Early Identification
• 44 states, plus the District of Columbia,
  have Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
  (EHDI) laws or voluntary compliance programs that
  screen the hearing of more than 95 of newborns
• American Speech - Language - Hearing Association.

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b. Students with Cochlear Implants

• Approximately 70,000 people worldwide have
  cochlear implants.
• Approximately 25,000 people in the US have
  cochlear implants.
• Nearly half of all cochlear implant recipients
  are children.
• The demand for cochlear implants is increasing
  annually by 20.
• Approximately 250 hospitals perform CIs in the
  US today.
• Bilateral implantation for children in the US is
  in clinical trials currently simultaneous and
  sequential.
• Hearing Loss Association of America

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c. Culturally and/or Linguistically Diverse
Students

• During the next 50 years
• U.S. Hispanic population is projected to triple.
• Asian population to double.
• African American population to increase 70. -
  U.S. Census Bureau (March, 2004).

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Be Prepared Return on Investment (ROI) is a
Driving Force

• Accountability
• NCLB requires annual assessments, aligned with
  content and performance standards.
• Assessment results made available to judge
  effectiveness.
• Deaf Education Accountability Challenge
• Low Educational Outcomes
• CADS, 1991 Traxler, 2000
• Social Security Disability Benefits
• United States 46,921 deaf individuals
• Minnesota 862 deaf individuals

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b. Evidence Based Practice (EBP)

• Evidence-based practice refers to an approach in
  which current, high-quality research evidence is
  integrated with professional expertise as well as
  student/family preferences and values into the
  process of making educational decisions.
• - Adapted from American Speech-Language-Hearing
  Association. (2005).

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Why Attend to Evidence-Based Practices?

1. NCLB (2001) requires educators to consider the
   results of relevant scientifically based
   researchwhenever such information is
   availablein making instructional decisions. NCLB
   uses the term Scientifically-Based Research 111
   times (Slavin, 2002).
2. It is a waste of money and time to use
   instructional procedures and/or materials that
   have not been demonstrated to be effective.
3. Increase the probability of success.

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How Do We Evaluate the Quality of Evidence?

• Level 1 Well-designed meta-analysis including
  well-designed randomized control studies.
• Level 2 Well-designed controlled study without
  randomization and well-designed
  quasi-experimental study.
• Level 3 Well designed non-experimental studies
  (i.e., correlational and case studies).
• Level 4 Expert committee report, consensus
  conference, and experience of respected
  professionals.
• - Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine (2001)

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Suggestions for EBP and the Field of Deaf
Education

1. Know that the evidence in evidence-based practice
   may take many forms ranging from expert opinion
   to meta-analysis.
2. The field of deaf education has a paucity of
   research to plan evidence-based practice.
3. Ask the question, Where is the evidence? about
   the programs, products, practices, and policies
   used with students who are deaf or hard of
   hearing.
4. When evidence specific to students who are deaf
   or hard of hearing is not available, use the
   existing evidence from special education and
   general education.
5. Use resources such as the What Works
   Clearinghouse (http//www.w-w-c.org/), the
   Promising Practices Network (http//www.promisingp
   ractices.net/), and the Deaf Education website
   (http//www.deafed.net/) to examine reviews of
   programs, products, practices, and policies.
6. Work with researchers in the field of deaf
   education to conduct research relevant to
   educational practice.

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c. Emphasis on Literacy

• Deaf Education Literacy Outcomes Challenge
• Average student D/HH graduates with 4th grade
  reading comprehension skills
• Approximately 20 D/HH students graduate with 2nd
  grade or less reading comprehension skills

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NCLID Examination of Literacy Research in the
Field of Deaf Education

1. Examined 40 years of research on literacy in the
   field of deaf education.
2. Attempted to conduct a meta-analysis of the
   research

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NCLID Review Process Criteria

1. Published in a peer review journal between 1963
   and 2003.
2. Participants identified as students who are deaf
   or hard of hearing.
3. Sample consisted of children and youth between 3
   and 21 years of age.
4. Studies included necessary statistical
   information for estimation of effect sizes.
5. Studies had a control group.

