Overview
Career pathways for professionals interested in supporting deaf and hard of hearing students include specialist roles as Teachers of the Deaf (TODs), Education Support staff (including Educational Interpreters) and allied health professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists and Paediatric Audiologists.
The impact of deafness on language, communication and learning has far-reaching implications for the educational outcomes of deaf and hard of hearing students. Language levels and general academic performance are more likely to be delayed due to reduced language input, and these delays require a wide range of supports from specialist teachers, support staff and allied health professionals.
In addition to the specialised knowledge and skills of TODs, support from Education Support staff and allied health professionals is essential if the educational potential of deaf and hard of hearing students is to be achieved. The specialised programs, assessments, therapies and interventions they provide enhance and compliment the work of the TODs.
For more information, see Allied health careers in education and training(opens in a new window)
Teachers of the Deaf
Teachers of the Deaf (TODs) play a vital role in the education and support of deaf and hard of hearing students. As qualified teachers with an additional Master's level qualification in Special Education and/or deafness studies, TODs apply their specialised skills to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing students are provided with optimal access to learning in their classroom environments.
The TOD role requires in-depth knowledge of the school curriculum and an understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching that meet the specific learning needs of deaf students across their full range of abilities.
In Victoria, TODs are employed in Schools for the Deaf, Deaf Facilities and as Visiting Teachers. In these settings, these highly specialised teachers provide essential supports, including:
- Testing and monitoring assistive listening devices
- Assessing and monitoring functional hearing levels
- Interpreting audiograms and other audiological data and reports
- Monitoring the acoustic environment in the classroom/school
- Assessing communication and language
- Incorporating teaching strategies that address the literacy challenges experienced by many deaf and hard of hearing students
- Interpreting assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice
- Monitoring and supporting the social, emotional and wellbeing of deaf and hard of hearing students in their educational setting
- Collaborating with colleagues and allied health professionals to share knowledge and expertise in areas such as assessments, Individual Education Plans and professional learning.
Qualifying as a Teacher of the Deaf in Victoria
TODs are first required to qualify as a teacher, which requires an undergraduate qualification at a university endorsed by the Victorian Institute of Teaching(opens in a new window).
An additional Master's degree is required to qualify as a TOD. Currently, three universities are offering accredited courses approved by the Victorian Department of Education and the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
- Master of Disability Studies, NextSense Institute/ Macquarie University (Deaf Hard of Hearing Specialisation)
- Master of Learning Intervention (Hearing Impairment Specialty), University of Melbourne
- Master of Special and Inclusive Education (Deaf Studies and Deaf Education), University of Newcastle
The Master of Inclusive Education program
The Master of Inclusive Education program has been established by the department to increase the number of qualified practitioners specialising in inclusive education. Teachers interested in qualifying as a TOD may be eligible to apply for a fully paid scholarship to complete one of the Master's degrees listed above.
The Master of Inclusive Education(opens in a new window) and Graduate Certificate in Education (Learning Difficulties)(opens in a new window) Initiative aims to deepen the disciplinary knowledge and pedagogical practice of teachers and regional workforces, so they have the skills, expertise and confidence to meet the needs of students with disability and additional learning needs or learning difficulties.
Application rounds for both programs run in Term 1 each year. Please refer to the links above for important information regarding courses on offer and application round opening dates.
For further enquiries, please contact the Inclusive Education Scholarships Unit on 03 9084 8496 or by email: inclusive.ed.scholarships@education.vic.gov.au.(opens in a new window)
Professional associations
National Association of Australian Teachers of the Deaf (NAATD)
The National Association of Australian Teachers of the Deaf (NAATD) represents Teachers of the Deaf who are members of their State/Territory branches.
For information about becoming a Teacher of the Deaf, see Become a Teacher of the Deaf - NAATD
Australian Association of Teachers of the Deaf
The Victorian Branch of the Australian Association of Teachers of the Deaf (AATD) oversees the membership of Victorian Teachers of the deaf and associate members (Speech Pathologists and other allied professionals).
Allied Health (Student Support Services)
The Student Support Services (SSS) support schools to address the barriers that impact student access, participation, and progress to achieving their educational goals and developmental potential. SSS include capability building, consultation, group-based and individual support, specialised services and collaboration with schools on primary prevention and early intervention activities.
Services are provided as part of multidisciplinary teams with health and wellbeing professionals, and other department specialist services.
For more information, see Allied health careers in education and training(opens in a new window)
Education support
Education Support (ES) staff are an integral part of a student's education team, working alongside the classroom teacher to ensure the learning needs of students are met. ES staff provide students with personalised support, enabling access to the curriculum and learning environments across various learning levels and subject areas.
Educational interpreters
Educational Interpreters are specialist Education Support (ES) staff who provide language and communication access in Auslan (Australian Sign Language) and English to support deaf and hard of hearing students in their learning environments. Auslan is a recognised community language and the primary language for many deaf people.
The key role of educational interpreters
Educational Interpreters are integral to providing deaf and hard of hearing students with meaningful access to the curriculum and enrich their educational environments. The Educational Interpreter's role is to meet the language and communication access needs of each student, align their practice with the goals in the Individual Education Plan, be a consistent and fluent language model, and work in partnership with the classroom teacher and education team.
Opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing students to gain a quality education are enhanced when the classroom teacher and Educational Interpreter are both highly skilled and able to jointly identify and implement appropriate adjustments for classroom communication and participation. With this crucial support in place, deaf students have the greatest chance of academic and social success.
The Victorian Deaf Education Institute (VDEI) plays a critical role in supporting the educational interpreter workforce. This is achieved by:
- Development of the Professional Standards for Educational Interpreters
- Support for interpreters and schools in how to implement the standards
- Guidelines and documentation to guide the implementation of the standards
- Provision of professional learning designed for interpreters via the Educational Interpreter hub(opens in a new window)
- Support for a community of practice and mentoring
- Advice and support to schools on recruitment of Educational Interpreters
For more information, see Educational Interpreters(opens in a new window)
Speech and language therapists
Speech and Language Therapists gain qualifications at accredited universities and work in a range of education and health sectors including playgroups, kindergartens, schools, universities, nursing homes, hospitals and community health centres.
In educational settings, Speech and Language Therapists are focused on maximising deaf and hard of hearing students' communication skills, including:
- pragmatics – using and understanding language in social situations
- verbal skills – understanding and using spoken language intelligibly
- non-verbal skills – communicating using signs and gestures, body language, turn-taking
- expressive and receptive language skills in spoken language or Auslan.
Some therapists may also be able to communicate in Auslan, a bonus when working in the deaf education field.
Speech and Language Therapists collaborate with Teachers of the Deaf, Paediatric Audiologists and other professionals to support language-based aspects of the curriculum and to ensure that intervention strategies are targeted to achieve the best outcomes. In addition, a Speech and Language Therapist assesses language and communication development and identifies areas for improvement.
Paediatric audiologist
A Paediatric Audiologist is a qualified Clinical Audiologist who has knowledge and understanding of aspects of deaf education that impact on the learning and development of deaf and hard of hearing students:
- Language development
- Speech discrimination and perception
- Development of auditory processing skills
- Speech and room acoustics
- Listening in different settings
- Assistive listening devices, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, wireless technology and soundfield systems.
Paediatric Audiologists understand the role amplification, acoustics, assistive listening devices and speech discrimination play in the speech, language and communication development. These specialised audiologists work closely with Teachers of the Deaf to maximise the audiological and educational outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing children and young people from birth to 26 years.
For more information about becoming an audiologist, see Audiology qualifications and training - Audiology Australia(opens in a new window)
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