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QPAS PROGRAM REVIEW FALL 2005
Program Title: Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program Manager: Donna Lentini
Services
Office: DSS, Special Services Contact: Donna Lentini
Date of Report: September 19, 2005 Period Covered: SY 2003-04 and 2004-05
Program Intent
Program Purpose, Goals, and Objectives
The purpose of the program for students who are deaf and hard of hearing is to provide (1)
specialized instruction in the students’ chosen communication modality (2) classroom
accommodations, and (3) appropriate technology to allow students with hearing impairments
access to their educational programs.
Goal I: To improve reading literacy in deaf/hard of hearing students through the implementation
of researched based reading programs.
Objective IA: By January 2005, determine reading programs that could be used or adapted for
use by teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing.
Objective IB: The number of students who are deaf/hard of hearing receiving reading
instruction will increase by 10% from SY 2003-04 to SY 2004-05.
Objective IC: The number of students passing the SOLs who are identified as deaf/hard of
hearing and needing remediation at Woodson High School will increase by 65% during SY
2004-05.
Goal II: Teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing will provide support and training
to school-based staff in building inclusive environments for students who are deaf or hard of
hearing.
Objective IIA: By March 2005, the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program will increase the inventory
of updated assistive listening devices by 25% from August 2003.
Objective IIB: The number of qualified educational interpreters/transliterators in FCPS will
increase by 10% from August 2003 to June 2005.
Goal III: To develop self-advocacy goals which students who are deaf/hard of hearing use to
access the general education curriculum and increase the number of students accessing these
goals from August 2003 to June 2005.
Fairfax County Public Schools – Quality Programs Assurance System Review Report Fall 2005
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Objective IIIA: By January 2005, develop and distribute self-advocacy goals to teachers of the
deaf/hard of hearing.
Objective IIIB: By June 2005, increase the number of students being taught self-advocacy goals
by 10% from August 2003.
Objective IIIC: By June 2005, incorporate self-advocacy goals into the Department of Special
Services Online IEP databank.
Nature of the Program/Intervention(s)
The program for students who are deaf and hard of hearing provides specialized instruction using
one of three communication options and supports to students with hearing impairments. The
three communication options include Auditory/Oral, Cued Speech, and Total Communication.
The auditory/oral method emphasizes the use of residual hearing through amplification
technology as well as speech reading to access language. The cued speech method utilizes
specific hand shapes at various placements around the face to provide a visual access to spoken
language. The total communication method utilizes a variety of communication modes, which
include American Sign Language; written and spoken English; sign-supported speech; finger
spelling; speech reading; gestures; drawings; and the use of amplification technology to access
language. Site-based programs support students in small classes with an emphasis on language
and communication skills. Itinerant teachers provide support and instruction to hearing impaired
student and school-based staff in general education and special education classes. Audiologists
provide technical support and specialized assistive listening devices to allow students to access
their educational programs. For those students whose communication modality is either sign
language or cued speech, a staff of 52 interpreters and transliterators provide students access to
their educational curriculum and to other school-based activities.
Number and Location of Sites
A continuum of services is available for all students who are identified as deaf of hard of
hearing. Educational services range from itinerant services delivered in base schools to self-
contained classes at site-based programs.
Students who are able to participate in general education classrooms receive support from an
itinerant teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing in their neighborhood schools. Itinerant teachers also
provide services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing students in 129 schools and special
education programs countywide.
Students who require a more intensive level of service or instruction at the parent/infant,
preschool, elementary, or secondary level, may attend one of the five site based programs within
the county: Camelot Elementary, Canterbury Elementary, Mantua Center, Frost Middle, and
Woodson High. At the elementary level, the three elementary sites provide instruction in one of
three modality options. These communication modalities include Auditory/Oral, Cued Speech,
and Total Communication. Elementary site-based students who require significant instructional
and/or special support services as they reach the secondary level are served at one middle school
Fairfax County Public Schools – Quality Programs Assurance System Review Report Fall 2005
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and one high school, where all the communication modality come together. All five site-based
programs are located within a 5-mile radius of each other in the center of the county.
