Listening & Spoken Language MEd of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) Deaf Education teacher training program at USU prepares students to earn a Master of Education degree in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education, the Utah 0-5 Early Childhood Special Education Teaching License and the Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) Endorsement. The program provides graduate students with the knowledge and skills to provide family-centered services to young children who are DHH to develop listening and spoken language.

Distance Learning Option: The LSL Deaf Education program welcomes students who are not campus-based to earn the M.Ed. through distance learning. For eligibility to participate in the distance program, students must have access to an approved early intervention or educational facility to fulfill practicum requirements. Students must currently hold, or be in the process of earning, the appropriate teaching license for their state.

Interdisciplinary: The LSL program offers a unique and progressive approach to graduate training in which students in LSL Deaf Education, Speech-Language Pathology, and Pediatric Audiology learn together to develop the skills and competencies to provide collaborative, evidence-based and family-centered services.

Hands-On Practicum: In this interdisciplinary cohort, students in LSL Deaf Education, Speech-Language Pathology, and Audiology have hands-on practicum experiences every semester of the program in the USU campus-based early intervention and preschool program, called Sound Beginnings, in the USU Pediatric Audiology Clinic, or other approved off-site programs.

Program Duration: Program completion for the LSL Deaf Education M.Ed. is two-years, requiring competencies consistent with the CEC/CED Professional Standards that guide family-centered, evidence-based practices. This program is a participant in the Western Regional Graduate Exchange program (WRGP) allowing eligible students from participating states to pay resident tuition.

Please see our parent-friendly website for supporting children who are deaf or hard of hearing – available in English and Spanish.

Introduction to Our Program Video

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Meet the Faculty

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Meet the Students

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Programs of Study

Application is available through the
Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

APPLY NOW

Contact Mason Hayes (mason.hayes@usu.edu) for Application Deadlines.

EMAIL MASON

POLICIES

Advisor Contact

Michelle Wilson

Mason Hayes

435-797-9094
mason.hayes@usu.edu

Course Sequence

Fall Semester - Year 1

Course #	Course Name	Credits
COMD 6340	Auditory Learning and Spoken Language	3
COMD 6360	Preschool Curriculum: Language and Cognition	3
COMD 6850	LSL Interdisciplinary Seminar	1
COMD 6715	LSL Practicum Workshop	1
COMD 6700	LSL Practicum	3
Credit Hours		11

Spring Semester - Year 1

Course #	Course Name	Credits
COMD 6770	Audiology and Teachers of DHH	3
COMD 6720	Interdisciplinary Implementation of IDEA	2
COMD 6580	Family-Centered Practices for Children who are DHH	3
COMD 6715	LSL Practicum Workshop	1
COMD 6700	LSL Practicum	3
Credit Hours		12

Summer Semester

Course #	Course Name	Credits
COMD 6730	Multiple Disabilities and Syndromes	2
COMD 7520	Cochlear Implants	2
COMD 6900	Assessment Workshop	1
Credit Hours		5

Fall Semester - Year 2

Course #	Course Name	Credits
COMD 6320	Language and Literacy in Children who are DHH	3
COMD 6900	LSL Practicum Workshop	1
COMD 6700	LSL Practicum	3
COMD 6900	Effective Instruction & Instructional Strategies II	3
Credit Hours		10

Spring Semester - Year 2

Course #	Course Name	Credits
COMD 6350	LSL Early Elem and Itinerant Support	3
COMD 6900	LSL Student Teaching (PPAT required for Utah Deaf Education Teaching License)	9
Credit Hours		12

COMDDE Course Syllabi

For past and current syllabi for all COMDDE courses, go USU Canvas Course Syllabus Tracker at elearn.usu.edu/syllabus. Enter the following:

Term = your choice
College = EEJ Education & Human Service
Department = Comm Disorders & Deaf Ed
Delivery Method = All Delivery Methods
Campus = All Campuses
Click on Blue Button “Open Direct Link Course Syllabus List”
Select and click on desired course

Admissions

Application Deadline: March 3rd for Fall Admission

TUITION

To see tuition information go to:
http://www.usu.edu/registrar/tuition

PREREQUISITES

Background/undergraduate in Special Education, Communicative Disorders, FCHD or related field.

ADMISSION INFORMATION

GPA: 3.0 or better for last 60 credits
Completed Application: USU Graduate School http://rgs.usu.edu/graduateschool/admissions/apply
Personal Interview: May include: attitude, work ethic, clinical and scholarly achievements, professional leadership aptitude and personal integrity may be considered.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) Endorsement

The DHH Endorsement program at USU was specially designed for currently licensed special educators and speech-language pathologists who are seeking additional training in serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in general education settings.

Children who are DHH require instruction from professionals who understand their unique academic, linguistic, and technological needs. Unfortunately, shortages of appropriately trained service providers exist both locally and nationally, even though approximately 87% of children who are DHH attend at least some portion of their day mainstream classrooms. The shortage of qualified professionals has become particularly acute for children who are DHH who use listening and spoken language. Because of advances in hearing technology (e.g., cochlear implants, hearing aids), and the fact that approximately 95% of children with hearing loss are born to hearing parents (Mitchell & Kartchner, 2004), many families choose a spoken language communication methodology for their children who are DHH.

To address these shortages, Utah State University provides graduate level coursework and practicum training opportunities for currently licensed special educators and speech-language pathologists to earn the DHH Endorsement.

Program Details

There are 6 classes, plus practicum (20 credit hours) required in the program of study. Some course substitutions or pre-requisites may apply depending on undergraduate coursework completed. All classes are offered asynchronous online, which means that students access course content from their computer and do not need to sign in to the computer at a specific time.
The program takes 3 semesters to complete (fall, spring, and summer). This means that students take 2 classes each semester for three semesters. The program begins Fall semester.
During the school year (fall and spring semesters), students complete the practicum requirements in their regular employment setting. This promotes practice and utilization of the strategies learned in the coursework and applied in the professional setting.
The course content is most applicable to professionals who provide services to preschool or early elementary age children.

Program of Study

Course Descriptions

LSL DHH Endorsement Program - Required Coursework

COMD 6340: Strategies for Listening and Spoken Language Development in DHH Children (3)

The impact of universal newborn hearing screening, early fitting of hearing technology (digital hearing aids and/or cochlear implants), and enrollment in comprehensive early intervention programs has created new opportunities for infants and toddlers with hearing loss to learn to listen and talk. In this course, students will learn the developmental processes that are the underpinning for audition and spoken language acquisition. Specific techniques, strategies, and teaching behaviors to develop listening and spoken language in young children who are deaf or hard of hearing will be demonstrated and explored.

Semester (s) Traditionally Offered: Fall