STATE LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IS ESSENTIAL
Krunk from Emperors New Groove says Mission Accomplished
Happy June! You made it to summer! The theme for this month is based on the tenth and final essential principle from the Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Educational Service Guidelines: State leadership and collaboration is essential. Keep reading for resources and more!
Collaboration is Key
Large RMTC logo with hands signing COLLABORATE with Florida to the right with three hands coming together on top of it A quote from NASDSE on principle ten of Optimizing Outcomes
Did you know that the RMTC-D/HH logo is two hands signing the word “collaborate.” What does “collaboration” mean? Collaboration does NOT mean compromise. Nor does it mean majority rules. In a collaborative environment, each person finds out what the other needs, and both work together to meet those needs. During the collaborative process, parties may decide to compromise. But, without collaboration, compromise is just two or more parties leaving the conflict with only partially-fulfilled needs.

NASDSE (2018, p.3) states:
Strong state and local leadership with effective collaboration among key stakeholders, including parents, deaf or hard of hearing consumers, state and local educators, university teacher preparation programs, and advocacy organizations, is the key to successful systems of delivery of programs and services. A core group of strong deaf education leaders can promote high quality educational services for students, considering each state’s unique context, by providing guidance to local school districts, teachers, professionals and families and addressing issues when they arise. Local education agencies must maintain connections with the state department of education, schools for the deaf, specialized day schools and other entities that provide professional development in deaf education and associated areas.

The free flow of information and resources between collaborative entities is vital to the well-being of the profession. It may not always be easy to get information. However, there are many places where staff at every level can find local, state, and national resources specific to the needs of students who are D/HH including your district’s board meeting notes, the BESE Weekly Memo, and national organizations such as the American Society for Deaf Children, the Alexander Graham Bell Association, Hands and Voices, or the Radical Middle. As always, RMTC-D/HH and Florida state leadership are here to support you and collaborate with you.
Fun Summer Learning!
Summer is upon us! Are you looking for fun, educational activities for children who are D/HH? Check out the archived TA-Live! Keeping it Moving Forward: Fun Summer Learning. During this TA-Live! webinar, RMTC-D/HH specialists review fun summer learning strategies and tips. They also discuss the Summer Learning Padlet that has a plethora of entertaining summer activities.

Are you looking for summer camps for students who are D/HH? Don’t forget to check out the Summer Camps document on the RMTC-D/HH Downloadable Documents webpage!
News from RMTC-D/HH
June 2021 TA-Live! Panel Experts
RMTC-D/HH is pleased to announce the panel of experts for the June TA-Live! webinar Principle 10 - State Leadership and Collaboration is Essential: Shelley Ardis, Florida School for the Deaf and Blind Administrator of Technology and Outreach Services; Jennifer Coburn, Florida Department of Education DHH/VI/DSI Specialist; Jennifer Francisco, Educational Interpreter Project Coordinator; Michelle Henry, Hillsborough County D/HH Coordinator; and Carmelina Hollingsworth, RMTC-D/HH Project Director. Come learn from this diverse group of professionals about how they collaborate with state leadership and other stakeholders to optimize the outcomes for students who are deaf/hard of hearing in Florida.

Have a question for the panelists? Fill out a short form in advance!
Florida Individual Performance Profile (FLIPP)
The Florida Individual Performance Profile (FLIPP) is a new tool recently adapted by RMTC-D/HH team members, based on the CIPP, the Colorado Individual Performance Profile. Available on the RMTC-D/HH Downloadable Documents webpage or the FLDOE Deaf/Hard of Hearing webpage, the FLIPP “is a multi-purpose data-based discussion tool that presents a ‘picture’ of standardized and functional assessments for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. It is not an assessment by itself; rather it is a tool to profile the results of the various assessments conducted.” (RMTC-D/HH, 2021). It was originally developed in 2002 and updated in 2021 to assist IEP/504 teams in determining a student’s needs in multiple facets of their educational programming, including placement in the least restrictive environment. Would you like more information on the FLIPP or training on its implementation? Contact us at info@rmtcdhh.org!
Break for the Summer
Boy leaving school yelling SUMMER with hands in air
Although Tech Notes will be taking a break for the summer, RMTC-D/HH will not! RMTC-D/HH staff will be here to support you and answer any questions you may have. You can request assistance by emailing us at info@rmtcdhh.org or by filling out the Request Services Form. But, if we don’t hear from you, we hope you are sitting in the sun (with sunscreen) and enjoying some much needed rest and relaxation.
spotlight
Expanded Skills Spotlight

