Deaf and Hard of Hearing Masters Programs Online

Last Updated on December 20, 2022

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing-Masters Degree programs provide students with the opportunity to study at their convenience using an online format. These online colleges for the deaf are available in various areas of study including arts, humanities, education, social sciences, natural sciences, nursing, business, law, medicine and other health professions. Getting the right answer from the internet does not always bring up the right answer sometimes. This is largely because the internet is filled with tons of information that is not always from credible sources. Now, if you’ve been searching for information on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Masters Programs Online, then the article below brings you all you need to know and more.

Infolearners provides information about Deaf and Hard of Hearing Masters Programs Online together with details about deaf education certification online, deaf and hard of hearing teacher programs, masters in deaf studies online, master of deaf education and hearing science, deaf and hard of hearing certification. You can also find more interesting related articles on infolearners.

Special Education: Deaf & Hard of Hearing (Master's) - UNC Extended Campus

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Masters Programs Online Overview

Get certified to teach in a growing field. Teachers with a high-quality certification in working with deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) students are in high demand.

Earn your MA in Special Education, your Arizona teacher of deaf/hard of hearing certification and your national certification from the Council on the Education of the Deaf (CED), all in one place.

You will build the skills to work in a wide range of classroom settings with coursework including language and literacy assessment and intervention, instructional methods and strategies, audiology, speech and language development, cultural diversity and research. Focus on addressing the needs of students within public school settings through communication and literacy development and put your learning into practice through a practicum and a final full-time teaching internship.

Graduates have gone on to teach D/HH students as either itinerant, resource room or self-contained classroom teachers. Itinerant teachers travel from school to school to provide on-site services and support, while resource room teachers have D/HH classrooms on general education campuses and self-contained classroom teachers typically work at center schools for the deaf or in public school programs.

What Are the Best Special Education Programs of 2020? Here Are Our Top 10:

1University of FloridaGainesville, FL
2University of WashingtonSeattle, WA
3North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC
4Florida International UniversityMiami, FL
5George Washington UniversityWashington, DC
6Texas Tech UniversityLubbock, TX
7Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI
8George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA
9Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN
10Saint Joseph’s UniversityPhiladelphia, PA

Some master’s in special education programs prepare professionals without teaching experience to earn an initial teaching license, while others help practicing general educators learn how to teach students of all learning abilities. Furthermore, special educators who possess an advanced degree often receive higher salaries.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 3% increase in employment of special education teachers between 2018 and 2028. While schools often hire educators with a bachelor’s degree, states may require candidates to hold a graduate degree to earn advanced certification.

Common Terms within Deaf and Hard of Hearing Culture

  • Deaf When uppercased, “Deaf” refers specifically to the Deaf community, individuals who are members of the community, and an identity beyond that of deafness and fluency in American Sign Language.
  • Hard of Hearing Individuals who do not have full hearing — but are not necessarily completely deaf — may identify themselves as “hard of hearing,” or “HOH.” This is a very broad term that can refer to both individuals inside and outside of the Deaf community.
  • deaf When lowercased, “deaf” refers to the medical condition of being unable to hear. The term does not share the same community and cultural connotations as when uppercased.
  • Hearing-impaired While “hearing-impaired” was previously a widely used term, it has fallen out of favor because of its negative connotations; it focuses more on what deaf and hard of hearing individuals aren’t rather than on who they are.
  • Deafness “Deafness” is, broadly speaking, the condition of being deaf.
  • Late-Deafened “Late-deafened” refers to individuals who were not born deaf, but rather became deaf as adults.
Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Graduate Program - Communication  Sciences and Disorders - Missouri State University

Explore a Master’s Degree in Deaf Education

If you would like work as a special education teacher and are interested in learning sign language, then an online master’s degree in deaf education may be the right choice for you. A master’s degree in deaf education prepares teachers to help elementary, middle, and high school students who are deaf or hard of hearing. A deaf education master’s degree program may require the completion of 36 credit hours of courses, although the length of the curriculum may change based on the institution, as well as the amount of previous work experience and graduate credit you bring into the program.

A graduate degree in education of the deaf may be a good option for individuals interested in working as a highly specialized special education teacher. This advanced degree helps students in deaf studies graduate programs learn how to teach deaf students valuable skills to help them navigate the world.

A deaf studies graduate program may require students to engage in several years of full time study. Some deaf education degree programs may require students to fulfill coursework and practicum requirements in order to successfully complete the program.  Some states might then require graduates of a deaf education college to sit for a certification examination before deeming the individual qualified to pursue potential career opportunities in a school system.

