Ill. Admin. Code tit. 23, § 28.220 - Standards for the Teacher of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
By October 1, 2025, all candidates for an endorsement in Deaf and Hard of Hearing will be required to complete a program aligned to the Initial Specialty Set for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (2018), published by the Council for Exceptional Children, 2900 Crystal Drive, Suite 1000, Arlington VA 22202-3557, and available at https://exceptionalchildren.org/standards/specialty-sets-specific-practice-areas. (No later amendments to or editions of these guidelines are incorporated.) The standards effective until September 30, 2025 are as follows:
a) Foundations - The competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands the philosophical,
historical, and legal foundations of special education for individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing and is able to incorporate this knowledge within the
context of the educational system.
1)
Knowledge - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
understands:
A) current educational
definitions of students with hearing loss, including identification criteria,
labeling issues, and current incidence and prevalence figures;
B) models, theories, and philosophies (e.g.,
bilingual-bicultural, total communication, oral/aural) that provide the basis
for educational practices for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as
consistent with program philosophy;
C) variations in beliefs, traditions, and
values across cultures and within society, and the effect of the relationships
among children who are deaf or hard of hearing, their families, and
schooling;
D) issues in definitions
and identification procedures for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
(e.g., cultural versus medical perspective);
E) rights and responsibilities of parents,
students, teachers, and schools as they relate to students who are deaf or hard
of hearing; and
F) the impact of
various educational placement options (from the perspective of the needs of any
given child who is deaf or hard of hearing and consistent with program
philosophy) with regard to cultural identity and linguistic, academic, and
social-emotional development.
2) Performance - The competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing:
A)
applies understanding of theory, philosophy, and models of practice to the
education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing;
B) articulates pros and cons of current
issues and trends in special education and the field of education of children
who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
C) identifies the major contributors to the
growth and improvement of knowledge and practice in the field of education of
children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
b) Characteristics of Learners - The
competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands the
impact that disabilities have on the cognitive, physical, emotional, social,
and communication development of an individual and creates opportunities that
support the communication, intellectual, social, and personal development of
all students.
1) Knowledge - The competent
teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands:
A) communication features (visual, spatial,
tactile, or auditory) salient to the learner who is deaf or hard of hearing
that are necessary to enhance cognitive, emotional, and social
development;
B) research in
cognition related to children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
C) cultural dimensions that being deaf or
hard of hearing may add to the life of a child;
D) various etiologies of hearing loss that
can result in additional sensory, motor, or learning differences in students
who are deaf or hard of hearing;
E)
the effects of families or primary caregivers on the overall development of
children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
F) the effects that onset of loss, age of
identification, and provision of services have on the development of the child
who is deaf or hard of hearing;
G)
the impact of early comprehensible communication on the academic, linguistic,
and social/emotional development of the child who is deaf or hard of
hearing;
H) that deafness or
hearing loss alone does not necessarily preclude normal academic development,
cognitive development, or communication ability;
I) differences in quality and quantity of
incidental language/learning experiences that children who are deaf or hard of
hearing may experience;
J) the
effects of sensory input on the development of language and cognition of
children who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
K) the structure and function of auditory
systems, audiological assessments, and auditory interventions, including but
not limited to hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive technology, and
auditory training.
2)
Performance - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
develops a descriptive profile of a student who is deaf or hard of
hearing.
c) Assessment,
Diagnosis, and Evaluation - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or
hard of hearing understands the educational assessment process and utilizes
various assessment strategies to support the continuous development of all
students.
1) Knowledge - The competent teacher
of students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands:
A) specialized terminology used in assessment
of children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
B) the components of an adequate evaluation
for eligibility, placement, and program planning (e.g., interpreters, special
tests) decisions for students who are deaf or hard of hearing;
C) the legal provisions, regulations, and
guidelines regarding unbiased diagnostic assessment and use of instructional
assessment measures with students who are deaf or hard of hearing;
and
D) the special policies
regarding referral and placement procedures (i.e., Federal Policy Guidance,
October 30, 1992, published by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of
Civil Rights, and available at
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq9806.html;
no later amendments to or editions of this guidance are incorporated by this
rule) for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
2) Performance - The competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing:
A)
administers appropriate assessment tools using the natural/native/preferred
language of the student who is deaf or hard of hearing;
B) gathers and analyzes communication samples
from students who are deaf or hard of hearing, including nonverbal as well as
linguistic acts; and
C) uses
exceptionality-specific assessment instruments (e.g., SAT-HI, TERA-DHH, FSST)
appropriate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
d) Instructional Content and
Practice - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates
instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. The teacher
understands instructional planning and designs instruction based on knowledge
of the discipline, students, community, and curriculum goals.
1) Knowledge - The competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands:
A) sources of specialized materials for
students who are deaf or hard of hearing;
B) components of the nonlinguistic and
linguistic communication that students who are deaf or hard of hearing
use;
C) the procedures and
technologies required to educate students who are deaf or hard of hearing under
one or more of the existing modes or philosophies;
D) information related to American Sign
Language (ASL) and existing communication modes or philosophies (consistent
with program philosophy);
E)
current theories of how language (e.g., ASL and English) develop in both
children who are hearing and those who are deaf or hard of hearing;
F) subject matter and practice used in
general education across content areas;
G) ways to facilitate cognitive and
communicative development in students who are deaf or hard of hearing (e.g.,
visual saliency) consistent with program philosophy;
H) techniques of stimulation and use of
residual hearing, based upon interpretation of audiological evaluation, in
students who are deaf or hard of hearing;
I) research-supported instructional
strategies and practices for teaching students who are deaf or hard of
hearing;
J) techniques/methods to
develop speech skills for children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
and
K) techniques/methods to
address the unique needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and have
additional needs (e.g., behavioral concerns, autism) or disabilities (e.g.,
cognitive delay, autism).
