Louisiana Deaf Education Newsletter

Happy New Year! I hope you all have had a positive start to 2022 and that you are staying safe and healthy. Can you believe we are now at the halfway point to this school year? It's been an incredibly busy, but wonderful year getting to work with you all.

In this newsletter, you will find:

• Service request forms and intake forms
• Upcoming events and training opportunities
• Additional resources
• How to determine if an interpreter is right for your student
• Information on how to assess language levels
• Information about learning sign language
• Information about literacy for students who don't speak or sign
• ASL Classes & Resources
• Support for families
• Updates and Professional Development re: DeafBlind Students
• Information on assessing students' sign language skills
• LA Deaf and Hard of Hearing Resource Binder
• Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD) Outreach Vision
• Job Postings
• And more!

Please note that if a photo depicts an event or list of information, it is clickable and will take you to a link for more information and how to access the event.

As always, thank you all again for your dedication to our Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and hard of hearing (DDBDDHH) students throughout Louisiana. Please feel free to reach out with any questions regarding Deaf education, requests for information, or other ways I can support you.

Best,

Dr. Natalie Delgado

Fill out this form if you are referring a deaf or hard-of-hearing child under the age of 5 that is not enrolled in an LEA. This form is used for children that would benefit from early intervention services for DDBDDHH children. Use our pre-K-12th form for children currently enrolled in an LEA.

We support and collaborate with all parishes throughout the state of Louisiana that serve deaf and hard of hearing children. Contact us for consultations, professional development, assessment services, and other support. See our Outreach Vision below to see our full array of support services being worked on and those we currently offer.

Also, check out our social media pages to see more of what we're doing and sharing! Find us on Facebook or Instagram @LSD_outreach_ece

Email: NDelgado@LSDVI.org
Website: https://lalsd.org/outreach
Location: 2888 Brightside Lane, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Phone: (225) 769-8160
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSDoutreachece
Twitter: @LASchoolDeaf

• Access Vine: Ongoing trainings
• FREE Family Workshop Series: Topics change monthly--see the website for upcoming listings and past recordings.
• Hearing First: Professional Development and information for professionals using listening and spoken language
• Helen Keller National Center: Offers professional development, training, and events for professionals and DeafBlind students (ages 14+). Listings available here.
• Language First: Professional Development for Speech-Language Pathologists and other professionals, upcoming events listed here
• LSD Professional Developments: Deaf Education 101; individual professional developments provided to districts upon request
• Moog Center: Professional development, ongoing, listed here
• National American Sign Language Education of Heritage Language Learners: February 25th, 6 PM: Linguistic Racism in K-12 Deaf Education: Reframing, Reconnecting, Reteaching, presented by Candace Jones, Reggie Bess, Sandy Rae Scott, & Dr. Petra Horn-Marsh, register here
• NCHAM: Ongoing workshops available here
• Paul Glaser, CDI: Workshops on Interpreting Math Classes, ongoing
• The Online Itinerant: Ongoing workshops available here, under Trainings

We are hosting our playgroup events and implementing COVID-19 safety measures while we have fun.

Who can come: Deaf or hard of hearing children (PPEP, ages birth to 5) and their family members! Former PPEP students are also welcome to join and meet some new friends. Deaf community members and select guests are also welcome--we invite our students' service providers as well.

Cost: Our events are always free, but admission may be charged at select locations we visit (like the zoo), so be sure to check before you go!

Note: Should an event be cancelled or moved due to weather, COVID-19, or other unexpected events, information will be posted here on the website and on our social media pages, linked below. Our social media pages are updated the fastest, so check there first!

Lodging, food, and all of the fun is paid for by us. Families will be placed in a nearby hotel so access to event is easy! Register at this link.

Don't have a family to share the event with, but want to volunteer your time or share your resources as a vendor to them? Sign up here. High school students are welcome to volunteer and get service hours too!

Schools throughout Louisiana are invited to attend the spring play the school for the Deaf! Want to know more? Email Ms. Lisa Cook, theatre director: LCook@LSDVI.org.

