Thank you for your letter and the helpful statistics speaking to teaching needs and programs. This will be valuable information as we pursue our strategic planning process. In short, we will be planning future offerings/programming that is centered on the needs of the Deaf community, specifically those who use sign language to communicate. I cannot predict what exact form of programming or recommendations will emerge from the process; but, I have made clear to the department that the strategic planning process is to involve stakeholder input and that the goal should be to come out of the process in a stronger position to meet community needs than we have previously. The information you share speaks directly to community need and is appreciated.
Continuing our previous program is not tenable. As you know given your role, stewardship of an academic program goes beyond what is offered in the classroom, and also extends to various administrative, compliance, and other responsibilities. The program suspension was driven by the latter matters, which have implications for program quality, trustworthiness, etc. over the long term. Those responsible for administering the degree program were insufficiently responsive with respect to the accreditation and other requirements of maintaining an academic program (over a period of years). I could not reinforce this and very much regret being placed in the position to make the suspension decision.
Thank you for sharing your important and informed perspective.
Dr. David Geeslin President Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf Superintendent/CEO Indiana School for the Deaf Indianapolis, IN
February 14, 2022
Dean Al Smith Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services Utah State University Logan, UT
Dean Smith,
We write to urge you to maintain the Bilingual-Bicultural ASL/English Deaf Education program at Utah State University. As the organization representing the executive leaders of Deaf Schools and Programs across the United States, we recognize the value of USU’s graduates in their pedagogical and ASL skills that are essential to our ASL/English programs, and you will find USU graduates in many of our programs across the country, not only in the state of Utah.
A study done by my organization demonstrates that more than 500 new teachers of the deaf are needed in schools for the deaf alone in the next three years (Fischgrund and Tucker, 2018), and this number does not consider the additional teachers needed in mainstream education programs. A study by Dolman (2010) documented a nationwide reduction in deaf education teacher training programs over the past 20 years. A high point occurred in 1985 when there were 81 programs. This number has decreased to 62 with more programs, such as your program at USU, in danger of being closed. The result has led to a substantial reduction in numbers of deaf education graduates. The largest group of 1,680 graduated in 1982 which decreased to 737 in 2009 representing a 56% decline. A 2019 poll of deaf education programs showed that approximately 450 graduated for the past two years 300 anticipated for 2020. This represents just 10.8% of the graduating class size of 1982. These numbers are unsustainable for our programs and, more importantly, the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing students, especially those who use an ASL/English approach to learning.
We recognize that it is your prerogative as an executive leader to ensure continuous improvement of your program. However, we wish you to be aware of the short and long term impacts that a lack of graduates qualified in ASL/English will have on schools and programs for deaf and hard of hearing students in the mountain west and, eventually, across the nation. We would recommend not suspending the program while still focusing on any improvement that may be needed.
Please support the continuation of this vital program for deaf and hard of hearing children. Thank you for your consideration.
I want to publicly refute the recent statement by USU when they announced the suspension of “the bilingual-bicultural (Bi-Bi) track of our master’s program in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education” where they stated that the ASL/English Bilingual/Bicultural program was not operationally sound, preventing them from offering the high-quality education expected at Utah State University.
As the Superintendent of the Deaf at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind and the main hiring body for these graduates, I can attest that the graduates from the ASL/English Bilingual/Bicultural program from Utah State University are some of the strongest educators of the deaf that we have had the pleasure of hiring. They are skilled at using the natural language of the deaf and hard-of-hearing students to teach all aspects of the curriculum. They have ensured that they met a high standard for communicating in American Sign Language and they are very knowledgeable in using that language to provide access to the Utah Core Curriculum. These graduates have also been very well prepared for the spectrum of employment opportunities available to educators of the deaf. We have placed these highly skilled educators in classrooms at our schools and in mainstreaming situations as itinerant teachers of the deaf and each has performed well.
Sadly, the “internal review” that was completed by USU was conducted by individuals who have actively worked to destroy the ASL/English bilingual/bicultural program. I think an external review would have been more appropriate. I would have appreciated an opportunity to answer any questions about the quality of graduates from Utah State University. It is sad that the only value that USU sees for ASL is for hearing people learning the language. Although we are grateful that more people have the opportunity to learn American Sign Language, that language has far greater worth to the deaf and hard of hearing children that need it to develop a strong language foundation. That is why we need a strong ASL/English program in Utah that develops educators of the deaf that know how to weave language into every aspect of a deaf child’s education.
Thank you Dr. Freeman King, Jan Kelley-King, and Dr. Curt Radford for creating these highly skilled graduates. I would like you to know that the recent statement by USU was INACCURATE. You have produced graduates to be proud of!!!