2) Performance - the competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing:
A)
demonstrates proficiency in the languages used for instructing students who are
deaf or hard of hearing;
B)
demonstrates the basic characteristics of various existing communication modes
used with students who are deaf or hard of hearing;
C) selects, designs, produces, and utilizes
media, materials, and resources required to educate students who are deaf or
hard of hearing under one or more of the existing modes or philosophies (e.g.,
bilingual-bicultural, total communication, aural/oral);
D) infuses speech skills into academic areas
as consistent with the mode or philosophy espoused and the ability of the
student who is deaf or hard of hearing;
E) modifies the instructional process and
classroom environment to meet the physical, cognitive, cultural, and
communication needs of the child who is deaf or hard of hearing (e.g.,
teacher's style, acoustic environment, and availability of support services and
appropriate technologies);
F)
facilitates independent communication behavior in children who are deaf or hard
of hearing;
G) applies first and
second language teaching strategies (i.e., English through ASL or ESL)
appropriate to the needs of the individual student who is deaf or hard of
hearing and consistent with program philosophy;
H) demonstrates the ability to modify
incidental language experiences to fit the visual and other sensory needs of
children who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
I) designs and implements appropriate
strategies and activities to maximize literacy skills in children who are deaf
or hard of hearing.
e) Planning and Managing the Teaching and
Learning Environment - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard
of hearing uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and
behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social
interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
1) Knowledge - The competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands:
A) deaf cultural factors that may influence
classroom management of students who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
B) model programs, including
career-vocational and transition that have been effective for students with
hearing losses.
2)
Performance - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of
hearing:
A) manages assistive/augmentative
devices appropriate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing in learning
environments;
B) selects, adapts,
and implements classroom management strategies for students who are deaf or
hard of hearing that reflect understanding of each child's cultural needs,
including a primarily visual deaf culture where appropriate;
C) designs a classroom environment that
maximizes opportunities for visually oriented or auditory learning in students
who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
D) plans and implements instruction for
students who are deaf or hard of hearing and who have multiple disabilities and
special needs.
f) Managing Student Social Interaction Skills
- The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands
processes and opportunities for interaction and prepares students to interact
in a variety of communication situations.
1)
Knowledge - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
understands:
A) processes for establishing
ongoing interactions of students who are deaf or hard of hearing with peers and
role models who are deaf or hard of hearing; and
B) opportunities for interaction with
communities of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing on the local, State,
and national levels.
2)
Performance - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing
teaches students who are deaf or hard of hearing to use interpreters
appropriately in social situations.
g) Communication and Collaborative
Partnerships - The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of
hearing uses knowledge of effective written, verbal, nonverbal, and visual
communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and
supportive interaction among professionals, parents, paraprofessionals, and
students.
1) Knowledge - The competent teacher
of students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands:
A) available resources to help parents of
children who are deaf or hard of hearing deal with their concerns regarding
educational options and communication modes/philosophies for their
children;
B) the roles and
responsibilities of teachers and support personnel in educational practice for
students who are deaf or hard of hearing (e.g., educational interpreters,
tutors, and note-takers);
C) the
effects of communication on the development of family relationships and
strategies used to facilitate communication in families with children who are
deaf or hard of hearing; and
D)
services provided by governmental and non-governmental agencies or individuals
in the ongoing management of children who are deaf or hard of
hearing.
2) Performance
- The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing:
A) teaches students who are deaf or hard of
hearing to use support personnel effectively (e.g., educational interpreters,
tutors, and note-takers);
B)
facilitates communication between the child who is deaf or hard of hearing and
the student's family or other caregivers; and
C) facilitates coordination of support
personnel (e.g., interpreters) to meet the diverse communication needs of the
student who is deaf or hard of hearing and the student's primary
caregivers.
h) Professionalism and Ethical Practices -
The competent teacher of students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands
teaching as a profession, maintains standards of professional conduct, and
provides leadership to improve student learning and well-being.
1) Knowledge - The competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing understands:
A) the process for acquiring the needed
skills in modes/philosophies of education of students who are deaf or hard of
hearing in which an individual was not prepared; and
B) consumer and professional organizations,
publications, and journals relevant to the field of education of students who
are deaf or hard of hearing.
2) Performance - The competent teacher of
students who are deaf or hard of hearing:
A)
seeks interaction with adults in the deaf community to maintain/improve ASL,
English signs, or cues as consistent with program philosophy;
B) demonstrates the ability to interact with
a variety of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing on an adult-to-adult
level;
C) provides families with
the knowledge and skills to make appropriate choices needed to enhance the
development and transition of their children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
and
D) participates in the
activities of professional organizations relevant to the education of students
who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Notes
Amended at 38 Ill. Reg. 6313, effective February 27, 2014
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No prior version found.