Gallaudet University

Gallaudet is the world’s only university designed to be barrier-free for deaf and hard of hearing students.

For more than 150 years, Gallaudet University has led advances in education of deaf and hard of hearing students and deaf rights worldwide. Today, students from across the United States and more than 25 countries—diverse in perspective, backgrounds, interests and communication styles—form an exciting learning community as they prepare for dynamic careers and a lifetime of growth. Connect. Discover. Influence.

A Global Leader

A Gallaudet graduate founded Mongolia’s first early intervention program for deaf children. That’s just one example of how Gallaudet alums are changing lives throughout the world.

Gallaudet is:

• The world’s only B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. program in Interpretation in an American Sign Language-immersive environment
• Transforming the international development industry’s hiring and volunteering opportunities The world’s largest publisher of books about and for the deaf community
• responsible for $4.7 million in funded student, faculty and staff research each year
• The leader in DeafSpace architectural design
• An extensive network of international service projects and internships
• Home to the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
• holds the Gallaudet University Library, Archives and Deaf Collection, the largest in the world
• The site of the 1988 Deaf President Now movement, which was a catalyst for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Click here for the official “Gallaudet University” page

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Center for Continuing and Online Education

Gallaudet University’s Center for Continuing and Online Education offers a wide variety of personal and professional development, leadership and outreach programs. These learning opportunities and services are provided year-round and address the needs and interests of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, their families, youth, communities, and professionals working with them across the globe. Our learning opportunities include both credit and noncredit offerings delivered within a bilingual (ASL/English) learning environment via traditional classroom settings and online and distance learning.

Click here for the official “Center for Continuing and Online Education” page

Visual Language and Visual Learning (VL2)

The purpose of the Science of Learning Center at Gallaudet University on “Visual Language and Visual Learning (VL2)” is to advance fundamentally the Science of Learning, specifically involving how aspects of human higher cognition are realized through one of our most central senses, vision.

Methods

VL2 seeks to determine the effects of visual processes, visual language, and social experience on the development of cognition, language, reading and literacy for the benefit of all humans. VL2 seeks especially seeks to pursue new perspectives on these learning processes through the widened vantage point of studying deaf individuals and sign language as a window into the flexibility and structure of the human mind.

The program studies these learning processes in monolinguals and bilinguals across the lifespan in order to promote optimal practices in education in both formal and informal settings.

Click to visit the Visual Language and Visual Learning (VL2) website.

NSF Science of Learning Center

VL2 is a National Science Foundation, Science of Learning Center (SLC) program. The SLC supports research that harnesses and integrates knowledge across multiple disciplines to create a common groundwork of conceptualization, experimentation and explanation that anchor new lines of thinking and inquiry towards a deeper understanding of learning.

The goals of the Science of Learning Centers Programs are to advance the frontiers of all the sciences of learning through integrated research; to connect the research to specific scientific, technological, educational, and workforce challenges; to enable research communities to capitalize on new opportunities and discoveries; and to respond to new challenges.

Science of Learning Centers are built around a unifying research focus and incorporate a diverse, multidisciplinary environment involving appropriate partnerships with academia, industry, all levels of education, and other public and private entities.

Science of Learning Centers program at the National Science Foundation website.

The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center

The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University provides information, training, and technical assistance for parents and professionals to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing children.

Mission

The work of the Clerc Center is guided by the Education of the Deaf Act. The mission of the Clerc Center is to raise the achievement of deaf and hard of hearing students ages birth-21 nationwide by supporting the families and professionals who work with these students. This support is in turn guided by public input gathered from educators, professionals, and families working with deaf and hard of hearing children.

Methods

The Clerc Center, a federally funded national deaf education center, ensures that the diverse population of deaf and hard of hearing students (birth through age 21) in the nation are educated and empowered and have the linguistic competence to maximize their potential as productive and contributing members of society. This is accomplished through early access to and acquisition of language, excellence in teaching, family involvement, research, identification and implementation of best practices, collaboration, and information sharing among schools and programs across the nation.”

Click here for the official “Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center” page

Youth Programs

Gallaudet University Youth Programs provide opportunities for middle and high school students to connect with each other, pursue academic challenges, and experience personal and academic development. This is accomplished through regional and national academic competitions and summer learning experiences.

Youth programs include:

• Academic Bowl
• Battle of the Books
• National Literary Competition
• ASL immersion and career exploration summer programs

Click here for the official “Youth Programs” page