Co-Enrollment in Deaf Education

Abstract

Abstract Co-enrollment programming in deaf education refers to classrooms in which a critical mass of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students is included in a classroom containing mainly hearing students and the class is taught by both a mainstream teacher and a teacher of the deaf. It thus offers full access to both DHH and hearing students in the classroom through “co-teaching” and avoids both academic segregation of DHH students and their integration into classes with hearing students without the need for additional support services or modification of instructional methods and materials. Co-enrollment thus seeks to give DHH learners the best of both (mainstream and separate) educational worlds. Co-enrollment programming has been described as a “bright light on the educational horizon” for DHH learners, giving them unique educational opportunities and educational access comparable to that of hearing peers. Co-enrollment programming shows great promise, but research concerning co-enrollment programming for DHH learners is still in its infancy. This volume provides descriptions of 14 co-enrollment programs from around the world, explaining their origins, functioning, and available outcomes. Set in the larger context of what we know and what we don’t know about educating DHH learners, the volume offers readers a vision of a brighter future in deaf education for DHH children, their parents, and their communities.