Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing- Special Education

Job Summary

The position is responsible for providing a program of specialized instruction and/or services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH).

Essential Duties

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfy each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities, who are otherwise qualified, to perform the duties herein described.

1. Perform tasks assigned to all teachers
2. Serve as a member of Child Study, Eligibility, IEP, and Section 504 Committees
3. Assisting in determining if the student’s needs can be best met in Special Education under IDEA regulations, or under the provisions of a 504 plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
4. Communicates regularly with parents or guardians to discuss student progress
5. In-service classroom teachers, school nurses, and necessary school staff, on using hearing assistance technology
6. Collaborate with educational and/or private audiologists to support hearing assistive technology recommendations, equipment repairs, replacements, and purchases that will provide the student with auditory access in the school setting
7. Interpret audiological information from audiologists, physicians, and school nurses
8. Collaborate with school staff and parents to develop Individualized Educational Programs (IEP) for students
9. Develop lesson plans and instructional materials to provide individualized and small group instruction to adapt the curriculum to the needs of students with disabilities
10. Provide instruction and or support to DHH students in the development and maintenance of skills specified in the student’s IEP
11. Develop transition plans
12. Conduct assessments, testing, and diagnostic examinations designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in accordance with established procedures
13. Evaluate students’ developmental abilities in language, auditory skills, compensatory strategies, accessing auditory information across settings, communication skills, and social language
14. Interpret assessment results and facilitate discussions about how the type and severity of hearing loss can impact the student’s ability for language acquisition, social and emotional development, literacy skill development, and make recommendations for modifications and accommodations that can help mitigate barriers
15. Evaluate students’ progress through data collection; maintain appropriate records; prepare progress reports according to guidelines
16. Provide direct instruction in language development to include vocabulary development, phonics acquisition, auditory skill development, use and care of amplification equipment, self-advocacy skills, and communication repair strategies
17. Provide in-service/training to students and staff regarding hearing loss and its implications, along with the use of amplification equipment and assistive technology
18. Assisting teams in working with educational interpreters for assessment purposes, class arrangement, and roles and responsibilities of the interpreter
19. Provide families with information about hearing loss, communication options, implications of hearing loss on language, literacy, and social development, and educate them on the various roles of professionals (educational audiologist, clinical audiologist, SLP, TODHH, interpreters, etc)
20. Regularly monitor the child’s acquisition of language (spoken and/or sign) relative to hearing, age, and typical language development expectations
21. Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Possess a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in education or a related field
• Hold or be eligible for a Virginia Collegiate Professional License or Postgraduate Professional License with appropriate endorsement in Special Education or Special Education Deaf and Hard of Hearing Pre-k –12 (preferred)
• Three (3) years of successful teaching experience working with a wide range of age groups and disabilities preferred
• Skilled in the language and vocabulary of academics, as well as in abstract thinking, and have a working knowledge of the developmental changes in students in K-12
• Ability to travel to more than one work location in the course of the day if assigned to an itinerant position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Familiarity with communication options for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing (ie, ASL, Bilingual-Bimodal, Cued Speech/Cued Language, Listening and Spoken Language, Manually Coded English, and Total Communication).
• Knowledge of the use of amplification equipment (hearing aids, FM/sound field systems, cochlear implants, etc.)
• Knowledge of auditory training and speech reading practices
• Knowledge of providing support across educational environments and systems of service to D/HH students
• Thorough understanding of deaf culture
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with students who are deaf or hard of hearing and staff
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to develop and maintain required records and written reports
• Possess high moral standards and integrity
• Ability to use computer software programs and web-based applications
• Ability to work with students who have a variety of disability-related needs

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Must have the ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time; exhibit manual dexterity to dial a telephone, to enter data into a computer; to hear and understand speech at normal classroom levels, outdoors and on the telephone; speak in audible tones so that others may understand clearly in normal classrooms, outdoors and on the telephone; physical agility to lift to 25 pounds; and to bend, to stoop, to sit on the floor, to climb stairs, to walk and to reach overhead.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Duties are normally performed in school-based settings. The position may involve travel between service locations.

Clearance: Criminal Justice Background check, Fingerprinting, TB Assessment

Supervision Exercised: None

Supervision Received: Director of Special Education

This job description does not state or imply that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The employee will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the Principal or appropriate administrator. Accomack County Public Schools reserves the right to update, revise, or change this job description and related duties at any time.

The Accomack County School System is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on age, sex, disability, race, color, religion, national origin, or military service in its employment practices.

Salary : $52,188 - $78,237