Overview
Dr. Julie Mitchiner, Program Co-Director
Dr. LaTrice L. Dowtin, Program Co-Director
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and their Families: Collaboration and Leadership Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program is a hybrid program (online and on-campus instruction) that provides professionals from a wide range of disciplines with current evidence-based knowledge and skills for working with families and their very young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The content and teaching of the program is interdisciplinary and provides an overview of professional and ethical practices, communication and language(s), families, and developmental assessment and programming. Candidates will acquire leadership, advocacy and collaboration skills that promote age and developmentally appropriate outcomes for infants and toddlers. All coursework and experiences reflect principles of diversity including understanding and appreciation of language diversity (ASL and English, as well as other home languages). This 7-course graduate certificate can be taken in conjunction with another graduate program at Gallaudet or another university, or as a post graduate program for professionals who have current or prospective employment in a program for deaf and hard of hearing infants, toddlers and their families.
The program focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills in four broad content areas. These areas include: 1) Professional and Ethical Practices, 2) Communication and Language, 3) Families, Cultures and Communities, and 4) Development, Assessment and Programming. Units of instruction are developed and taught by professionals with expertise in working with infants, toddlers and their families from a wide array of disciplinary backgrounds including, ASL and Deaf studies, communication studies, counseling, education, linguistics, psychology, speech-language-hearing, and social work. Bilingual (ASL - English) principles and philosophical perspectives are infused into the curriculum content and delivery of coursework and experiences. Each course will be offered for graduate or professional studies credits and will be co-taught by faculty from different disciplines. Units of instruction are developed and taught by professionals with expertise in working with infants, toddlers and their families from a wide array of disciplinary backgrounds including, ASL and Deaf studies, communication studies, counseling, education, linguistics, psychology, speech-language-hearing, and social work. Bilingual (ASL - English) principles and philosophical perspectives are infused into the curriculum content and delivery of coursework and experiences. Each course will be offered for graduate or professional studies credits and will be co-taught by faculty from different disciplines.
The program consists of 18 credit hours. The first course is a hybrid summer course of three-days on campus followed by online coursework. The second course is also during the first summer and is completely online. The next four courses are online during the fall and spring semesters. The seventh and final course begins with an online portion and concludes with a three-day on-campus seminar. The program includes an individually designed capstone project. The capstone project must be completed before the awarding of the certificate.
Online courses provide access to information through American Sign Language and English (e.g., presentations will be available through American Sign Language and spoken English or English captions).
The certificate in deaf/hard or hearing infants, toddlers, and their families program is not intended to lead to licensure and does not lead to licensure in Washington, D.C. Gallaudet University has also determined that the program also does not meet professional licensure requirements in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
Admissions Procedures
Applicants for the Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and their Families: Collaboration and Leadership may apply for either graduate or professional studies training (PST) credits. All applicants must complete the application procedures and meet the requirements for graduate study at Gallaudet University. Applicants for professional studies training credit should visit the Center for Continuing Studies website and applicants for graduate studies should visit the Graduate Admissions website for more information and a checklist of application requirements.
| DEADLINE |
DATE |
| First Date for Consideration of Application: |
No set date |
| Last Date for Completed Application: |
March 15 or until all possible slots are filled. |
Courses
ITF 700 - Socio-Cltrl & Political Ctxts for DHH Infants, Toddlers and their Families (3)
This course is the first course in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program and serves as an orientation to the program. This course requires both on-campus and online participation. Participants will examine perspectives on working with young deaf and hard of hearing children, their families, and communities and will discuss the historical foundations of birth-to-three programs and services. The impact of early hearing detection and intervention principles and practices on newborn hearing screening and programs will be addressed. The course will provide an overview of the following topics: professionalism, advocacy, ethics, dispositions, diversity, and other factors that impact deaf and hard of hearing infants and toddlers and their families. Resources to support collaboration, leadership and change will be included. Evidence-based research and best practice guidelines that benefit deaf and hard of hearing infants and toddlers and their families will be addressed.
