Minn. R. agency 188, ch. 8710, TEACHER STANDARDS, pt. 8710.5200 - TEACHERS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION: DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING

Subpart 1. Scope of practice.

A teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing is authorized to provide specially designed instruction, from birth through age 21, to infants, children, and youth with a broad range of hearing loss and to collaborate and consult with families, other classroom and special education teachers, and specialized service providers in designing and implementing individualized educational program plans for infants, children, and youth who are auditory, visual, or multimodal learners.

Subp. 2. License requirements.

A candidate for licensure to teach, from birth through age 21, infants, children, and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing shall:

A. hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university that is regionally accredited by the association for the accreditation of colleges and secondary schools;

B. demonstrate the standards of effective practice for licensing of beginning teachers in part 8710.2000;

C. demonstrate core skill requirements in part 8710.5000;

D. show verification of completing a Board of Teaching preparation program approved under part 8700.7600 leading to the licensure of teachers of special education: deaf or hard of hearing in subpart 3; and

E. demonstrate proficiency in American Sign Language communication fluency commensurate with an Intermediate-Plus level of American Sign Language proficiency on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) or a comparable American Sign Language evaluation jointly approved by the Board of Teaching and commissioner of education in consultation with the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens and the Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans, in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.28, subdivision 1.

Subp. 3. Subject matter standard.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing must complete a preparation program under subpart 2, item D, that must include the candidate's demonstration of the knowledge and skills in items A to F.

A. Foundational knowledge. A teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing understands the foundations of special education services for infants, children, and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss on which to base practice. The teacher must demonstrate knowledge of:

(1) historical and philosophical foundations, legal bases, and contemporary issues pertaining to services to and the education of infants, children, and youth with a hearing loss;

(2) measurement of hearing loss, educational and audiological definitions, issues related to identification, eligibility criteria, and entrance and exit criteria for services pertaining to infants, children, and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss;

(3) models, theories, and philosophies that provide the basis for education of children and youth with hearing loss;

(4) etiologies of hearing loss that can result in additional sensory, motor, or learning differences in infants, children, and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss;

(5) the effects of compromised sensory input and communication access on the development of language, literacy, academic skills, social, and emotional development of infants, children, and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss;

(6) selection, acquisition, and use of hearing technologies and assistive technologies;

(7) diverse beliefs, traditions, and values across cultures and within society and their impact on children and youth with hearing loss, their families, and their education; and

(8) deaf culture from a variety of perspectives, including the historical, geographical, political, and contemporary viewpoints.

B. Communication systems. A teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing demonstrates knowledge of communication systems used by infants, children, and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss. The teacher must demonstrate knowledge of:

(1) theoretical principles and evidence-based practices of visual, auditory-oral, and tactile modes to convey language with children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing;

(2) theories of normative language development, including first and second language acquisition and the importance of early intervention;

(3) theories of auditory and visual development; and

(4) theories of linguistics, including linguistics of American Sign Language and English.

C. Referral, evaluation, planning, and programming. A teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing understands and applies principles of early identification and intervention and procedures for referral, assessment, evaluation, individualized planning, programming, and placement specific to teaching infants, children, and youth with hearing loss. The teacher must be able to:

(1) understand evidence-based screening protocols and practices for the identification of hearing loss in children and youth, with emphasis on early detection, referral, and intervention;

(2) select, adapt, and modify assessment tools appropriate for infants, children, and youth with a hearing loss and interpret and report results;

(3) interview, gather, and interpret information from parents, families, educators, and others as part of comprehensive evaluations, which include communication, language, academic, and other developmental domains to determine eligibility and plan individual educational programs;

(4) assess phonological, morphological, syntactical, semantic, and pragmatic development of language of children and youth with hearing loss specific to the languages used by the child;

(5) interpret results of a comprehensive evaluation and communicate the impact of the child's hearing loss on language, communication, literacy, academic, social, and emotional development;

(6) determine, as part of a team, the need for, and the selection, acquisition, and use of hearing technologies and assistive technologies to meet the needs of children and youth with hearing loss;

(7) design and use strategies to optimize the auditory and visual environments for children and youth with hearing loss; and

(8) use data to identify and evaluate educational program and placement options to meet the individual needs of children and youth with hearing loss and their families.

