As part of its continuing tradition of preparing educators, Radford University offers Virginia's only program leading to licensure in Special Education - Hearing Impairment PreK-12. This program, available at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, prepares professionals to serve children and youth who are deaf/hard of hearing.

Participants in this program will have exposure to all communication/instructional approaches used with the deaf/hard of hearing so that methods can be employed based on student need, audiologic information, and family preference.

PROGRAM OPTIONS

• B.S. Interdisciplinary Studies with Virginia Licensure in Hearing Impairment PreK-12
• M.S. Special Education with Virginia Licensure in Hearing Impairment PreK-12
• Licensure only (grant program) in Hearing Impairment PreK-12

LEARN BY DOING

Practicum experiences with deaf/hard of hearing children of varying ages, ability levels and degrees of hearing loss are built into the curriculum. Teaching opportunities in both public school and residential settings are provided and offer a wide range of experiences including shadowing an itinerant teacher, working in an oral classroom and workng in both resource and self contained classrooms which use either a total communication or bilingual bicultural method of instruction.

LEARN TO SERVE MANY KINDS OF NEEDS

Because deaf and hard of hearing students have a variety of learning styles, skill levels and auditory abilities, participants in this program are exposed to the various communication and instructional approaches used with deaf and hard of hearing students. The methods presented include: oral/aural, auditory/verbal, cued speech, total communication and bilingual/bicultural.