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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'The Common Ground Project: Working Together' Track: 9 - Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement Keyword(s): Collaboration and unity creates success Learning Objectives: Identify the purpose of providing a united voice for educational services in special settings. Identify the 12 shared understandings developed by the Common Ground Project. Identify how this work can influence collaboration within the field of deaf education Abstract: The Common Ground Project is a joint effort involving leaders from the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) and OPTION Schools. Historically, leaders for special schools serving children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) have not had a united message articulating what supports and systems are needed to meet students’ educational needs. Leaders from each organization have come together to ensure that children under the age of three have services from specially qualified providers. Children who are D/HH require immediate, specialized, family-centered services, but often this does not occur in a timely manner or at all. Uniting with a common voice addressing key student rights and services will help professionals to navigate the system for deaf/hard-of-hearing children from identification through graduation from high school. The Common Ground Project has identified 12 areas of agreement (Shared Understandings) regarding needed services, supports or systems to meet the needs of D/HH children and their families. Each area has associated policy implications, which needs to be addressed at the national level. The goal of this project is to work together to accomplish such change at the national and state level, and to demonstrate a model of collaboration that is replicable in the field of Deaf Education. We believe by capitalizing on our shared beliefs, we can accomplish more for D/HH children. The group has identified eight goals included in our Shared Understandings to guide our discussions that support existing programs. We seek additional partners in this collaborative effort to have a positive impact on programs across the country who serve all children who are D/HH and their families. This presentation will be a facilitated panel discussion addressing how two groups having very different philosophies can come together to support deaf and hard-of-hearing children regardless of their communication modality. Presentation: This presentation has not yet been uploaded or the speaker has opted not to make the presentation available online. Handouts: Handout is not Available
PRESENTER(S) / AUTHOR(S) INFORMATION
-             ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Richard Hauan - Primary Presenter Washington State Center for Childhood Deafness and Hearing Loss      Credentials: MA Special Education       Rick Hauan is currently Executive Director of the Washington State Center for Childhood Deafness & Hearing Loss (CDHL). CDHL is a state agency committed to serving deaf and hard of hearing students throughout the state of Washington, regardless of their communication modality. CDHL also oversees the day and residential services of the Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) in Vancouver. In the past Rick served as Superintendent at the Washington School for the Deaf until his appointment as Director of CDHL in 2009. Rick began his career in Special Education in 1992 at Oak Harbor High School. Over the years he has served as Director of Special Education in both the Oak Harbor and Anacortes, WA School Districts. Rick joined the staff at the Washington School for the Deaf as Assistant Superintendent in 2004 and was appointed Superintendent by Governor Gregoire in 2007.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist. Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist. Maura Berndsen - Co-Presenter Listen and Talk      Credentials: MA, CED, LSLS Cert. AVT      Other Affiliations: OPTION Schools, Past President       Maura has worked at Listen and Talk since 1996 after starting her career in listening and spoken language settings in 1990. She holds her BA in Deaf Education from Fontbonne University and her MA in Early Childhood Education from the University of Texas, San Antonio. Maura is also a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist- Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist. As Educational Director she has provided early intervention, Auditory-Verbal Therapy, and educational consultations. Maura has presented and contributed to publications on the topics of listening and spoken language approaches and the development of listening and spoken language in children with all degrees of hearing loss.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - Barbara Hecht - Co-Presenter The Clarke Schools for Hearing & Speech      Credentials: Ph.D.      Other Affiliations: OPTION Schools       Barbara F. Hecht, Ph.D., is Director of the Boston area campus of Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech and Co-Director of the tVISIT (tele-intervention) Project. She received her Bachelor's degree in Linguistics and Psychology from Harvard University and her doctorate in Linguistics and Child Language Development from Stanford University. She has worked with families of young children with hearing loss and has trained parents, teachers, pediatricians and other professionals in the field for more than 20 years. Dr. Hecht is currently President of OPTION Schools Inc. and is a regular presenter at national and international conferences on early detection and intervention, tele-services and family-centered practice. She has served in leadership roles for professional organizations and on state and national advisory committees on early intervention for children with hearing loss.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Receives Salary for Employment from Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech.   Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist. Jane Mulholland - Co-Presenter Washington School for the Deaf      Credentials: M.Ed. - Deaf Education from University of Arizona and a M.A. - Educational Administration & Supervision from CSUN       currently the Superintendent of the Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) in Vancouver, WA WSD is part of the Washington State Center for Childhood Deafness and Hearing Loss (CDHL). Jane has been in the field of Deaf Education since 1974, serving as Superintendent and other educational leadership positions at the Oregon School for the Deaf, the Oregon Department of Education, and the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial - James Tucker - Co-Presenter Maryland School for the Deaf      Credentials: B.A. in Psychology and American Studies from Gallaudet University and an M.A. in Deaf Education from New York University       James E. Tucker is in his 24th year as the superintendent of the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD), and is the president of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). He has been on the CEASD board for seventeen years now, and served as the president in 2007-2008. He has also given numerous lectures on early language acquisition, high academic standards, full language and communication access, and the vibrant American Deaf Community. He was the opening keynote speaker at the 2010 International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Vancouver, B.C.       ASHA DISCLOSURE: Financial - Nonfinancial -