Certificate Program
The NDC Professional Certificate Program is an opportunity for people to enhance their knowledge and earn specialty certificates in a structured yet gradual learning process. Completing a specialty certificate will equip learners with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to implement change within programs or services in education and training settings. Specialty certificates are a series of online learning modules covering topics including deaf awareness, systems knowledge, and accessibility practices
The Certificate Program is intended for newly active professionals and is a self-paced professional development pathway designed to strengthen individual, institutional, and organizational capacity to serve deaf people through specialized topics of focus. It can also be a refresher for those with more experience.
NDC Micro Certificates offer a self-paced way to build knowledge and awareness of deaf communities. Learn about lived experiences and evidence-based practices that can create accessible learning and work environments for deaf people. These micro certificates are for anyone who works with or wants to work with deaf people. The pathways are flexible, allowing you to learn at your own pace while building skills to enhance your abilities to connect with deaf people in different settings.
Core Competencies
Engage in effective outreach to deaf people
Effectively use technology to provide access and accommodations
Provide services to deaf people and their families.
Recognize the impact of root causes and systemic barriers on enrollment, persistence, and completion of postsecondary outcomes for deaf people.
Demonstrate knowledge and awareness of the diverse experiences of deaf people in a variety of settings.
Implement evidence-driven accessibility practices and strategies that center a deaf person’s experience.
Create, implement, and scale up accessibility services to ensure equitable participation in a range of postsecondary programs and activities.
Certificate Program Benefits
Earn Digital Credentials
Open badges are verifiable, stackable, and portable to document your continuing education and ongoing professional development.
Expand Your Network
Develop a network with other professionals while you develop skills and knowledge throughout the program.
Sense of Community
Earn membership into a community of practitioners committed to working towards equity with a systems lens.
Deaf Awareness Micro Certificate
The Deaf Awareness Micro Certificate is a focused program that encourages self-awareness and understanding of systems and biases experienced by deaf people. The Deaf Awareness Micro Certificate will allow you to explore diverse lived experiences of deaf people and learn strategies to create inclusive, accessible environments. Through self-reflection, you will be challenged to examine personal biases and assumptions about deaf people and apply methods to challenge and deconstruct them. Additionally, you will explore the barriers deaf individuals face in education, training, and work environments, as well as learn strategies to advocate for and promote deaf-friendly policies and practices.
After completing five hours of self-paced modules online, you will have a deeper understanding of barriers deaf people face and be better prepared to create inclusive, accessible spaces.
- Identify examples of diverse lived experiences of deaf people.
- Implement strategies for fostering inclusive environments and promoting accessibility for deaf individuals.
- Reflect on personal biases and assumptions about deaf people and apply strategies for deconstructing them.
- Analyze the barriers deaf people face in various postsecondary contexts, including transition, education, and employment, and apply this information to promote deaf-friendly policies.
- Deaf 101
- Attitudes and Biases as Barriers for Deaf People
- Discovering System Barriers and Exploring WHY
- Transforming Systems to Achieve Equity for Deaf People
- Building Relationships with Deaf Communities
Once we receive your form and review it, you will receive a Canvas course invitation and a welcome email.
Specialty Certificate: Accessibility Practices Certificate for Deaf Students
Unlock new opportunities to improve the experiences of deaf students on your campus in NDC’s comprehensive online learning experience. This specialty certificate is specifically tailored to Disability Services Professionals who are seeking to strengthen their knowledge and skills in working with deaf students.
Opt in for this specialty certificate and gain access to a range of self-directed modules and interactive online courses. Explore topics such as deaf awareness, systems knowledge, and accessibility practices, all designed to equip you with practical tools for success.
The Accessibility Practices Certificate is designed with professionals with little to no experience working with deaf students in postsecondary settings in mind; yet it will also benefit professionals with more experience. The certificate pathway is a self-paced experience designed to strengthen individual, institutional, and organizational capacity to serve deaf people.
Participants who opt-in for this specialty certificate will navigate a sequenced learning pathway to gain foundational knowledge and skills necessary to support the implementation of person-centered accessibility services for deaf students. Upon completing this specialty certificate, participants will be able to evaluate current practices, improve existing practices, and/or establish new practices using a systems lens and an equity framework.
Upon completion of this specialty certificate program track, participants will have an increased individual and institutional capacity to:
- Flexibility: Learn at your own pace, anytime and anywhere, with our convenient online platform. Fit your studies into your busy schedule without compromising your commitments.