Standard: SP.PK12.DH.1.1a: Identify historical and current attitudes of the Deaf community and the impact on themselves and others.

Brief description of the lesson:
The Texas Sensory Support Network at Education Service Center Region 11, in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency, has developed a series of resources called, Navigating Life with Hearing Loss. The lessons showcased in unit 12 of Navigating Life with Hearing Loss focus on Deaf* culture and history, including lessons about historical perspectives, important people in the deaf community, and support resources in the deaf community. The lessons have fun activities like a scavenger hunt or dressing up and role playing as a famous Deaf person in history. 

*The capital “D” in Deaf refers to those who identify with the Deaf community and culture.

Have an idea or lesson plan for Expanded Skills standards? Email your idea to RMTC-D/HH!
Additional resources for teaching this Expanded Skills standard include the following: 
  • The National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes published videos related to #DeafSuccess which features deaf adults and stories of their identity and access. Teachers can lead students in discussion of identity, intersectionality, and the impact deaf professionals have on their field and community.
  • The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) published a document, “Transition Titles for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing” which includes content on college, career options, job and life skills, personality and mental health, and transition topics in ASL. For teaching Expanded Skill standard SP.PK12.DH.1.1a, teachers can utilize the role models section which investigates career stories and achieving goals for people who are D/HH. 
  • DCMP also has videos relevant to Deaf History and Deaf Culture.
RMTC DHH Teacher Toolkit logo with toolbox with hearing aids ruler and hearing stethoscope
Resources:

In order to keep all the resources in one place, RMTC-D/HH has created a LiveBinder that is categorized by the Ten Essential Principles for Effective Education of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing from the Optimizing Outcomes for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Educational Service Guidelines. To see the resources available by each category, check out the LiveBinder!
Resources that are in the RMTC-D/HH Media and Materials Loan Library* that have relevance to the essential principle State leadership and collaboration is essential.:

Case Studies in Deaf Education: Inquiry, Application, and Resources (Catalog Number: 1951): Case Studies in Deaf Education by Caroline Guardino, Jennifer S. Beal, Joanna E. Cannon, Jenna Voss, and Jessica P. Bergeron provides comprehensive materials that will prepare prospective teachers to work with the diverse spectrum of students who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh) and empower them to better understand these complex and unique learners. The text presents an extensive series of case studies that are balanced and unbiased in both language and instructional approaches and that encourage readers to use background details, academic data, and evidence-based practices to make informed educational decisions.

How Deaf Children Learn- What Parents and Teachers Need to Know (Catalog Number: 1875): In this guide, Marc Marschark and Peter Hauser, both professors at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, highlight important new advances in scientific and educational research that can help parents and teachers of children with significant hearing loss.

Language Deprivation and Deaf Mental Health (Catalog Number: 1929): This book by authors Neil Glickman and Wyatte Hall explores the impact of the language deprivation that some individuals who are D/HH experience by not being provided fully accessible language exposure during childhood. Leading experts in mental health care for the D/HH discuss the implications of language deprivation for a person’s development, communication, cognitive abilities, behavior, and mental health.

New to the Loan Library!!!
Language Learning in Children Who are Deaf & Hard of Hearing (Catalog Number: 1960): This book by Susan Easterbrooks is designed for classroom teachers who must instruct children in academic knowledge while helping them master a first language. It provides authoritative guidance on what a teacher and parent can do next to help school-age children who are D/HH master communication.