• Audiology Outside the Box: Resources for understanding hearing levels, amplification devices, auditory rehabilitation, and more
• ASL Connect: Online American Sign Language (ASL) courses
• ASL Clear: STEM signs in ASL; toggle the top button to switch to English
• Atomic Hands: STEM videos in ASL
• CSDLearns: Deaf education tools and courses for both students and professionals, designed by Deaf educators who are Deaf themselves; courses range from content areas to life skills
• DeafVerse: An online game for deaf and hard of hearing teens to hone their life and career preparation skills--available in ASL, spoken English, and English captioning. See their presentation on using it in the classroom and at home here
• English by Eye: Improving literacy through ASL
• Language First: Resources for families and professionals, therapy resources, and more
• The Moog Center Store: Contains resources and printables pertaining to listening and spoken language, and amplification devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants
• The Moog Center Main Page: Contains a language calendar for use in classrooms, at the bottom of the page; changes monthly
• SignOn Connect: Live immersion in ASL with a Deaf Ambassador; can be added to a Deaf or hard of hearing students' IEP
• Supporting Success for Kids with Hearing Loss: Website with multiple articles, assessments, and resources

Perhaps you're an LEA trying to provide the most appropriate accommodations for your Deaf or hard of hearing student.

"Get them an interpreter and we'll be set!" But wait--there's a few things to consider before you lock in that interpreter. Here are a few things to think about below.

• What is the student's primary language? Is it American Sign Language (ASL), spoken English, or something else?
• If their primary language is ASL; how much do they know?
• If the student has a limited first language, and it is presumed that they need American Sign Language to access instruction, consider how much of any and all of their languages they know. If they do not have a strong first language, they may need accommodations outside of just an interpreter alone, or an interpreter may not be appropriate at all for instructional access.
• If the student's primary and only language is spoken English, what is the justification for providing an interpreter for a language they do not know? If the IEP team has agreed the student should learn ASL, consider routes to learning ASL prior to being provided an interpreter.
• Is the student able to advocate for themselves and indicate when they have difficulty understanding?
• Does the student understand that the primary role of the interpreter is to facilitate communication?
• And a whole lot more!

These are questions just to get you started. If you need to find out more about if an interpreter is effective for your student as an accommodation, reach out to us.

The first question is...what languages do you need to assess?

• If the student has a fluent first language, assess it!
• If the student has a fluent second language, assess that one too!
• If they do not have a fluent first language, and their ability to communicate effectively is limited according to their age, consider what they currently do the most--do they vocalize, use any words in spoken language? Do they gesture, or sign a little bit? Do they point or use picture communication systems?

If your student:

• uses primarily spoken language: that can be assessed by your LEA's speech-language pathologist!
• uses primarily a signed language or signed communication system: check if your LEA has a fluently-signing speech-language pathologist or ASL specialist to assess your student. If they do not, our Statewide Assessment Center can provide assessments free of charge.
• has limited language skills in any and all modalities: contact us for a consultation and/or assessment to help determine what the student's access to language looks like (meaning how much they can take in through listening and how much they take in through watching).
• uses primarily picture communication systems (because visual language such as ASL is not physically or cognitively possible on the part of the student; unless they use ASL receptively): that can be assessed by your LEA's speech-language pathologist--unless the student uses ASL receptively. In that case, contact us to provide an assessment to determine how much ASL skill they truly have.

If you still need more support, contact us!

There are many resources available for you, your students, and your students' families to learn American Sign Language (ASL)!

• Check out our list of Favorite ASL Resources for a list of websites to learn from, apps to download, and videos to watch. Our favorite is Lifeprint.com for adults.
• The Louisiana School for the Deaf is offering virtual community classes in ASL--these classes are open to the public and are $30 per 8-week-long session. If you'd like to sign up for the next round of classes, reach out to our ASL Coordinator, Alla Tarasyuk: atarasyuk@lsdvi.org for more information! These classes are typically offered face-to-face at the Baton Rouge campus but are currently being offered virtually due to COVID-19. If the child is being served by our school, classes are free for the family. Please note that our Fall classes are over but you can request to be added to the Spring waitlist. Classes are projected to start in February.
• Check with your local Deaf Association, Deaf advocacy organizations, and Deaf Action Centers to see if they offer face-to-face or virtual classes near you! If you aren't sure what's near you, send Dr. Delgado an email. One virtual class option in Louisiana is hosted by Deaf Focus Services, which is hosting a January through February 2022 ASL class.