D. Instructional design, teaching, and ongoing evaluation. A teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing understands how to use individualized education program plans to design, implement, monitor, and adjust instruction for children and youth with hearing loss. The teacher must be able to:

(1) identify gaps in incidental and experiential knowledge and explicitly teach concepts and skills essential for mastery in multiple educational settings;

(2) adapt learning environments and use evidence-based instructional strategies, including scientifically based research interventions when available, to meet the physical, academic, cultural, sensory, social, emotional, and communication needs of children and youth with hearing loss;

(3) support the early development of expressive and receptive language and communication skills and provide for the early development of visual, spoken, auditory, and tactile communication skills;

(4) facilitate independent and pragmatic communication and language skills in infants, children, and youth with hearing loss and their families;

(5) design, implement, monitor, and adjust instruction based on ongoing assessment to accommodate the language and academic needs of infants, children, and youth with hearing loss;

(6) provide access to, develop goals to address, and monitor individual progress in alignment with grade-level content standards;

(7) incorporate evidence-based first and second language instructional strategies to promote the development of auditory, spoken language, or sign language skills that are consistent with the individualized educational program plan;

(8) use evidence-based strategies to promote literacy in English;

(9) use strategies for teaching self-advocacy and compensatory skills related to hearing loss;

(10) assess and determine the educational need for educational interpreters, transliterators, interveners, tutors, transcribers, notetakers, and other support services;

(11) identify and implement transition strategies unique to children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing; and

(12) determine the need for and implement social learning opportunities.

E. Collaboration and communication. A teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing cultivates and maintains positive, collaborative relationships with students, families, other professionals, and the community to support student development and educational progress. The teacher must be able to:

(1) provide information on laws and best practices to general education teachers, special education teachers, and district-level administration regarding evidence-based practices for children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss;

(2) collaborate with children and youth with a hearing loss and their families in making informed educational, communication, and transition choices related to the desired outcomes of children and youth and families across the life span;

(3) make use of structures supporting interagency collaboration and coordinate interagency agreements and transition plans;

(4) identify sources of unique services, networks, agencies, and organizations for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss, and those from diverse cultural and language backgrounds;

(5) access school, community, and social service agencies for the purpose of providing appropriate and equitable programming for children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss, and those from diverse cultural and language backgrounds;

(6) understand and communicate educational roles and shared responsibilities of other educators and support personnel, including educational interpreters, transliterators, interveners, paraprofessionals, speech and language clinicians, educational audiologists, notetakers, transcribers, and other related service providers, in providing education services to children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing, deaf-blind, those with additional disabilities coexisting with hearing loss, and those from diverse cultural and language backgrounds; and

(7) promote collaborative practices that respect the child's and family's culture and values relative to the impact that hearing loss and deaf-blindness may have on the individual and family across the life span;

(8) provide and receive consultation and collaborate in a variety of settings regarding development and implementation of the comprehensive evaluation process, individualized education program planning, delivery of instruction and accommodations, and transition with individuals and agencies;

(9) access and evaluate information, research, and emerging practices relevant to the fields of hearing loss, audiology, and deaf-blindness through consumer and professional organizations, peer-reviewed journals, and other publications; and

(10) engage in continuing professional development and reflection to increase knowledge and skill as a special educator and inform instructional practices, decisions, and interactions with children and youth and their families.

F. Clinical experiences. A teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing shall apply the standards of effective practice in teaching infants, children, and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing through a variety of early and ongoing clinical experiences with birth through preschool, primary (kindergarten through grade 4), and secondary (grades 5 through 12, including transition programs) settings across a range of service delivery models.

Subp. 4. Continuing licensure.

A continuing license shall be issued and renewed according to the rules of the Board of Teaching governing continuing licenses and must include continuing education in a range of topics relating to hearing loss including American Sign Language, American Sign Language linguistics, or deaf culture in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.28.

Subp. 5. Incorporation by reference.

For the purposes of this part, the Signed Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) Guidelines published by the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, 52 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623-5604, and subsequent editions are incorporated by reference. The guidelines are not subject to frequent change and are available from the State Law Library.

Subp. 6. Effective date.

Requirements in this part for licensure as a teacher of special education: deaf or hard of hearing are effective on January 1, 2013, and thereafter.

Notes

Minn. R. agency 188, ch. 8710, TEACHER STANDARDS, pt. 8710.5200

23 SR 1928; 36 SR 1243

Statutory Authority: MS s 122A.09; 122A.18