The following Conceptual Framework for the Ph.D. Program is consistent with that of the overall National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) unit at Gallaudet which addresses the following areas: (1) connections between best practices in General Education and Deaf Education, (2) connecting local, national, and global perspectives, (3) connections in tradition and innovation, (4) connecting theory and practice and (5) connecting curriculum to continuous learning through reflection and inquiry.

1. Connections Between Best Practice in General Education and Deaf Education

Ph.D. students who are preparing for leadership positions in Deaf Education (e.g., coordinators of instructional programs for deaf students and faculty in university programs doing research and preparing teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students) must be knowledgeable about historical perspectives and current trends and issues in General, Special and Deaf Education (Bowe, Approaching Equality: Education of the Deaf, 1991; Council on Education of the Deaf, Standards for the Certification of Professionals Involved in the Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children and Youth, 2001). Program applicants must demonstrate master’s level educational preparation in Deaf Education or a related field and 3 years experience with deaf learners. Doctoral students are required to take six credits of coursework that specifically addresses trends and issues in General Education, Special Education and Deaf Education. Other core courses addressing assessment, curriculum, or instruction draw heavily on the knowledge bases in both General Education and Special Education as reflected in articles in journals such as Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Speech Hearing and Language Research, Exceptional Children, and Teaching Exceptional Children and Deaf Education (e.g., Journal of Deaf Studies And Deaf Education, American Annals of the Deaf, and Volta Review. Faculty involved with the Ph.D. program are nationally and internationally renowned for their global involvement in national and international organizations in General, Special and Deaf Education.

2. Connecting Local, National, and Global Perspectives

The connection between local, national, and global perspectives is reflected in all aspects of the program, including the students admitted to the program, the curriculum, and the faculty. Although the primary emphasis of the Ph.D. program is the preparation of leadership personnel for the U.S., each year, between 20-40% of new students are from countries other than the U.S. who seek knowledge and abilities to be effective leaders in their countries. All core courses in the Ph.D. program explicitly address multicultural issues, as reflected in course syllabi. All core courses specifically and explicitly address national, international, and multicultural issues, utilizing texts (e.g., Lane, Hoffmeister, & Bahan (1996) A Journey into the Deaf-World ; and Christensen & Delgado (2000) Deaf Plus: A Multicultural Perspective) and readings from journals such as the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education and American Annals of the Deaf that regularly include articles addressing educational issues related to deaf children in other countries. One required course (i.e., Seminar in Language, Culture and Literacy: Issues in Deaf Education) addresses critical language literacy issues with a culture-specific orientation. Students have opportunities to do their internships with national or international organizations. Faculty in the Ph.D. program regularly address national and international issues in Deaf Education via national and international publications and presentations.

3. Connections to Tradition and Innovation

Tradition and innovation in Deaf Education have been closely linked to Gallaudet since its founding in 1864 (Van Cleve [1993] Deaf History Unveiled). The university's teacher preparation program has been on the forefront of innovation in the field since its inception in 1891 (Jones & Achtzehn, 1992). Concentration areas in the the Ph.D. program are those identified as being most needed in the field (LaSasso & Achzehn, 1996; LaSasso & Wilson, 2000). Program revisions, that began in 1999 and resulted in 11 new or revised core courses, reflect input from program graduates, current faculty, students, and members of the Ph.D. Advisory Board. Core course readings reflect tradition (e.g., Moores (2000) Principles and Practices Educating Deaf Students) as well current practice and innovations (LaSasso & Mobley [2000], National Survey of Materials and Procedures Used to Develop Reading Abilities of Deaf Students; LaSasso; Lytle and Rovens [1997] Reforming deaf education: A paradigm shift from how to teach to what to teach; LaSasso & Metzger [1998]An Alternative Route for Preparing Deaf Children for BiBi Programs: The Home Language as L1 and Cued Speech for Conveying Traditionally Spoken Languages)

4. Connecting Theories and Practice

Views in the field of Deaf Education related to language and communication and educating deaf students vary greatly. Theory and practice are connected in various ways within the program. In core courses, Ph.D. students are expected to articulate different views on key language, communication, and other educational issues, including historical perspectives, theory, and research that supports the different views. Knowledge and skills acquired in statistics and research methods courses are applied via research team activities and the dissertation. Students do a supervised Practicum in University Instruction in which best teaching practices in higher education are developed, and they do a 4-9 credit role-related internship in which specific role-related competencies are developed and evaluated.

5. Connecting Curriculum to Continuous Learning Through Reflection and Inquiry

Many of the core courses in the Ph.D. program require reflective portfolios. Reflection is encouraged throughout doctoral students’ preparation. Such reflection is necessary for leadership personnel to develop their full potential for motivating others. See Black et al. (1994) New Directions in Portfolio Assessment: Reflective Practice, Critical Theory, and Large-Scale Scoring; Brookfield (1995) Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher; and Paris & Ayres (1996) Becoming Reflective Students and Teachers with Portfolios and Authentic Assessment.