If your student is an ASL user, be sure to check the class or site you are perusing--not all classes or websites teach ASL, some teach Signed Exact English (SEE) or even a foreign signed language. Be sure you are matching your students' needs!

Share our FREE family workshops with parents and caregivers of your deaf and hard of hearing students--each month we feature a different topic supporting students from birth to age 22. See our monthly selection of workshops and share our resources for families page here.

This LiveBinder is chock-full of resources for children who are deaf or hard of hearing--some of the information is specific to Louisiana, while other information is generally about having a deaf or hard of hearing child or student.

Explore simulations that can show you how your student hears with or without amplification, sign language resources, local agencies, and more.

• National Center on Deaf-Blindness - has general resources, family resources, news, and events.
• The CHARGE Syndrome Foundation - has free, recorded webinars that are helpful for educators and families (even for DeafBlind students that do not have CHARGE).
• Helen Keller National Center - offers many resources, tons of events, webinars, and other support materials for working with DeafBlind youths and adults.
• iCanConnect - offers free equipment including smartphones, tablets, computers, screen readers, braille displays, and more to those who qualify

The Louisiana DeafBlind Project can provide:

• Information on how to support children and youth with atypical hearing and vision levels,
• Family support
• Webinars
• Training
• Technical assistance

Information about the LA DeafBlind Project and its technical assistance offerings can be found on its homepage. To refer a child, there is an informational packet to be filled out online.

Don't forget to also register the child on the National DeafBlind Registry if they aren't registered already!

Jefferson Parish Public Schools:

- We offer Tuition Reimbursement for candidates who need to obtain their teaching certificate.

- Starting salary for Certified or Provisionally Certified Teachers is $47,800.

- We offer a $1,000 Bonus for teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

For both Interpreters and Teachers...

- We offer a competitive benefits package which includes free dental and vision.

- Jefferson Parish is right next door to New Orleans, one of the most famous and dynamic cities in the world.

- All teachers and staff get one entire week off for Mardi Gras Break!

Check out the flyer below!

Further information about our school and our admissions process is available on the LSD website. Check out our virtual tour videos, and contact our district admissions coordinator, Ebonie Raby for any questions you may have.

Ebonie E. Raby

Special School District

Admission & Records Coordinator

225-757-3202 (Office)

225-341-6536 (Video Phone)

225-757-3486 (Fax)

eraby@lsdvi.org

Our flyer and brochure are linked below in English and Spanish.

Dr. Natalie Delgado is a Deaf Indigenous Latina educator. She is the statewide outreach director of Deaf education, housed under Louisiana's Special School District (SSD). The SSD is home to the Louisiana School for the Deaf. In this role, Dr. Delgado provides support to districts serving deaf and hard of hearing children of all ages throughout the state of Louisiana as well as oversees the statewide early intervention program for these students. Dr. Delgado is also trilingual and knows American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish, and English. She has worked in Deaf Education for approximately eleven years, teaching and serving students (and their families!) from birth to age 22. Mainstream settings, self-contained classrooms, and residential school settings are no stranger to her--she has taught in them all! Dr. Delgado currently represents 12 states in the southern United States on the National ASL and English Bilingual Consortium for Early Childhood board.

Dr. Delgado has her doctorate in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education and is also a researcher in the field. She primarily conducts research on Deaf Latinx children, early childhood, language development and literacy in deaf and hard of hearing children, and bimodal bilingualism. Dr. Delgado has also worked as an adjunct professor for Lamar University's online Masters in Deaf Education program and for Gallaudet University's Infants, Toddlers, and Families Program. Examples of her research can be found here.

Email: ndelgado@lsdvi.org
Website: https://lalsd.org/outreach/
Location: Louisiana School for the Deaf, Brightside Drive, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Phone: (225) 341-1141
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LSDoutreachece