Michelle Tanner Associate Superintendent Utah Schools for the Deaf
Response of the Council on Education of the Deaf to the Announcement of Program Closure of the Bilingual-Bicultural Track of Utah State University’s Master’s Program in Communication Disorders and Deaf Education
On February 2, 2022, Utah State University (USU) issued a statement that erroneously attributed the suspension of the Bilingual-Bicultural Track to the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED). Immediately CED contacted USU to demand a retraction and correction.
To set the record straight:
CED had not yet completed its process regarding a recommendation on re-accreditation of the program.
CED never recommended that USU suspend the program.
USU has since edited its statement. CED continues to work with USU to further edit this statement, ensuring accuracy.
CED stands behind its accreditation process, which promotes teacher education standards embodying best practices, reflecting current research, and embracing diversity and multiculturalism.
Barbara Raimondo CED President
February 3, 2022
Barbara Raimondo Executive Director Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf
The bilingual-bicultural (Bi-Bi) track of our master’s program in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education has been suspended, as of January 5, 2022. This program trains students to teach Deaf children academic subjects in American Sign Language (ASL). Students currently in the program will be able to finish by spring 2023.
In recent years, the program has graduated about five students annually. The undergraduate ASL curriculum serving hundreds of students will remain in place, and the department will work to strengthen it.
I understand this news is concerning for many, and I want to ensure transparency about why this decision was made and our next steps.
Educational institutions such as Utah State University review academic programs on a continual basis, and many programs are also subject to accreditation reviews, including the Bi-Bi track of the master’s program in Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education. These reviews help us understand if our programs are thriving, whether they need updating, or if they should be dropped or reconfigured.
Because we learned of a lapse in accreditation status that was not reported to my office, we initiated an internal review of the Bi-Bi program. This review showed that the program track was not operationally sound, preventing us from offering the high-quality education expected at Utah State University. Moreover, we learned of some weaknesses in our undergraduate ASL curriculum, which serves a large number of undergraduate students within and outside the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education.*
In light of this review, the master’s program track has been suspended while the department does two things. First, the department will immediately address weaknesses in the foundational undergraduate program offerings in ASL to ensure the best quality experience for our students. Undergraduate ASL lab experiences should be much more robust moving forward. The focus on this programming is to ensure that our students are well prepared for the full spectrum of employment and graduate education opportunities available to them upon completing their undergraduate degree.
Second, the department will engage in strategic planning that considers future workforce needs and opportunities as well as promising directions for growth. This effort will emphasize the needs of individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and their families.
Al Smith, Dean Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
*We updated this paragraph on 2/3/22 to clarify that The Council on the Education of the Deaf was not involved in the decision to suspend the program, nor did they make a recommendation to do so.
Dr. Karen Munoz created a survey to collect community priorities relating to the Bilingual-Bicultural program strategic planning process (i.e. planning out how to get Bi-Bi back). Here is your chance to let her and her team know what is important to you — UNTIL FEBRUARY 28.
To help others think through important priorities of the Bi-Bi program, please comment on this post and share priorities worth considering.
** Update ** Changes have been made to the survey to allow for participants to select more than one representative group (student, deaf, etc.). An adjustment has also been made for those who fit within an “other” category. Thank you to those who have given us feedback! And thanks to Dr. Munoz for making the survey better.
Read why the Bilingual/Bicultural program is important to Savannah Sparks.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Send your story and a picture to contact@hellobibi.org.
I was born with very minimal hearing. I had hearing aids up until age 3 but because they were not working as well for me to hear, I received a cochlear implant at age 3. I have been using a cochlear implant since then. I have also used ASL (American Sign Language) and English to communicate since birth.
I learned ASL through a program USDB offers called PIP (Parent Infant Program). PIP is a program for children that are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and is designed to help parents and infants to learn ASL. The program works in collaboration with Utah’s Baby Watch Early Intervention system. The PIP program is a home-based service for children and families and is usually free through USDB. PIP offers several other services like toddler groups, playgroup, listening time, ASL resources and story time. This program offers both ASL and LSL (Listening and Spoken Language) approaches. They offer both languages because they want to give children “all of the tools in the toolbox”.
For preschool, I went to Riverside preschool, a preschool designed for children with special needs or developmental delays. The program helps children from ages 3-5. They use the “We Can” curriculum and believe that every child is able to learn valuable pre-kindergarten skills. They use teachers that have skills and education degrees to teach those children. I had a teacher that taught in ASL and English while attending Riverside. During those years of attending riverside preschool, I also attended a special education program at Wilson Elementary to help me prepare for elementary school.