Some coursework that students in a deaf education graduate program might undertake includes: curriculum and methods for deaf children, aural rehab for infants and children, research methods, language and literacy in deaf children, foundations of early childhood special education, teaching children with hearing loss to hear and speak, and family intervention techniques.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing | Health and Behavior Studies | Teachers College,  Columbia University

Class Curriculum

Deaf education students take a mix of American Sign Language and special education courses. These may include managing challenging behavior, psychology and sociology of deafness, speech and language development of the deaf and hard of hearing, and education technology and teaching. To graduate, students may need to complete a student teaching course. Read on for a closer look at three common deaf education courses:

  • Psychology and Sociology of Deafness. A psychology and sociology of deafness course covers the psychological and social development of deaf and hard-of-hearing students from childhood through adolescence. The course examines the impact of family, school, peers, and community on a child’s development, including on the cognitive process and formation of identity.
  • Language Acquisition and Variation. A language acquisition and variation course examines the processes involved in learning English. Depending on the institution, the class may focus on reading and writing and the development of understanding of the English language for deaf students in grades seven to 12. The course also examines second language teaching strategies and the relationship between written and spoken English.
  • Teaching Deaf Learners with Secondary Disabilities. This course concentrates on the needs of deaf students with either developmental, emotional or behavioral, learning, or visual disabilities. The class includes instruction in identification, assessment, and teaching strategies.

Students in an online deaf education master’s degree program are typically assessed by their performance on quizzes from reading assignments and lectures, exams, research projects, essays, and class discussions. Course content, such as lectures, may be available through video and audio presentations and PowerPoint slideshows through the school’s e-campus system, such as Blackboard.

Building a Career

Graduates of an online master’s degree program in deaf education may be qualified to work as a special education teacher at a private or public school. Special education teachers instruct students who have learning, mental, emotional, or physical disabilities basic literacy, communication, reading, and math. Deaf education graduates use the American Sign Language to instruct their students and help them form a connection between English and sign language.

Special educators earned a median annual salary of $53,220, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Employment in the field is expected to increase 17%, or about as fast as average, between 2010 and 2020. The BLS expects a growth in demand for special educators because of increasing school enrollment and the need for more teachers trained to instruct children with disabilities. However, these statistics are no guarantee of actual salary or employment opportunity, which is determined by the hiring organization, location, and needs of the area.

Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Jobs | EBS Healthcare

Other Online Education Programs

  • Art Education
  • Deaf Education
  • Developmental Studies
  • Educational Administration
  • Education Early Childhood
  • Educational Leadership
  • Education Technology
  • Education
  • Elementary Education
  • Higher Education
  • Instructional Design
  • Music Education
  • Special Education
  • Speech Pathology
  • Teaching ESL
  • Teaching

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Advocacy & Leadership Programs

There are many international, national and regional organizations that offer opportunities for students, both hearing and deaf or hard of hearing, to get involved with the Deaf community. Take a look below and see how to get involved:

Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss

A group of audiologists, musicians and music educators aiming to prove that “the loss of hearing does not mean the loss of music”.

College Bowl (CoBo)

The College Bowl is a team-based competition for deaf and hard of hearing students at the nation’s top colleges and universities, held yearly at the National Association of the Deaf’s conference.

Council de Manos Youth Líderes Program

Latinx deaf and hard of hearing youths who join this program have opportunities to participate in conferences and retreats where they learn leadership skills, how to be a community activist and more.

Deaf Planet Soul

Deaf Planet Soul is a Deaf youth advocacy and community service program based in Chicago, IL that also performs humanitarian aid in Deaf communities around the world.

Deaf Professional Arts Network

A resource for ASL music videos, digital workshops and more, designed to connect deaf and hard of hearing individuals with music and music culture.

Deaf Women United

This organization of deaf women supports and promotes other deaf women through scholarship opportunities, conferences and resources

.International Federation of Hard of Hearing Young People

From summer camps to professional networking and advocacy programs supporting policy changes for deaf and hard of hearing people worldwide, this advocacy group is designed especially for teens and young adults.

National American Sign Language Honor Society

A program designed to enrich ASL classrooms, introducing students to Deaf Art, scholarship opportunities and more.

National Association of the Deaf Summer Internships

Offering college students and other young adults the opportunity to work with the NAD, interns can learn a wide variety of leadership skills and access networking opportunities.

National Association of the Deaf Youth Ambassador Program

The Youth Ambassador Program is an annual competition for deaf young adults; two winners help represent the National Association of the Deaf and address issues the Deaf community faces.