- Expert Guidance: Benefit from facilitated online learning courses, guided by experienced professionals. Engage in discussions, receive personalized feedback, and collaborate with peers to enhance your learning journey.
- Relevant and Practical Content: Acquire valuable insights and strategies to create inclusive environments for deaf students. Gain a deeper understanding of their unique needs, assistive technologies, and effective communication techniques.
- Professional Development: Expand your skillset and enhance your career prospects. The Accessibility Practices Certificate offers a recognized certificate upon completion, demonstrating your dedication to supporting and advocating for the deaf community.
- Impactful Connections: Connect with a network of like-minded professionals and experts in the field. Exchange ideas, share best practices, and foster collaborations to make a lasting difference in the lives of deaf students.
Total Clock Hours: 35 Hours
- 5 foundations modules (5hrs)
- 10 content modules (10hrs)
- 5 elective modules (5hrs)
- 1 implementation course (15hrs)
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate your professional capabilities and make a positive impact on the lives of deaf individuals. Enroll in the Accessibility Practices Certificate (APC) today! Visit our website or contact us at [email protected] to learn more and secure your place in this transformative learning journey.
Participants will also earn verified credentials (open badges) that reflect participation and completion of continuing education activities sponsored by NDC. NDC has adopted standards established by the U.S. Department of Education for awarding continuing education units and will offer verification of ‘clock hours’ of learning in the form of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Clock Hours.
Learning Pathways
The foundation modules set the groundwork for further exploration and learning. Participants will complete (5) 1-hour modules to increase knowledge and awareness of the diverse experiences of deaf people in postsecondary education and training settings. Participants will strengthen their understanding of the impact of root causes and systemic barriers on enrollment, persistence, and completion of postsecondary outcomes for deaf people. Foundation modules are self-selected from any category: deaf awareness, systems knowledge, or accessibility practices.
Foundation Modules:
- Deaf 101
- Attitudes and Biases as Barriers for Deaf People
- Exploring System Barriers and Discovering the Why
- Transforming Systems
- Legal Frameworks 101
Participants must complete (10) 1-hour content modules that provide introductory and intermediate topical content related to providing accommodations or coordinating access services. These modules will increase your ability to effectively use technology to provide access and accommodations and your ability to implement evidence-driven accessibility practices and strategies that center a deaf person’s experience. Content modules all fall within the category of accessibility practices.
Content Modules:
- Accommodations 101
- Coordinating Deaf Services
- Speech-to-text Services 101
- OnDemand Webinar: What are Assistive Listening Systems?
- Introduction to Remote Accessibility Services
- Introduction to Sign Language Interpreting Services
- Caption Media 101
- Designing Accessible Online Experiences for Deaf People
- Test Equity for Deaf Students
- Supporting Accessible Learning Environments & Instruction for Deaf Students
The elective modules are an opportunity to customize your learning and expand on concepts that relate directly to the experiences of deaf individuals in postsecondary education and training settings. Participants will self-select (5) 1-hour from any category: deaf awareness, systems knowledge, or accessibility practices.
Electives Modules (new modules added monthly):
- Exploring and Using Data
- Building Relationships with Deaf Communities
- Using UDL Principles for Teaching Deaf Students Online
- OnDemand Webinar Topics
- Commencement for All, Making Graduation Accessible
- Does Auto Captioning Effectively Accommodation Deaf People
- Preparing Access Services for Deaf College Students- Tips and Resources
- Deaf People Leading the Way
- For Deaf People, by Deaf People
- Mentoring Deaf Youth leads to #deafsuccess
The implementation course(s) are opportunities for targeted topical learning in a collaborative community of practitioners. These courses are a 4-week hybrid commitment; most work is asynchronous; however, scheduled synchronous meetings by Zoom are required. Implementation courses offer peer engagement, customized guidance and support from course facilitators, and an opportunity to create an artifact to improve or change practice at your institution.
Implementation Courses:
- Improving Campus Access
- Advance Practices in Coordinating Deaf Services: Evaluating and Managing Services Using Data
Accessibility Practices Certificate Waitlist
Stay tuned for additional Specialty Certificates from NDC!
FAQs
- What is the Accessibility Practices Certificate?
- How does it work?
- What are the learning outcomes?
- What credentials will I gain?
- How do I enroll in the certificate program?
- How many clock hours are in this certificate track?
- What are the modules/courses in each category?
- How do I register for each module?
- How do I track my certificate progress?
- Once I finish all the modules/courses how will I get my certificate?
