About KidsWorld Deaf Net (KWDN)

KWDN, sponsored by the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center with support from the AT&T Foundation, is a national communication network with information for professionals and parents. It includes both a Virtual Library with E-Documents and Useful Links, and a Discussion Forum area that includes a forum for continued dialogue with E-Document authors.

The long-range plan for KWDN is for it to be a link with parents of deaf and hard of hearing children, the professionals who work with the students and their families, mainstream programs, schools for the deaf, parent organizations, special education directors, and other key representatives in each state. With the combination of the Discussion Forum and the Virtual Library, KWDN should become a valuable tool for sharing and obtaining information. KWDN is a work-in-progress and will expand over time.

Based on a public input process that included interviews, surveys, reactions to concept papers, and dialogue meetings, the Clerc Center has established three priority areas, which KWDN also focuses on, that are essential to improving the achievement levels of deaf and hard of hearing students:

• literacy for all students
• family involvement
• transition from high school to postsecondary employment and education.

(The Clerc Center thanks the parents of deaf and hard of hearing children, educators in mainstream and residential programs, counselors, researchers, and deaf individuals who provided insights about their critical needs in the three priority areas.)

Legislation also requires the Clerc Center and, consequently, KWDN, to serve deaf and hard of hearing students from traditionally underserved groups. Specifically, this includes students who also:

• are lower achieving academically;
• students who come from homes in which languages other than English are spoken;
• have secondary disabilities;
• are from diverse cultures; and
• are from rural areas.

For more information about the Clerc Center and its National Mission Plan, please see http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/Priorities/mission.html.

To enter the Virtual Library of E-Documents and Useful Links or Discussion Forum and Chat Room area, click below.

<% URLEncodeX = "http://"& Request.ServerVariables("HTTP_HOST")& Request.ServerVariables("URL") %> Tell us what you think. We are interested in your feedback.

Disclaimer | Copyright © 2005 Gallaudet University Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
800 Florida Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20002
Key Clerc Center Contact Information
Contact Information Systems and Computer Support if you have any difficulty viewing this page.