Roanoke County Public Schools seeks to employ a Teacher of Deaf & Hard of Hearing for the 2024-25 school year.
Position Description/Job Summary: The Teacher of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ToDHH)'s primary responsibility is to provide specialized instruction and services required to meet the unique needs of the deaf and hard of hearing throughout the County.
Responsibilities/Duties/Functions/Tasks:
Planning and Preparation
• ToDHH's must individually prepare lesson plans that support the language development and IEP goals of all students on his or her caseload. Lesson plans should include the individual student's language modality (sign language, cuing, listening and spoken language), Individualized Educational Program (IEP) goals or Virginia department of education (VA DOE) Standards, accommodations used, materials needed, procedures, assessment of success, and expected lesson outcomes.
• ToDHH's must connect with all general education and special education teachers supporting and teaching students who are deaf or hard of hearing in order to instruct staff on amplification use, specific accommodations and concerns for the individual students, and general information about deaf and hard of hearing students. ToDHH's must remain in contact with teachers throughout the year and address any concerns that may be related to hearing, hearing loss, or amplification.
• As an itinerant, ToDHH's must be able to plan each month to visit all students on his or her caseload in the student's home school, as the IEP demands, accounting for student absences, test days, and other considerations.
The Learning Environment
• ToDHH's must be able to create, or provide support for classroom teachers while they create, classroom environments conducive to high-visual orientation, reduction of auditory distractions, and optimal visual connection between students who are deaf and hard of hearing and the teachers and students in the classroom.
• ToDHH's must recommend optimal placement for the student amplification equipment, as needed.
Evaluation and Reports
• ToDHH's must continually evaluate language (sign, cue, listening and spoken language) use of students, manual, oral and written, determine where gaps exist, and methodically teach to those gaps using evidence-based practices.
• ToDHH's must assess the student's functioning in the classroom and other environments to determine the educational impact of hearing loss in preparation for IEP meetings.
Direct Instruction of DHH Students
• As the IEP demands, ToDHH's must provide direct instruction to DHH students. Direct instruction will require coordination with building administration to procure space and classroom needs. ToDHH's should be familiar with language modality and development, amplification, Listening and Spoken Language techniques, and auditory learning sequences and milestones.
Coordination and Troubleshooting of Amplification Equipment
• ToDHH's must keep a record of all students using amplification equipment along with ID numbers, channels, backup devices and peripheral equipment, deliver FM equipment to individual schools, troubleshoot devices, contacting manufacturers and Audiologists as needed, and provide hearing aid batteries to students. ToDHH's may need to offer advice to IEP teams regarding the use and effectiveness of specific amplification equipment and request from Central Office devices or supporting pieces of equipment.
IEP Planning and Development and Transition Planning
• ToDHH's must work with administrators, classroom teachers, audiologists, other service providers, students, parents, and the transition coordinator to develop, implement, evaluate, and edit Individual Education Programs. ToDHH's are responsible for writing IEP's for students whose primary category of special education services is Hearing Impairment.
• ToDHH's and IEP teams are responsible for developing and implementing appropriate transition plans for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Consultative Services
• ToDHH's are responsible for providing supportive services for students who have primary service categories other than Hearing Impairments. This may include attending 504 meetings, providing and supporting amplification equipment, and meeting with teachers to address concerns related to hearing.
Interpreter Coordination
• The middle and high school ToDHH is responsible for coordination of sign language interpreting services for deaf students outside of the classroom environments, deaf parents and visitors who attend school events, deaf parents who participate in meetings, etc.
Occasional Direct Interpreting
• When another interpreter cannot be procured, the ToDHH may need to provide direct sign language interpreting for parents and students. In order to provide direct interpreting services, the ToDHH should be highly qualified to interpret (Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS) level 3, Certificate Of Interpreting (CI) or Certification of Translation (CT) or Nationally Certified Interpreter (NIC), any level)
Professional Development
• ToDHH's must stay abreast of current curriculum and instruction for deaf and hard of hearing services, language modality skills, and research in teaching deaf and hard of hearing students through the completion of Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Minimum Job Requirements/Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree in applicable field of education from an accredited college or university.
A Collegiate Professional License with an endorsement at the appropriate level is required.
Positive interpersonal and communication skills.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Significant standing, walking, moving, climbing, carrying, bending, kneeling, crawling, reaching, handling, pushing, and pulling.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential tasks.
These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to perform this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
