51吃瓜网

Like all researchers, Amanda Howerton-Fox and Jodi Falk understand that citation of their work by others is one of academia鈥檚 gold standards 鈥� proof that their ideas are not only intellectually stimulating, but have recognized application to problems in the real world.

Citation by the nation鈥檚 incoming presidential administration, however, wasn鈥檛 on their radar. So the two doctoral graduates of 51吃瓜网鈥檚 Deaf & Hard of Hearing Program were happily stunned when they received word that their study, published in 2019 in the journal Education Sciences, has become a cornerstone of President-Elect Joe Biden鈥檚 federal disability policy.

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鈥淲e had no idea,鈥� says (Ph.D. 鈥�13, M.A. 鈥�02), Assistant Professor of Education at Iona College.

Certainly, Howerton-Fox and (Ph.D. 鈥�17, M.A. 鈥�95), Executive Director of the St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf in Brooklyn, knew their paper was a potential game-changer.

A study of language development for young deaf children, 鈥淒eaf Children as 鈥楨nglish Learners鈥欌�� explores gaps in the development of language skills in the formative years, with a special focus on deaf children raised in non-English speaking and non-signing households. The authors note that deaf children have largely been ignored in 鈥減olicy discussions鈥� on English language learning and are 鈥渢herefore鈥�unaffected by the reforms and changes in the educational infrastructure.鈥�

More specifically, Howerton-Fox and Falk advocate for pedagogies, strategies and technological breakthroughs to provide deaf children and their families early access to sign language and bilingual programs.

The project dovetails with a Biden campaign pledge to deliver 鈥渇ull participation and equality for people with disabilities.鈥�

Quoting the paper nearly verbatim, the Biden platform notes that 鈥渓anguage deprivation for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in the early years of life can have a lasting impact on a child鈥檚 language and cognitive skills.鈥� The platform pledges a federal policy that will 鈥減rovide parents, health care providers, and early childhood professionals the resources needed to support these children.鈥�

The language knowledge the students were lacking seemed so much deeper than translating between sign language and English. They were struggling with language 鈥� period.

鈥擜manda Howerton-Fox (Ph.D. 鈥�13, M.A. 鈥�02), Assistant Professor of Education, Iona College

Howerton-Fox and Falk received word of the study鈥檚 prominence in the Biden policy blueprint through a congratulatory email from the Executive Director of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD), an advocacy group that lobbies for federal policy impacting deaf education. 鈥淏ut how they got it is a mystery,鈥� says Falk.

鈥淢y best guess is that it is the most comprehensive, recent review of the linguistic, cognitive and social-emotional issues relating to early childhood deaf education,鈥� says Howerton-Fox.

Howerton-Fox and Falk met by chance a few years ago at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in Texas. 鈥淲e were sitting near each other and realized we had something in common,鈥� Howerton-Fox recalls.

As researchers, the two complement one another well. 

鈥淪he鈥檚 at the university level and I鈥檓 at a school administrator so we were able to bring the two lanes together,鈥� says Falk.

Both say they are motivated by having taught deaf and hard-of-hearing students. 

鈥淭he language knowledge the students were lacking seemed so much deeper than translating between sign language and English,鈥� recalls Howerton-Fox. 鈥淭hey were struggling with language 鈥� period.鈥�

Within our community for the oldest program of Deaf Education in the nation and the only Deaf Education program among Ivy League institutions, we are proud of our graduates and their accomplishments. 

鈥擜ngel (Ye) Wang, Professor and Program Director, Deaf & Hard of Hearing 

Falk was likewise moved by the realization that parents of many deaf children 鈥渃ouldn鈥檛 communicate with their own children. It really pulled at my heart strings and changed the direction of my career.鈥�

At TC, faculty who worked with Howerton-Fox and Falk are delighted to see them recognized. 鈥淚 am quite proud of what these former students have done,鈥� says Robert Kretschmer, Professor Emeritus of Education & Psychology, former director of TC鈥檚 Deaf & Hard of Hearing program. Kretschmer advised both Howerton-Fox and Falk when they were TC students and also supervised Howerton-Fox鈥檚 dissertation. 鈥淣ot only was their article cited in President-Elect Biden's Plan,鈥� he adds, 鈥渂ut, interestingly, when I went through all of the highlighted references linked in the Plan, theirs was the only peer reviewed article referenced.鈥�

鈥淲ithin our community for the oldest program of Deaf Education in the nation and the only Deaf Education program among Ivy League institutions, we are proud of our graduates and their accomplishments,鈥� says the program鈥檚 current director, Angel (Ye) Wang, Professor of Deaf & Hard of Hearing, who supervised Falk鈥檚 dissertation.

The research was definitely there, but we needed to get a seat at the table for deaf academics, deaf educational leaders and hearing allies. We were thrilled to find out that deaf education is already on Biden鈥檚 agenda.

-- Jodi Falk (Ph.D. 鈥�17, M.A. 鈥�95), Executive Director, St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf in Brooklyn

Beyond enjoying a moment in the spotlight, both women are pleased at the prospect that their work could help reshape deaf education.

鈥淭he research was definitely there, but we needed to get a seat at the table for deaf academics, deaf educational leaders and hearing allies,鈥� says Falk. 鈥淲e were thrilled to find out that deaf education is already on Biden鈥檚 agenda.鈥�

— Steve Giegerich