Live Panel October 27: Accessible Instruction for Deaf College Students During COVID-19 and Beyond

Published on October 13, 2020

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Watch the live panel.

Ensuring that every student has access to your instruction is more important than ever, yet can be more challenging due to the pandemic — whether you’re teaching online, in person, or a little bit of both.

Learn effective practices from fellow educators at a live panel discussion, Accessible Instruction for Deaf College Students During COVID-19 and Beyond, hosted on Zoom by the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) on Tuesday, October 27, at 2-3pm CT. 

This event is an opportunity for educators and postsecondary professionals to understand how to improve instructional strategies for deaf students, plus gain insights into creating a community of learners through inclusive teaching practices, student engagement, and effective communication.

Panel of Educational Experts 

Experienced educators will share their insights about how to support deaf student success, what changes they made to accommodate the current learning environment, and real-world lessons they have learned along the way. The panelists are:

  • Christopher Heuer, PhD: A member of NDC’s Adult Education Task Force and a published author, Dr. Heuer is professor of English at Gallaudet University, where he teaches journalism, creative writing, and various composition and literature courses. 

  • Mei Kennedy, PhD: An instructional designer, Dr. Kennedy provides strategic consulting to NDC and other clients on online course design and integrating technology to improve learning experiences for deaf students.

  • Carol Marchetti, PhD: A professor of mathematical sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, Dr. Marchetti has worked on many projects funded by the Institute of Education Sciences to create accessible learning environments in STEM.

Why Instructional Strategies Matter

Over 200,000 deaf and hard of hearing students attend colleges and universities in the United States. Even when provided with accommodations in their classrooms, many still lack full access to the broader learning environment. As a result of this and other factors, research shows deaf people are less likely to complete an associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate degree. Instructional strategies are essential to adjusting attitudes and communications on campus — two critical components of accessibility and successful outcomes. They are also the focus of a new three-hour course from NDC, Instructional Strategies for Deaf Student Success. 

Panel Details

This online event will take place on Zoom. To attend, register here. A Zoom calendar invitation will be emailed to you closer to the day of the panel. The room will open 5 minutes prior to the event start time. ASL interpreters and real-time captioning will be provided. For additional access requests, please email help@nationaldeafcenter.org at least three business days prior to the event. 

Live Panel FAQs 

  • Who can attend the live panel? All are welcome. This panel is designed for educators and professionals who support deaf students at college or other postsecondary settings.

  • Will interpreters or real-time captioning be provided? Yes, both are being provided. If you have additional accommodation needs please email help@nationaldeafcenter.org.

  • Are professional development credits offered? Yes, this event has been pre-approved for .01 GS RID CEUs and 1 CRC Clock Hour.

  • Will a recording be made available to those who could not attend? Yes, the recording will be posted on NDC’s website within 30 days of the event. Professional development credits are not available for recorded events.

  • I did not get the event code at the end of the session. Can I still receive professional development credit? No. Unfortunately the event code is one of our verifications that you attended the full duration of the event.

  • I need a certificate of attendance for the event, but not professional development credits. Event codes will be posted at the conclusion of the event. You can complete the link provided with the event codes, and you will be able to generate an attendance certificate.

Tips for Zoom Access 

  • Download or update Zoom on your computer to the latest version.

  • If you have not used Zoom successfully in the past, check with your IT department to grant access to Zoom.

  • Use a laptop or desktop computer to optimize your view of the live panel. If you do not have a computer, a tablet is preferable to a smartphone.

  • If you use captions, a link will be provided to view captions on a separate window or device.

  • If you are unable to access the live panel video, you may call in via video phone or telephone. Phone numbers, Webinar ID and Participant ID will be provided in the registration confirmation email.

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Categories: Impact Stories, Online Learning
Tags: accommodations, coronavirus, COVID-19, deaf at college, online learning

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