Groups Targeted for Impact
Students are found eligible based on Virginia’s eligibility guidelines, which state that a student
who has a hearing impairment must demonstrate a hearing loss that adversely affects the
student’s educational performance. The hearing loss must be documented by complete
audiological assessments and may be conductive, sensorineural, or mixed in nature. During SY
2004-05, there were 458 students identified as having the disability of hearing impairment and
receiving services through the hearing impairment program.
Program Organization
Program Staff
In FY 2005, school-based staff consisted of 1 FTE principal, 2 FTE assistant principals, 3 FTE
office assistants, 27.5 FTE level 2 teachers, 20 FTE level 1 teachers, 20 FTE instructional
assistants, 48 FTE interpreters/transliterators, 8.5 FTE educational audiologists, and 1.5 social
workers. Central office staff consists of 1 FTE program specialist, 1 FTE AA, and 0.5 FTE office
assistants. The staffing ratio of teachers to student in the site-based (level 2) programs is 1
teacher to 8.5 students. The itinerant (level 1) program ratio is 1 to 12.5 students.
Qualification requirements for teachers are a teaching degree with an endorsement in hearing
impairment. Interpreters/transliterators are required to be level III certified at the third year of
their employment. Audiologists are required to have a master’s degree and the CCC-A
(Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology) from the American Speech/Language Hearing
Association (ASHA).
Organizational Structure
The Department of Special Services, Office of Special Education, manages the hearing
impairment program. Program administrators (site-based and itinerant) are responsible for on-
going administration, program development, planning for staff development as appropriate, and
providing the supports and technology for students.
The hearing impairment program specialist reports to the director, professional development and
related services, and to the coordinator of staff development and related services. The director
and coordinator disseminate essential information to school-based administrators and the
specialist. This information is shared with teachers. The program specialist distributes disability
specific information to center programs and itinerant staff.
Training/Staff Development
All teachers of students who are deaf and hard of hearing and audiologists participate in
activities sponsored by the Office of Staff Development and Training and the Office of Special
Education, including Leadership Academy Seminars and academy courses. Teachers must be
knowledgeable about special education regulations as related to eligibility, reevaluation, and the
Fairfax County Public Schools – Quality Programs Assurance System Review Report Fall 2005
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IEP process. The staff of deaf/hard of hearing students received training through the Office of
Special Education and through program in-services in the area of literacy and researched based
reading programs that can be adapted for use with the deaf/hard of hearing student. This training
was done through required workshops and in-service meetings. The purpose of the training in
literacy and reading programs was to provide teachers of deaf/hard of hearing students with
strategies and appropriate materials to support deaf and hard of hearing students’ participation
and performance on the Virginia Standards of Learning Tests.
Activity Purpose Date Attendance*
In-service Reading Strategies for Students Jan 04 40 teachers/
who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing audiologists
In-service Reading Programs for Deaf/Hard of Jan 05 57 teachers/
Hearing Students audiologists/IAs
*This is out of a total of 76 school-based staff.
Program Implementation
Camelot Center is administered by a special education principal. Assistant principals administer
the Mantua and Woodson High School site-based programs. A designated general education
assistant principal at each site administers the programs at Canterbury Woods Elementary School
and Frost Middle School. One program specialist administers the itinerant program and is
required to have a postgraduate professional license with endorsement in a special education
field and in administration. Administrative assistants and office assistants provide clerical and
budget support to the principal, assistant principals, and specialist.
The program for students who are deaf and hard of hearing provides specialized instruction using
one of three communication options and supports to students with hearing impairments. The
three communication options include Auditory/Oral, Cued Speech, and Total Communication.
All five deaf/hard of hearing center based programs and the itinerant program are fully staffed.
