James McCann

Jim McCann received his EdD from the GWU Graduate School of Education and Human Development's Special Education and Disabilities Studies Program in 2018. His dissertation research examined the relationship between visual language and early literacy development in deaf and hard-of-hearing children. He received his MS in Speech-Language Pathology from Gallaudet University in 2001, and his BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish in 1999 from Penn State University. 

Dr. McCann's research interests are identifying language disorders separate from language delay due to lack of accessible language in deaf and hard-of-hearing children acquiring visual language; identifying evidence based practice for language instruction and intervention with D/HOH children; investigating eye gaze and its relationship to language and literacy development and its relationship to instructional practice; acquisition and preservation of heritage language in bilingual children with language impairment; and the communication development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children with complex communication needs who require augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies due to significant additional motor, intellectual, and/or sensory needs. 

He is establishing the eye-gaze and language/literacy (EGALL) lab.