Inclusive Education for Children With Hearing Loss: A Practical Guide for Parents and Teachers (Catalog Number: 1961): This book by Dr. M. Uys and E. Selesho aims to empower and educate teachers and parents by providing holistic and practical information about the physical, amplification, social, and academic needs of the child who is D/HH. Inclusive Education also provides the basic expectations for what is required for inclusion in the mainstream classroom to result in expected educational progress for students with hearing loss. Information is provided in an easily understandable manner and supported by various online interactive videos and demonstrations.

*Florida stakeholders can borrow these and many other resources from RMTC-D/HH's Media and Materials Loan Library, for FREE. Each material comes with a return label, making even the shipping at no charge to the borrower.
RMTC-D/HH Family Corner
Family Corner logo with hands holding a house with a heart in the middle of house with RMTC logo in the top left hand corner
Family Corner is a section for professionals that will address how they can help parents to be more involved and be more collaborative. This section will be from the perspective of a parent of a child who is deaf and has other disabilities and who also happens to be an educational professional. Depending on the topic, this section may deal with how to approach parents on the topic or help educators understand the parents’ perspectives.

What families need to know about: State Leadership and Collaboration is Essential

Often, parents focus on the here and now. Educationally, they often do not pay attention to the bigger picture outside their own child’s IEP and what is happening at the classroom or school level. However, it is important that they understand state leadership and collaboration and why it is essential. Families may understand the unique needs of their child. However, they may not see how that fits into the wider educational structure of the school, the district, the state, or national initiatives and legislation. Helping families to understand the structure and roles of the different levels of the educational system helps to create a sense of trust and continuity for the family.

The vertical structure provides layers of oversight to ensure that, at each level, the requirements of IDEA, state statutes and board rules, and ADA are being met. This includes the wider oversight that occurs at the federal level to make sure that states are following interpretive guidelines, are meeting standards, and providing guidance to help states better serve their student populations. Educators may need to share not only the structure, but the function of each level to families for them to understand the purpose and interconnectivity between them.

States monitor districts to ensure they are meeting and following state statute and board rule requirements for implementation of IDEA while providing guidance based on these statutes and rules concerning how localities should interpret them. This also provides consistency across districts inside the state. How and what is monitored statewide as well as in individual districts can be found on the FLDOE’s Program Accountability, Assessment, & Data Systems web page

State leadership and collaboration with and for the districts provides a non-prejudicial mechanism for issues resolution, further professional and parent education, and improved awareness and understanding. Without going to due process, a family can talk with or, if necessary, file a complaint with the Florida Department of Education, where the department will review the situation with the district to ensure FAPE is being afforded to the student. These solutions can include things as policy interpretation, guidance, provision of a facilitated IEP, and other interventions or supports. Proactive engagement can deescalate a situation before it worsens to the point where family/school collaboration deteriorates.

Finally, help families understand that this process, from the individual IEP team all the way to the federal government, is designed to be collaborative. Information flows in both directions (following FERPA guidelines) and is used at all levels to help the decision-making process be as informed and effective as possible. While directives do come down from state and national initiatives, data and requests also flow up that chain to help inform the decision-makers at all levels. In this way, all of IDEA is a collaborative process. Helping parents understand this collaboration may also help them understand the method to what the family may originally have seen as madness.

If you or a family would like to explore this topic further, Hands & Voices held an informative webinar concerning family engagement!
Did you know?
The Florida Educators of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (FEDHH) 2021 Conference Call for Papers are open! Do you have an amazing intervention, tip, or trick when teaching students who are D/HH? Share it at the 2021 FEDHH Conference! Submit your proposal now!
Upcoming Events: Save the Date!
RMTC-D/HH provides Tech Notes as a free resource to teachers, professionals, and parents around the state in order to pass along potentially useful information and expand the knowledge and opportunities available to educators and families of children who have hearing loss. This email was funded by the Florida Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Student Education through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Part B funds. The information included does not reflect any specific endorsement by any parties involved.
Suggested citation:
Resource Materials and Technology Center for the Deaf/Hard [RMTC-D/HH]. (June 2021). State leadership and collaboration is essential. Tech Notes. https://www.rmtcdhh.org/tech-notes-archive/