Program Impact
• Objective IA: Traditionally, students who are deaf/hard of hearing have not achieved grade
level reading competency. In January of 2005, administrators of the deaf/hard of hearing
programs had met and developed in-service programs for teachers of deaf/hard of hearing
students. The outcome of the in-service sessions were the identification of reading programs
that teachers would be able to adapt and use in the instruction of reading to deaf/hard of
hearing students.
• Objective IB: At the end of 2004-05, the number of deaf and hard of hearing students that
teachers provide direct instruction in reading strategies using researched based reading
programs increased by an average of 9.6%
Fairfax County Public Schools – Quality Programs Assurance System Review Report Fall 2005
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SY SY Amount Percent
GRADE LEVELS 2003-04 2004-05 Increase Increase
Primary Grades (K-3) 61 62 1 1.6%
Upper Elementary (4th to 6th) 75 83 8 10.7%
Middle School (7th and 8th) 3 5 2 66.7%
High School (9th to 12th) 17 21 4 23.5%
Total for all grade levels 156 171 15 9.6%
• Objective IC: At the end of 2003-04 it was determined that students who are deaf/hard of
hearing at the Woodson High school based program would participate in a SOL Remediation
Class offered after school hours. Five teachers certified in deaf/hard of hearing and content
areas were paid to teach the remediation class. Seventy-five hours of remediation were
offered in the following SOL areas: English 11, Biology/Chemistry, Algebra/Geometry, and
World History. There were 25 deaf/hard of hearing students that participated in the
remediation class. Of the 25 students who had participated in the remediation class, 80% of
the students passed the SOL tests taken by the end of SY 2004-05.
• Objective IIA: The function of amplification in the classroom is to provide access to speech
information so that the student who is deaf/hard of hearing can access the general education
curriculum. In specific listening situations evaluated by an audiologist, hearing aids alone
may not be sufficient. Over a three-year program, funds are being provided to update and
replace old assistive listening devices (FMs and personal sound field systems) to newly
identified/newly enrolled and existing students who are deaf/hard of hearing in the five
school based and itinerant deaf/hard of hearing programs. Over the course of the last two
years 667 pieces of obsolete equipment (470 series Phonic Ear Equipment) has been
removed. Replaced inventory has been updated at the following sites showing an average
increase of 65% from SY 2002-03 to March 2005.
School % increase
Camelot Center 15%
Canterbury Woods Elementary 100%
Mantua Elementary 0%
Frost Middle 100%
Woodson High 100%
Itinerant Program/ITS 75%
• Objective IIB: To fulfill the requirements of IDEA and NCLB sign language interpreters
and cued speech transliterators provide access to spoken language to students who are
deaf/hard of hearing. The demand for interpreters/transliterators has been difficult to fill due
to pay and the high cost of living in the Northern Virginia area. According to the Virginia
Department of Education (VDOE), an interpreter/transliterator can be hired with a VQAS
level 1 qualification but must obtain VQAS Level 3 within three years. There are three levels
of VQAS qualification with each level qualifying the interpreter to be able to interpret a
message at a greater level of quality and understanding. A grant from the VDOE provides for
the training of interpreters in our region to increase and enhance practitioner skills for
educational interpreter to achieve the required state or national credential. The following
Fairfax County Public Schools – Quality Programs Assurance System Review Report Fall 2005
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chart shows the status of sign language interpreters and cued speech transliterators in Fairfax
County Public Schools.
Sign Interpreters Transliterators
2002-03 / 2004-05 2002-03 / 2004-05
Total in compliance 71% / 61% 75% / 83%
The drop in percentage in VDOE qualified sign interpreters from 2002-03 to 2004-05 is due to
qualified people moving out of the county and some VQAS Level 2 people not earning the
qualifications necessary within three years of hire by Fairfax County Public Schools.
• Objective III A: By January 2005, a committee of itinerant teachers of deaf/hard of hearing
students developed self-advocacy goals, which could be utilized in the IEP writing process.
