Research Agenda

The Research Agenda is intended to guide research activities that are aligned with the Clerc Center’s Strategic Plans (CCSPs) in accordance with the requirements of the Education of the Deaf Act (Education of the Deaf Act of 1986, 2015, Pub. L. 99-371, 100 Stat. 781).

The Clerc Center’s Research Agenda was established in the spring of 2022, drawing from three sources:

  1. Public input data collected during FYs 2017-2019
  2. Gaps identified in research literature
  3. Priorities identified by the Clerc Center’s two schools (Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf)

The research priorities are also aligned with the Gallaudet Promise as well as the CCSP priorities for the nation.

The research priorities are intended to:

  1. Address gaps and needs in deaf education and research
  2. Advance knowledge about best practices, curricula, intervention strategies, and resources for families of deaf and hard of hearing children (birth through high school) and those who work with them

The Research Agenda focuses on three priority areas:

Supporting Families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Recent evidence (e.g., research literature searches, public input findings, professional knowledge, families’ anecdotes) reveals a persistent gap in and a need for evidence-informed research and resources specifically designed for families of deaf and hard of hearing children from birth through adolescence. This research priority is aligned with the new CCSP priorities #1 (Knowledge Development–Early Intervention) and #2 (Knowledge Development–K-12).

Strengthening Professional Knowledge and Practice

Professionals in different fields work with deaf and hard of hearing children from birth through high school and their families. Their professional knowledge and experience in specific areas of practice (e.g. equity, virtual teaching, learning) ranges from being a novice to an expert.

Professionals need evidence-informed teaching, learning, and professional practices to better respond to and meet the needs of deaf and hard of hearing children and K-12 students, as well as those of their students’ families, in a rapidly changing world that is increasingly dependent on technology. Research priorities are aligned with the Clerc Center’s priorities identified for Knowledge Development–Early Intervention and Knowledge Development–K-12 (CCSP priorities #1 and #2) and its two schools’ strategic plan priorities: 1) reading, writing, and American Sign Language, and 2) math.

Advancing Equity Through Research

Equity-focused research about deaf and hard of hearing children and their families is a significant gap in deaf education and research. This priority seeks to advance equity in research in two ways:

  1. Transform research and evaluation practices to incorporate equitable practices drawing from equity-focused research (e.g., Andrews, Parekh, & Peckoo, 2019).

  2. Support and/or lead research about equity for deaf and hard of hearing children from birth through high school and/or their families.

Andrews, K., Parekh, J., & Peckoo, S. (2019). How to embed a racial and ethnic equity perspective in research: Practical guidance for the research process. A Child Trends Working Paper. 

Scope of the Research Agenda

The scope of the Clerc Center’s Research Agenda entails two different types of research projects:

  1. Applied research led by the Clerc Center and its collaborative partners (e.g., other programs and organizations) to address significant knowledge gaps and needs of deaf and hard of hearing children from birth, their families, and the professionals who work with them
  2. Cooperative research opportunities with external research partners leading a range of research activities that are aligned with priority research topics; while not involved in the research design, the Clerc Center agrees to support participant recruitment and external data collection

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.

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