Certificate in Early Intervention Studies

This course is the first course in the Early Intervention Studies Graduate 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.

This course is the second course in the Early Intervention Studies Graduate 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.

This course is the third course in the Early Intervention Studies Graduate 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.

This course provides the opportunity for candidates in the Early Intervention Studies 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.

This online course is the fourth course in the Early Intervention Studies Graduate Certificate Program and the sixth course for the Early Intervention Studies Masters of Arts 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.

This course focuses on the implementation of a capstone project for candidates in the Early Intervention Studies 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.

This course is the final course in the Early Intervention Studies Graduate Certificate Program and the ninth course of the Early Intervention Studies Masters of Arts 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 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.