National Black Deaf Advocates

An organization that focuses on civil rights and equal education, employment and services for the thousands of people in the black Deaf community.

National Student Life for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Comprised of educational institutions around the nation, the NSLDHH designs after school programs and summer programs for youth with hearing loss.

Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf

An educational, leadership, advocacy and social group for members of the Deaf LGBTQ community with over 20 chapters in the U.S. and Canada.

Say What Club Gen-Y

A social media group for 18-40 year olds with hearing loss.

Careers Working with the Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have friends and family who are deaf can also find work in professions that work with the Deaf community and serve deaf youth. Some of these professions are geared towards easing communication between the hearing and Deaf communities, some advocate for accessibility and inclusion, and others coordinate assistive technologies and services. We’ve listed a few of the fastest growing careers that engage with the wider Deaf community and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing here.

  • Audiologist
    Median Salary: $75,980 Job Outlook: 20 percent growth Degree Required: Doctoral or Professional Good Fit For: Individuals passionate about science and technology. Audiologists frequently test infants and toddlers; the ability to work with children is helpful.
  • Communication/ Captioning Assistant
    Median Salary: $46,120 Job Outlook: 17 percent growth Degree Required: Bachelor’s Good Fit For: Communications and captioning assistants benefit from fast typing and computer skills. A strong grasp of grammar and the English language are also helpful.
  • Disability Services Coordinator or Academic Advisor
    Median Salary: $54,560 Job Outlook: 11 percent growth Degree Required: Master’s Good Fit For: Strong-willed individuals who can actively advocate for the needs of their students, but who can also maintain sensitivity and respect for the students they work with.
  • Sign Language Interpreter
    Median Salary: $46,120 Job Outlook: 17 percent growth Degree Required: Bachelor’s Good Fit For: Sign language interpreters benefit from good interpersonal skills and general communication skills. It is often a good fit for people who are outgoing and are good at multi-tasking.
  • Social and Human Services Assistant
    Median Salary: $31,810 Job Outlook: 16 percent growth Degree Required: Diploma Good Fit For: Organized individuals with good interpersonal skills. The job can also involve significant amounts of research to find the best services for client’s needs, making computer skills helpful.
  • Social Services Manager
    Median Salary: $64,680 Job Outlook: 16 percent growth Degree Required: Bachelor’s Good Fit For: People who excel as leaders and are skilled at coordinating different groups and working with a variety of people. Organization skills are also necessary.
  • Speech-Language Pathologist/Speech Therapist
    Median Salary: $74,680 Job Outlook: 18 percent growth Degree Required: Master’s Good Fit For: Individuals interested in healthcare fields who are skilled at teaching and communicating. Speech therapists frequently work in schools, so this career may be a good fit for those who enjoy working with children.

Advice from the Pros: College and Career Inspiration

There are still many stereotypes about deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the workforce, but the skills of people with hearing loss are as varied and useful as those of any other group or community. There are thousands of deaf and hard of hearing individuals working alongside hearing people in a variety of industries and careers around the world. For aspiring students looking for career and degree inspiration, we’ve compiled advice from a variety of accomplished professionals who are deaf or hard of hearing below.