I’ve also attended speech therapy through the LSL Program at USU. I attended that program for many years until I officially graduated when I started middle school.
Once I was of an age to start elementary school, I attended Wilson Elementary with an ASL Interpreter from kindergarten to 2nd grade. Then I transferred to Greenville Elementary with an ASL Interpreter and attended there from 3rd grade to 5th grade.
After elementary school I attended Cedar Ridge Middle School from grades 6-7. For junior high school, I attended North Cache for grade 8-9, then to Sky View High School for grade 10-12 with the same ASL Interpreter I’d had since Elementary School.
After graduating from high school, I attended USU and earned a Bachelor of Arts. During my college years I had several ASL interpreters provided for various classes. As a student at USU, I became more involved with the Signing Aggies Club, and the Deaf Culture/Community.
My future goals are to become a Deaf Advocate and a Deaf Educator. I want to teach families with Deaf/Hard of Hearing children in both ASL and English, as well as teach them about Deaf Culture and how it fits into the majority Hearing and mainstream American Culture. Every child deserves to have all the tools they need to succeed in the world. Not all Deaf/Hard of Hearing children have access to everything that I had as a child.
To achieve that goal of becoming a Deaf Advocate and a Deaf Educator, I have been planning to enroll in a graduate-level Bi/Bi Program like the one USU had. This program really is a one-of-a-kind program designed to help students become teachers for Deaf/Hard of Hearing children. There are not very many collegiate programs out there that are of the same caliber as the one that has been offered at USU. USU is the only university/college in Utah that has offered such a program.
As a team, we thought it might be nice to introduce ourselves and share our individual stories. Each of us represents different aspects of the ASL/Deaf Community. We hope this helps you relate to and better understand why we are fighting to keep the USU Bi/Bi Program.
Have a story you’d like to share? Send your story and a picture to contact@hellobibi.org.
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Dereck Hooley
I am Dereck Hooley. I am profoundly Deaf. I was born hearing until l I was 7 months old when I got Spinal meningitis. I was super sick and stayed in the hospital for 10 days. I grew up going to hearing school. All those years I had many hearing and Deaf teachers. Many of these teachers graduated from the Deaf Ed program at USU. I learned a lot of things like understanding myself, understanding things around the world, and they helped me show me that Deaf people can do anything. They taught me English, Math, Science, and many other things because they are able to give me full ASL access. This allowed me to be just like everyone and get equal education as hearing people.
The Deaf program helped me grow up and I become who I am today. One of the jobs I’ve had was as a construction worker. The owner of the business was Deaf. My boss shows me that Deaf people CAN do anything and he wonderful example because he is the owner of his own business. They do have many challenges just like I have due communicate with hearing. However, they always fight and work very hard to SHOW to hearing people that WE CAN DO IT.
I know the BIBI Deaf Ed program is so valuable to me and the Deaf community. I know the program will benefit Deaf children and help them to develop, to get full access to communication, and gain knowledge just like what I did and am still doing now.
After my dad and my biological mother divorced when I was 4. My stepmom taught me ASL when I was about 4 to 5 years old. I don’t know any ASL but just basic home signs. My grandpa used to work at USU and he hired my stepmom to teach my entire family to learn ASL. He did this so they could learn to communicate with me right before my dad and her got married. It was amazing! When they got married she helped raised me with full ASL. She was never a “step” mom to me, just my mom.
All these years I have learned so much and many of my friends learned ASL so I could hang out with them. I was involved in young men, camps, scouts, church, etc…They were able to communicate with me with ASL because they didn’t want me to feel left out.
I served an ASL LDS mission for two years. My dad and my mom ALWAYS made sure I was involved in any conversation with anyone when I am with them. They understand how important it is to me, and they showed me that I am equal to everyone even people who don’t understand. I have many experiences with people who don’t understand and think I can’t do anything. For example, Long ago when I turned 16 years old, I bought an old truck. My dad told me that someone came to him and said I CAN’T drive because I am Deaf. He told that person that I was a way better driver than hearing people because I focus very hard when I drive. I can see sirens on cop cars, fire trucks, or ambulances before they can hear it.
I am thankful I have a great family that knows ASL and Deaf culture. They know how important the Deaf Ed program is. They know that the impacts cutting the program at USU will have on Deaf children, the Deaf community, and myself. I’m FIGHTING hard and as much as I can to SAVE the Deaf ED program. I will FIGHT to keep the program to STAY at Utah State University. The program at USU is very strong and HIGH QUALITY. One of the best in the country. I will be the voice for Deaf children and the Deaf community. I will be loud so everyone will recognize how important the program is and they will want to fight with us!
Hello Bibi 