WHAT'S NEW IN THE  ACADEMY

SERVICE DELIVERY RUBRIC

This assessment aims to identify key factors that contribute to a student who is deaf or hard of hearing thriving in a mainstream educational setting. It will help the IEP team determine potential academic support needs within their neighborhood school and inform decisions regarding the most appropriate educational placement. 

This assessment is available to print or to access digitally for auto scoring and easy report writing.

Sign Language Development

This Audit-Proof IEP Bundle includes your pre and post assessments, IEP goals/objectives, data collection sheets and linked activities for each skill.

This checklist is designed to support educational teams in evaluating a student's current sign language abilities, identifying language needs, and determining appropriate services in educational settings where information is accessed visually through sign language.  Designed to be flexible and inclusive because language development may look different depending on the variety of sign language a student uses.

Use of Interpreter 

This Audit-Proof IEP Bundle includes your pre and post assessments, IEP goals/objectives, data collection sheets and linked activities for each skill.

Starting with Level 0 (Interpreter Readiness), this assessment advances to level 3 (Advanced Use of an Interpreter), identifying if a student demonstrates autonomy, advocacy, and intentional use of interpreter services.

A Student's Guide to Using an Interpreter 

Designed to equip your students with essential skills for effectively using interpreters, this course provides a structured and engaging way to prepare them for these crucial interactions while they are still in school. Situations like personal conversations, asking class-related questions, understanding roles and responsibilities, and identifying when you really need (or don't need!) an interpreter, each lesson includes discussion and role play scenarios to truly be interactive and engaging for your student.

Language Building Activities for Children at the Pre-Emergent Language Level

Activities for children at the very beginning levels of communication, these activities support and build receptive, expressive and pragmatic language.

Perfect for working with young children or children with complex needs, these activities support students at the pre-emergent language level.

ASL Development Activities

Looking to develop a child's sign language skills?  With more activities and lessons than ever before, you'll find activities to expand sign language skills for beginning all the way to proficient signers.  You'll find the following activities:

• Wordless story prompts
• ASL stories
• Classifier practice
• and more!

Would Your Rather

(DHH Edition)

Bring some fun and language-rich interaction into your session with the Would You Rather? Deaf and Hard of Hearing Edition! Created with flexibility in mind, use it language groups, 1:1 sessions and even with multiple student in a variety of locations by passing a notebook back and forth to share answers across classrooms or schools. This edition encourages expressive language, critical thinking, and peer connection—making it a perfect tool to spark conversation and build skills in a way that feels playful and engaging.

SELF-IDENTITY LESSON: SARAH TUBERT

Sarah was bullied in middle school and high school because she was different.  She was called terrible names, like freak and monster.  She felt like an outcast. She didn't want to be different than the other kids at her school.   She would pretend that she understood everything, even though she didn't.

Sarah Tubert learned to accept herself through her journey of facing challenges, finding belonging, and choosing to believe in her own worth. Learn how she did it!

SELF-IDENTITY LESSON: PETER DANKELSON (PETE'S DIARY)

Peter was born with a rare syndrome and microtia which caused his hearing loss. He has had 38 surgeries to correct birth defects due to his syndrome. Pete wears a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA).  

When Pete was 15, he taught himself how to play the guitar, using music to get through some of his toughest surgical recoveries.  He started a band called Pete's Diary.  Today, he travels the world to inspire and motivate people to live their best lives, even in the midst of trials and differences.

6 Ways to Create an Inclusive Home

Available in both English and Spanish, this is a great parent handout to send home.  This handout combines nicely with the parent training Creating a Deaf Friendly Home, also now with Spanish Translation.

Understanding Background Noise for Students with Hearing Loss

This infographic will help staff and students understand the challenges that background noise can cause for students with hearing loss.  The infographic outlines activities that create background noise and highlights the real classroom impact.

FRIEND Academy Brochure (Spanish Version)

As The Online Itinerant begins a new commitment to supporting Spanish speaking families, many of our FRIEND ( Academy resources are being translated into Spanish.  This FRIEND Academy brochure is a great way to introduce families to the FRIEND Academy.  The FRIEND (Family Resources, Information & Education for Navigating the Deaf/Hard of hearing Journey)  Academy is an all inclusive program:

• Unlimited access to more than 40 hours of On-Demand Trainings for parents/caretakers of kids with hearing loss
• All Monthly Meetups
• Phone app for easy access
• Teaching Toolbox
• Parent Power Hours 

Actividades para PUNTOS DE REFERENCIA DEL LENGUAJE RECEPTIVO

PRE-EMERGENTE 

(Language Building Activities for Children at the Pre-Emergent Language Level - Spanish Version)

Activities for children at the very beginning levels of communication, these activities support and build receptive, expressive and pragmatic language.