  • ART / DESIGN
    Freelance Photographer and Graphic Designer
    Stephanie Steinlein-Balding is a globetrotting artist specializing in photography and graphic design. She was born and educated in Germany but today she works out of Hawai’i. Her broad portfolio includes projects for the European Deaf Youth and the Aloha State Association of the Deaf. Advice:
    “Don’t forget we Deafs have outstanding visualization skills. These are a great benefit; visualization is one of the most important things in graphics! Today’s technology is advanced, tomorrow it will be more advanced; this means there is a superior number of apps and technologies that make us accessible and able to communicate with everyone.” GRAPHIC DESIGNER CAREER INFORMATION
    Median Salary: $47,640 per year Job Outlook: 5 percent growth (average) Degree Level: Bachelor’s degree and/or photography courses Who is this job a good fit for?
    “Creativity, multitasking and curiosity may be the most important skills from my experience. Yes, you may not receive positive feedback [in the beginning] from teachers, customers and others, so being patient is key also.”
  • HEALTH / MEDICAL
    Healthcare Entrepreneur
    Kyle DeCarlo-Gahagan is a graduate student at Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. With two other deaf graduate students at Johns Hopkins, Kyle founded the Deaf Health Initiative with the goal of changing healthcare practices and policies in order to improve deaf and hard of hearing individuals’ access to quality medicine. In addition to co-founding the Deaf Health Initiative, Kyle is a 2017 TEDGlobal Fellow. Advice:
    “When there are barriers in the healthcare field because of misconceptions or existing policies, there are always loopholes in which you can capitalize on to overcome those challenges. It’s just a matter of identifying these loopholes.” HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION CAREER INFORMATION
    Median Salary: $96,540 per year Job Outlook: 20 percent growth (much faster than average) Degree Level: Bachelor’s degree Who is this job a good fit for?
    “I know it sounds cliché, but having true motivation and a passion for what you do is a common denominator among many successful individuals (not just in healthcare) who I have had the pleasure of meeting. When you have an internal fire to pursue an idea or career path in which you truly believe in, it doesn’t feel like work or a burden to overcome those challenges. Train your mind to view challenges as learning experiences.”
  • LEGAL / POLITICAL
    Attorney
    Hitesh Gupta, Esq., holds degrees in both computer engineering and law from respected Florida universities. He currently practices personal injury and real estate law in Boca Raton, Florida. Prior to beginning his own practice, Hitesh clerked for a U.S. Magistrate Judge, worked with the Miami-Dade Public Defender Office, and clerked for a Third District Court of Appeals judge. Hitesh is currently a member of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Bar Association. Advice:
    “Don’t allow doubt to get in your way. If you want to pursue a career in the legal field, go for it and don’t look back and don’t let anybody else tell you different because you just happened to be deaf. Sure, it will be hard but if you have the passion for it, don’t let your deafness be an obstacle, but a source of strength.” LAWYERS’ CAREER INFORMATION
    Median Salary: $118,160 per year Job Outlook: 9 percent growth (average) Degree Level: Doctoral or professional degree Who is this job a good fit for?
    “[People with] passion, dedication, attention to details and a hard work ethic.”
  • MEDIA / JOURNALISM
    Freelance Writer, Editor and Small Business Owner
    Trudy Suggs holds multiple degrees and has operated in a variety writing-related professions, from editing to journalism to publishing. She has authored books, been editor-in-chief of Silent News, and is the owner-operator of Savory Words Publishing and T.S. Writing. In addition to her writing work, Trudy is an active member of the Deaf community and has held executive board positions with multiple national organizations such as the National Association of the Deaf. Advice:
    “Being Deaf has absolutely nothing to do with whether you can pursue a career or not. Even if you weren’t Deaf you’d face obstacles, too. Pursuing a career in [writing] has everything to do with recognizing your own skills, knowledge and passion — and being determined to incorporate them into your career. Most importantly, if there aren’t opportunities, create them.” WRITER/AUTHOR CAREER INFORMATION
    Median Salary: $61,240 per year Job Outlook: 2 percent growth Degree Level: Bachelor’s degree Who is this job a good fit for?
    “Definitely being super-organized, especially with deadlines and all these little details that go into writing and editing. Being very much a people person and sincerely loving it… Finally, have no pretense. If you make a mistake—even if it’s an editorial mistake, which is every editor’s worst nightmare—cringe and bemoan it if you want, but also be okay with it. Own up to it, fix it, then do better next time.”
  • SCIENCE / MATH
    Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
    Dr. Lina Reiss earned her bachelor’s degree at Princeton University followed by her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She is now an associate professor and researcher at the Oregon Health and Science University’s Hearing Research Center, Department of Otolaryngology, and Department of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Reiss’s research focuses on the association between electrical stimulation and hearing loss as well as methods to improve cochlear implants. Advice:
    “I would suggest doing a summer research internship in a science lab. If you can find a mentor with hearing loss, or someone who has already mentored students with hearing loss, that would be even better. We have a deaf/HOH mentoring network for researchers [who study hearing], called HI-ARO, that can help students find mentors in the hearing research field.” BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CAREER INFORMATION
    Median Salary: $85,620 per year Job Outlook: 8 percent growth (average) Degree Level: Doctoral or professional degree Who is this job a good fit for?
    “If you are interested in a career in hearing research, coursework in biomedical or psychological sciences is good preparation. You need to be willing to get out there and network, advocate for yourself and let people know that you have a hearing loss, so they can communicate with you. Don’t pretend to be hearing and that you’ve heard everything—let people know if you didn’t hear something or if you need accommodations such as assistive listening devices or captioning.”
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education - Valdosta State University

Assistive Technology

1. Captioning and transcription tools

Watching educational videos can be a big component of online degree programs, whether in the form of a recorded lecture, a film, a live-streaming lecture, a live class discussion, or a one-on-one video conference with a professor or mentor. Many of these video artifacts will be captioned or come with transcripts, but not all will. Fortunately, captioning and transcription tools can help ensure that you don’t miss a thing.