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Reviewed 964 Articles

• 516 excluded - position papers, practitioner
  articles, literature reviews, curriculum
  development descriptions, or program
  descriptions.
• 426 excluded studies lacked control group,
  studies of teachers or families, qualitative
  studies, or studies that included individuals
  younger than 3 or older than 21.
• 2 studies used same sample and control group -
  eliminated 1
• Studies examined 21

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Results

• Majority of literature in deaf education - Level
  4 of evidence
• No replications of previously conducted studies
• No two studies examined the same dimension of
  literacy
• Unable to apply meta-analytic techniques

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Large Effect Sizes Evidence

• Rehearsal
• Explicit vocabulary instruction and practice with
  short passages
• High interest literature
• Instruction in the grammatical principles of ASL
  and how to translate ASL into written English
• Teacher discussion of stories and reading
  comprehension strategy instruction
• Interaction
• Reading to young students

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Large Effect Sizes Evidence Continued

• Use of captions
• Intensified instruction
• Use of word processing
• Using simple stories and word recognition
  practice with young readers
• Use of the general education curriculum
• Direct instruction of sight words and teaching
  morphological rules

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Valuable Literacy Resources

• http//www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/RMC/literacy/readingcomp
  onents.html
• http//nclid.unco.edu/newnclid/Category.php?showca
  t3blogid2
• http//www.rit.edu/seawww/

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3. Advocate and Address the Needs of the Students
You Serve

• a. Collect and Share Data progress monitoring
• Colorado Individual Performance Profile
• http//www.google.com/u/ColoradoEd?qCIPPsaSearc
  h

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b. Examine Friendships, Extracurricular
Participation and Community Involvement
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c. Encourage the Development of Responsibility
and Independence

• Responsibility Continuum
• ???????????????????????????
• Infant Child Adolescent Adult
• ??????????????????????????
• Dependent Independent
• ?????????????????????????
• Irresponsible Responsible

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Questions to Consider

1. Do I help students identify what they want to
   achieve in life?
2. Do I help students assess their present as well
   as previous performance capabilities?
3. Do I provide opportunities for students to check
   their progress regularly?
4. Do I help students to set personal goals that are
   attainable?
5. Do I encourage students to consider alternatives
   in problem solving and allow them to make their
   own decisions?
6. Do I allow students to experience the
   consequences of their actions?
7. Do I encourage students to work independently on
   projects of personal interest?

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d. Promote Students Self-Determination and
Teach Students Self-Advocacy Skills

• Examples of self-determination content
• 1. Decision making/ problem solving.
• 2. Setting goals short term and long-term.
• 3. Taking risks.
• 4. Assertive communication.
• 5. Self-evaluation skills.
• 6. Improving study habits.
• 7. Preparing for and taking tests.
• 8. Developing and fostering friendships.
• 9. Getting around the community.
• 10. Deaf studies.
• Career awareness.
• Post-secondary education options.

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Examples of self-advocacy content

• 1. Recognizing when he or she needs help.
• 2. Knowing when and how to request help.
• 3. Expressing needs effectively.
• 4. Conflict resolution.
• 5. Knowing appropriate accommodations and
  modifications.
• 6. Actively participating in setting,
  establishing, and discussing IEP and transition
  goals.
• 7. Understanding legal rights while in school,
  postsecondary education, or work.
• 8. Meeting with medical personnel and asking
  relevant questions.
• Identifying and accessing local, state, regional
  and national resources.

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4. Participate in Learning-Focused Relationships

• Learning-Focused Relationships - Interactions
  that provide support and help individuals
  increase their effectiveness.
• ADULT ? ADULT ? STUDENT

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How?

• Consult to share information, procedures,
  advice, and technical resources.
• Collaborate to share decision making while
  working toward a common goal.
• Coach to guide, support and increase
  colleagues self-direction.

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How to Proceed?

• Engage in Learning-Focused Relationships with
  Professionals and Families
• Identify Focus ?
• Identify Key Individuals ?
• Develop Relationship ?
• Exchange Information ?
• Apply to Focal Point

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5. Advocate for and Address Your Needs

• Maintain a balanced lifestyle Learning how to
  let go of work and make time for self, family,
  and/or friends is essential.
• Plan for success Having meaningful goals and
  enjoying the process of reaching them helps
  reduce tension and fosters personal satisfaction.
• Expand your support network Positive, nurturing
  relationships and interactions are too important
  to be left up to incidental, happenstance events.
  Take time to get together and do things with
  others.

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Your Needs Continued

• d. Create a positive belief system Viewing the
  daily stresses that occur as result of
  interactions with students, families and
  colleagues as normal is one step in maintaining a
  positive attitude.
• e. Make learning a lifelong priority We need to
  continually retool in order to maintain our
  personal and professional effectiveness.