6 Ways to Create an Inclusive Home (Spanish Version)

This is a great parent handout for Spanish-speaking families.  It outlines simple ways they can modify their homes to make them more inclusive for their deaf or hard of hearing child.

Strategies shared with families include:

• Arranging furniture for optimal visibility
• Inclusive mealtimes
• Visual doorbells
• Captions on all devices
• Learning Sign Language as a family

Impact of Hearing Loss (Spanish Version)

This handout outlines the impact that hearing loss can have on a child, including the impact on:

• Language
• Social-Emotional Development
• Possible accommodations and services

There is a different handout for each level of hearing loss, including mild, moderate, moderately-severe, severe, profound and unilateral hearing loss. 

Training:

Preparar-Participar-Recordar

(Prepare-Engage-Reminisce  through Spanish Interpreter)

This training discusses the importance of planning events to ensure accessibility for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Parents will learn how to prepare their children for events/activities by discussing the event, identifying potential challenges, and ensuring they have the necessary tools for participation. Using this technique, parents help children develop social-emotional skills and create meaningful memories.

Training: 

Observar para Servir 

(Observe to Serve through Spanish Interpreter)

Observation as a tool to measure access along the deaf and hard of hearing journey. Learn the why's, what's, when's and hows of using an access lens to observe that will help you support your child. This training, now interpreted into Spanish, is perfect for your Spanish-speaking families to learn what to look for when it comes to understanding the impact of their child's hearing loss.

Training:

Haz "mágico" de lo Mundano

(Make "Magic" out of the Mundane through Spanish Interpreter)

This training teaches parents to leverage daily routines to support the development of their deaf or hard-of-hearing child. Parents learn to use familiar activities to enhance language and communication skills, creating a safe and predictable environment, and adapting interactions to the child's needs. Parents learn how to  establish daily routines, identify areas for improvement, and use teachable moments. 

The ABC's and XYZ's of Audiogram Reading 

Unlock the information that can be gained through an audiogram. Review the variety of tests that are offered during an audiometric evaluation. Better discern what speech recognition testing can tell us in conjunction with other results on the audiogram and get insight from unaided, aided/CI and DM/Roger audiograms to better understand how the info can be used in a classroom or therapy session to support learning through audition. You'll learn what what an audiogram might be missing and what additional evaluations should be requested.

Designing Dynamic Learning Material in Canva 

Kelsey Funk is back for an exciting presentation on how you can use Canva to create engaging and accessible learning materials.  Learn how to incorporate visual supports like sign language illustrations, videos, and even AI to make learning materials specific to the students you serve. Discover Canva's collaborative whiteboard features for working alongside other professionals to make planning a breeze. 

Language Instruction Techniques for Students with Language Deprivation

Join us we explore the strategies for language instruction and intervention with deaf and hard of hearing children who have experienced language deprivation. Develop an understanding of why children with language deprivation need explicit language instruction and delve into strategies for how to provide this. ASL-English bilingual strategies will be included throughout, as deaf children with language deprivation require a completely accessible language during intervention.

The Language of Conflict:

Behavior Management for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students  

Behavior impacts the speed and accuracy of learning. By positively influencing behavior, content knowledge is increased and social skills are improved.

This training will help you understand the causes of inappropriate behavior, the components of the conflict cycle, the impact of deafness and learn how to positively impact behavior.

Monitoring Student's Progress

Avenue PM 

Learn about formative assessment, progress monitoring and the application of data to determine literacy growth in the areas of early language, reading and writing. You'll learn about the free software (avepm.com) that can be used to monitor students’ academic progress and resources (avepmtools.com) that can be used for instructional planning and intervention, making progress monitoring easy all year long!

Building Self-Identity and Supporting Social/Emotional Needs for Mainstreamed DHH Students

Join Kellina as she shares how she took her personal journey of self-identity and learned how to empower Deaf and Hard of Hearing students through their own journey of self-identity.  Get insight on how to create a supportive and inclusive environment for mainstreamed Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and get strategies and tools to nurture self-identity while fostering social and emotional development.  

Unlocking Synergy: Strategies for Collaborative Success as an Itinerant 

Dive into the world of tech-enabled collaboration, equipping you with strategies to enhance your interactions with fellow educators and professionals. Explore innovative ideas and solutions that facilitate seamless information sharing and collaborative problem-solving for simple things like emailing and more complex things like inservicing.