Procedure for Research | The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center

Research Request Procedures for Educators and Researchers

The Clerc Center values educational research that incorporates equitable participation while practicing and supporting research that aligns with the Clerc Center’s research priority areas. Equitable research practice also invites families whose home languages are other than American Sign Language (ASL) and English by providing translated parent/caregiver letters, consent forms, and any other forms in the families’ home language (e.g., Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, Chinese-Mandarin). Findings from educational research can provide new ideas for improving current teaching practices and learning opportunities for all deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, and deafdisabled students of various communities. Findings can also offer new suggestions and opportunities for supporting diverse families and the professionals who work alongside them.

How do I request the Clerc Center’s assistance with a letter of support, research flier distribution, data collection, or research participation (whether virtual or on site)?

All researchers must:

Submit a Research Request Application for the Clerc Center’s review
Review the Clerc Center’s policy for research activities
Submit all required materials for consideration

Not following the steps and/or failing to provide materials may extend the review and proposal submission process.

How long does the research request process take?

The research request review process takes a minimum of 15 business days and likely may be longer depending on the request timing, number of requests being reviewed, and the schools’ priorities at that time. Once the review has been completed, the researcher(s) will be contacted with a decision via email.

Why may research requests be declined?

The Clerc Center may decline research requests for reasons including, but not limited to, the following:

Insufficient number of students or other human participants to meet the study requirements
Competing research requests for the same desired study group (e.g., it would not be possible to conduct several studies focusing on first grade students in one school year)
Academic demands and/or requirements (e.g., research cannot be conducted during state testing season)
Lack of resources to support the proposed research activity

Policies of Research Conducted at the Clerc Center

All interested educators and researchers must adhere to the Clerc Center Policies for Educational Research:

All requests must be submitted to the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research team and then reviewed internally by Clerc Center leaders.
A copy of the IRB approval from Gallaudet University must be submitted before conducting the study.
Prior to approval from the Clerc Center research review committee, researchers are not permitted to contact individuals at the Clerc Center or to reach out to any functional Clerc Center email accounts. All initial correspondence must be directed to Clerc.Center.Research@gallaudet.edu.
When the research review team and/or Gallaudet University IRB determines parental consent is needed for a child’s participation in a study, only those children whose parents/caregivers return the informed consent forms may participate in the given study.
Researchers cannot contact Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and Model Secondary School for the Deaf students directly.
Researchers not employed by the Clerc Center must pay for and undergo a suitability background check through Gallaudet University’s provider (if applicable).
The Clerc Center will distribute research study materials and inform the researcher(s) of which students have obtained parental consent (if applicable).
Approval for conducting research is contingent on a formal agreement between the Clerc Center and the researcher(s). The agreement must be communicated to participants as part of consent forms for Clerc Center participants.
As part of the formal agreement, all findings of the research study conducted at the Clerc Center must be shared with the Clerc Center.

To be directed to the appropriate procedure, click on the following box that best fits your role when filling out the application process:

Procedures for Gallaudet Researchers, Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students

Procedures for Non-Gallaudet Researchers, Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students

About the Clerc Center

The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University is a federally funded center with exemplary elementary and secondary education programs for deaf and hard of hearing students and is tasked with developing and disseminating innovative curricula, instructional techniques, and products nationwide while providing information, training, and technical assistance for parents and professionals to meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students from birth to age 21.

800 Florida Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 USA

This site was supported by federal funding. Publication of this material shall not imply approval or acceptance by the U.S. Department of Education of the findings, conclusions, or recommendations herein. Gallaudet University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, hearing status, disability, covered veteran status, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, source of income, place of business or residence, pregnancy, childbirth, or any other unlawful basis.