Dr. Lou Larwood

Assistant Professor / Deaf Education Program Director
Department of Special Education
San José State University

back to LASER Programs

Case Studies in Deaf Education: Learning from Teachers

There is a critical need for research in Deaf Education that represents compelling scenarios (case studies) of the lives of deaf students and their teachers that reflect the reality and complexity of teaching deaf children in today’s society (Johnson, 2002). California is one of the most culturally and ethnically diverse states in the United States. In California, qualified teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing must be able to apply their skills to classrooms that include linguistic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This research project will include a collection of ten case studies of deaf children educated in today’s public schools. This research project will conclude with the cross section ideas and perspectives that influence and challenge educators about how they make decisions about what is best for educating a deaf child. The case studies will hopefully reveal: the wide scope and complexity of non-academic issues teachers of the deaf face on a daily basis, examine common themes that are representative of professionals who support children who are deaf and the maze of perspectives that impact and influence issues of diversity, language, culture, parenting, the complexity of working with multi-handicapped deaf children and the environmental factors impacting academic and social development.