  • Ava
    Ava improves communication by providing live transcription through an app for Android or Apple devices. This can be especially useful if your online degree requires a practicum or internship component.
  • InnoCaption
    Available for iPhone and Android devices, InnoCaption is a real-time smartphone captioning app.

2. Hearing aids

Hearing aids have enjoyed considerable technological advancement in recent years, achieving clearer, stronger and more discreet results all the time. If you need hearing assistance, there are plenty of good options available. Below are a few.

  • Beyond
    Designed specifically for use with iPhones, Beyond combines advanced hearing aid and smartphone technology to give users a top-quality experience with full smartphone control.
  • Cellion
    By utilizing Bluetooth technology, Cellion hearing aids don’t just help you hear the world around you, they allow you to stream audio from other devices right into your ears, which can provide direct audio access to class lecture videos or live streams.
  • Evoke
    Billed as “the world’s first smart hearing aid,” Evoke hearing aids provide a high-tech, super-personalized experience for wearers, allowing you to dial in the device to fit the specific demands of your lifestyle.
  • Lyric
    Designed to be as discrete as possible, Lyric is a hearing aid that sits in your ear canal. Its size and shape allows it to be easily used with ear buds.
  • Opn
    Utilizing advanced technology to provide a more natural, “open” hearing experience, Opn responds dynamically to the world around you to provide 360 degrees of audio, instead of just funneling what is directly in front of you.

3. Productivity and organization tools

Staying organized and productive can be tricky, especially in the high-speed world of smart phones, social media, and streaming services. If you have trouble making effective plans and staying on task, there are lots of tools available to maximize your productivity and organization, some of which are made specifically for those with hearing impairments. Below are a few.

  • Edison
    Online college comes with lots and lots of communication via email. Edison is an email assistant app for Apple devices that helps you keep your inbox from overflowing.
  • Finish (iOS)
    Available for iPhones, Finish is a productivity app that helps you manage to-do lists, calendars, and goals to guarantee that you get things done.
  • Z5 Mobile
    Most communication with schools can be done through email or live chat boxes, but some professors and administrators can be elusive. Sometimes you need to call them directly. Z5 Mobile provide a video relay service, allowing students who are deaf or hearing impaired to communicate over the phone using sign language. An interpreter sees what the user signs, speaks it for the person on the other end, and interprets the response into sign language for the user. This opens up new communication channels for sign language users.

4. Study assistance

If you don’t study, you aren’t going to pass your exams. You need a study method that is right for you, and the following tools are designed to help you do just that.

  • Dragon NaturallySpeaking
    The most popular speech-to-text software out there, Dragon NaturallySpeaking’s dictation features can be set up to transcribe a speaker in real-time, making it very useful for following along with video lectures, as well as for reviewing the lecture later while studying.
  • Livescribe Echo Smartpen
    Extra useful for keeping notes, this smartpen records our writing and audio, then transfers it to your computer. Its features can help you study by recording and organizing your in-class notes. This way, you can review anything you may have missed, and rearrange your notes in a way that accommodates your study style. When combined with captioning software, the audio recordings can be useful for those with hearing impairments.
  • SoundNote (iOS)
    Available for Apple devices, SoundNote is a note-taking app that allows you to type, draw, and create audio recordings while taking notes and storing all of it in a central place. The audio recordings can be combined with a captioning software of your choice to aid in study.

5. Writing Assistance

Writing claims a spot of major importance in earning a degree. You don’t have to like it, but you need to be able to do it. Below are some tools that can help.

  • Co:Writer
    Utilizing advanced predictive-text technology, Co:Writer helps you draft, revise, and edit by suggesting words and changes based on your writing.
  • Draft:Builder
    Another tool from Don Johnston, Draft:Builder helps you through the writing process with a suite of outlining, note-taking, and draft-building tools.
  • Ghotit Real Writer and Reader
    Ghotit Real Writer and Reader provides a full array of writing assistance functions, including dictation, spelling and grammar assistance, as well as an integrated dictionary.
  • goQ Software
    Offering a variety of programs, including wordQ and speakQ, goQ Software provides students with writing assistance in the form of predictive text technology.
  • Grammarly
    Free and useful for anybody, Grammarly offers spelling and grammar editing assistance in the form of a Google Chrome app.

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