Prerequisite: Admission to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program, or permission of instructor(s).
ITF 701 - Com, Language & Cognitive Dev: DHH Infants and Toddlers (3)
This course is the second course in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program. The course requires on-line participation. The course addresses language, communication, and cognitive development and developmental milestones. Participants will examine socio-cultural factors that impact linguistic, cognitive and communication development from diverse perspectives. The course addresses language learning models for ASL and English, bilingual, multilingual and dual language learning. Participants will explore visual, auditory and tactile modalities, technological devices for supporting language and communication development, and the research that underlies current practices. Participants will explore how professionals with varying disciplinary expertise can collaborate to provide support to families to enhance their child's development. Family language learning models including Deaf Professional/ Advisor programs and family sign language programs will also be addressed.
Prerequisite: Admission to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program and completion of the ITF 700 or Permission of Instructor(s).
ITF 702 - Ldrsp Persp on Families with DHH Infants and Toddlers: Their Cultures and Comm (3)
This course is the third course in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program. The course requires on-line participation. This course examines family systems' perspectives and the interrelationships among the young child who is deaf or hard of hearing, family and communities. Family and community cultures, values and beliefs will be explored. Participants will understand the importance of building relationships and the research underlying the importance of family support systems, acceptance and accommodation. Emphasis will be on collaboration with professionals from different disciplinary backgrounds, leadership and advocacy. The course will address strategies and resources that promote family and professional collaboration, family-to-family support networks, and family involvement.
Prerequisite: Admission into the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program and completion of ITF 700 and ITF 701
ITF 703 - Strategies for Developing Com, Lang & Cogn for DHH Infants and Toddlers (3)
This online course is the fourth course in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program. The course addresses the methods, strategies and techniques for developing language, communication, cognition and literacy for infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. Candidates will acquire knowledge of assessments used to describe the strengths and needs of these children. The course emphasizes an interdisciplinary collaborative approach and the roles of related professionals (e.g., audiologists, early childhood educators, speech-language pathologists, social workers, psychologists, etc). Strategies and resources will address the continuum of communication and language opportunities including the development of spoken English and American Sign Language.
Prerequisite: Admission to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program and completion of ITF 700, ITF 701, and ITF 702
ITF 704 - A Developmental Approach to Programming for Infants/Toddlers and their Families (3)
This course is the fifth course in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program. The course requires both on-line and on-campus participation. The course will focus on both content and skill development in the areas of assessment and programming. Collaboration will be emphasized in the assessment and implementation of goals and services for young children and their families. The processes underlying the development of IFSPs and IEP's and transitions from early intervention to preschools will be explored. Strategies and resources will emphasize best practice in interdisciplinary, developmentally and individually appropriate and culturally responsive programming. Candidates for the certificate will present their capstone projects and final portfolios to provide evidence of their knowledge, skills and professional dispositions for working with infants and toddlers who are deaf or hard of hearing, birth-to-three and their families.
Prerequisite: Admission to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program and completion of ITF 700, ITF 701, ITF 702, and ITF 703
ITF 705 - DHH Infants Toddlers and their Families: Capstone Project Part 1 (1)
This course provides the opportunity for candidates in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and Families: Collaboration and Leadership (ITF) Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program to engage in a leadership or collaborative project related to deaf and hard of hearing infants, toddlers and their families. The course focuses on the development of a capstone project proposal. The course is conducted entirely through distance learning.
Prerequisites: Admission to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and their Families: Collaboration and Leadership Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program and ITF 700; or permission of the Instructor.
ITF 706 - DHH Infants Toddlers and their Families: Capstone Project Part II (2)
This course focuses on the implementation of a capstone project for candidates in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and their Families: Collaboration and Leadership Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program. Projects provide candidates with opportunities to engage in leadership or collaborative activities appropriate to their goals and interests. This course builds on the candidate's previously approved proposal for a capstone project. The course is conducted entirely through distance learning.
Prerequisites: Admission to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and their Families: Collaboration and Leadership Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate Program and completion of ITF 705; or permission of the instructor.