A student’s lack of self-advocacy skills can impact success in the classroom and life after
grade 12. Self-advocacy goals cover a broad range of skills from learning how to take care of
a hearing aid to the student understanding and utilizing the skills necessary to succeed in the
general education classroom. These goals were shared with all teachers of deaf/hard of
hearing students.
• Objective III B: As of 2004-05, there are 196 itinerant students who are deaf/hard of
hearing that IEP teams have determined self-advocacy skills to be necessary. This is an 18%
increase of IEPs with self-advocacy goals over the previous year 2003-04.
• Objective III C: Self-advocacy goals developed by teachers of deaf/hard of hearing students
have been incorporated into the Department of Special Services Online IEP databank.
Program Budget and Expenditures
Hearing Impaired Program
FY 2004 Approved FY 2005 Approved
School- Nonschool- School- Nonschool-
Based Based Based Based
FT Salaries $6,382,965 $105,873 $6,086,906 $96,644
PT Salaries and OT 380,204 0 388,781 0
Employee Benefits 1,692,086 27,584 1,849,909 28,899
Operating Expenses 274,326 0 318,561 0
Total Cost $8,729,580 $133,457 $8,644,158 $125,543
Positions 147.0 1.5 129.5 1.5
Program Total $8,863,037 $8,769,701
Offsetting
Revenue $58,821 $159,059
Net Cost $8,804,216 $8,610,642
Grants and other
funding $43,000 $43,000
Total Positions 148.5 131.0
Number of
Schools/Sites 134 132
Fairfax County Public Schools – Quality Programs Assurance System Review Report Fall 2005
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Number of Services 483 438
Expenditures for the hearing-impaired program were projected to be $8,769,701 in FY 2005.
This represented a decrease of $93,336 over the FY 2004 total. The decrease in expenditures was
due to a decrease in positions. The number of hearing impaired services decreased slightly over
the period, and the number of school-based positions decreased in the program. This was due to
the decrease of number of sites where hearing-impaired students were served and itinerant
teacher caseloads were staffed according to IEP requirement and not according to the state ratios.
A portion of the budget allocation goes toward providing interpretation for deaf and hard of
hearing students to enable them to access the curriculum. In addition, specialized equipment such
as earmolds for FM systems, audiological and student amplification equipment/accessories,
assistive listening devices (personal and sound-field systems) are provided as appropriate. These
purchases are needed to meet the requirements of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA). As more deaf and hard of hearing students attend their base schools, the cost of
interpretive services and assistive listening systems rise. The maintenance of both new and old
devices and the replacement of outdated devices contribute to the rising expenses.
Conclusions/Recommendations
The Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program of Fairfax County Public Schools provides an essential
service to meet the needs of over 458 deaf or hard of hearing students. Administrators, teachers,
audiologists, and interpreters provide a continuum of services from itinerant services delivered in
base schools to self-contained classes at site-based programs. Further exploration needs to be
made into ways to effectively finance and provide for the educational, audiological, and
interpretive needs of students in their base schools and in center programs.
• Continue to provide ongoing budget financing to provide new and replace old assistive
listening devices for newly identified/newly enrolled and existing students who are deaf and
hard of hearing in the five school-based sites and the itinerant program.
• There continues to be a shortage of sign language interpreters and cued speech transliterators.
To fulfill the requirements of IDEA and NCLB additional interpreters and transliterators are
hired through an agency at a higher cost. Often pay and the high cost of living is the deciding
factor for an interpreter or transliterator looking for a position in Fairfax County Public
Schools. Hiring more interpreters and transliterators for Fairfax County Public Schools
would decrease the cost and use of outside agencies.
• For on grade level students who are deaf/hard of hearing, continued research, and possible
implementation of captioning in limited high-level courses at Woodson High School would
enable these students to have increased access to the same educational opportunities as their
hearing peers. The addition of this service would have a small impact in decreasing the
number of interpreters needed in AP classes where the expertise of interpreting/transliterating
services required is greater.
Fairfax County Public Schools – Quality Programs Assurance System Review Report Fall 2005
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