What services are available to me during my child's school career?
All of our professionals support processes to create a safe, equitable, positive, and supportive learning environment in which diversities are valued. Another common aim is to foster respectful, collaborative relationships between families and professionals. Your child may receive services or supports from the following professionals, depending on their identified needs.
Education Support Teacher - Deaf or Hard of Hearing (EST-DHH)
The EST-DHH provides leadership in the assessment, development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of inclusive programs and practices at the school level for learners who are Deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). ESTs require specialized knowledge and skills to develop and support personalizing programming for these learners with these diverse needs.
- Provides Tier 1, 2, and 3 services to educational teams to support learners who are Deaf or hard of hearing who are eligible to receive APSEA services.
- Assesses, recommends, and provides adaptive and assistive equipment and alternate format materials that allow for access, active participation, and self- determination/self-advocacy.
- Selects, adapts, and uses evidence-informed instructional strategies and materials to address the unique needs of learners who are DHH by utilizing tiered systems* of support and program monitoring principles.
- Supports processes to create a safe, equitable, positive, and supportive learning environment in which diversities are valued.
- Maintains student's personal DM remote microphone system.
*Learn more about tiered level of supports on page 7 of the APSEA Guide to Responsive Teaching and Learning.
Educational Interpreters (EI)
The EI is responsible for providing a culturally and linguistically equivalent message in both American Sign Language (ASL) and English for all classroom participants. The EI aims to produce the most linguistically and culturally relevant message possible for all participants, considering and adapting to cultural and linguistic knowledge gaps by reframing and clarifying the message.
- Provides interpreting support to learners who are Deaf or hard of hearing and school-based employees in the classroom.
- Prepares for all lessons, which includes pre-conferencing and preparation time with materials and the teacher, clarifications and interruptions during the lesson, and post-conferencing with the teachers and learners to ensure the content is clear and accessible.
- Fosters learner independence and advocacy during classroom instruction, discussions, and classroom evaluations.
- Offers insight on the interpreter process, as well as providing support, knowledge, and engages in the development of strategies to support learner success in the classroom.
Educational Deaf Interpreters (EDI)
The EDI is responsible for American Sign Language (ASL) linguistic modelling and support to Deaf signing learners, along with facilitating the learning of Deaf culture in various educational settings, and the understanding of how to navigate an environment where both ASL and English are the predominant languages.
- Supports the learner with the transition from EDI to Educational Interpreter; the EDI develops the necessary linguistic and cultural foundation within the Deaf learner so they can successfully work with an Educational Interpreter.
- In collaboration with the classroom teacher, the EDI follows school curriculum/lesson plans for the day to develop ASL with the learner, as well as supporting learning opportunities and strategies for connections to the English language.
- Fosters learner independence and advocacy during classroom instruction, discussions, and classroom evaluations as well as the development of their Deaf identity.
- Communicates with the classroom teacher to share learner progress, identifies challenging areas develop strategies for learner success.
Educational Oral Interpreters (EOI)
The EOI is responsible for providing an oral interpretation in the educational environment with a focus on rate of speech, enunciation, articulation, and orally accessible language/phrasal choices. This process includes rephrasing and reorganizing content to make it more easily speech readable.
- Prepares for all lessons, which includes pre-conferencing and preparation time with materials and the teacher, clarifications and interruptions during the lesson, and post-conferencing with the teachers and learners to ensure the content is clear and accessible.
- Fosters learner independence and advocacy during classroom instruction, discussions, and classroom evaluations.
- Works to develop word and phrase recognition with the learner as they access more of the curriculum. When appropriate, the OI incorporates supporting gestures, visuals cues and signs to aid in oral language recognition.
- Offers insight on the interpreter process, as well as providing support, knowledge, and engages in the development of strategies to support learner success in the classroom.
Education Support Specialist - American Sign Language (ASL)
The ESS - ASL provides leadership in the assessment, evaluation, and development of American Sign Language (ASL) for learners who are Deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). The ESS - ASL is responsible for providing ASL assessment and consultation services to families, learners, APSEA employees, and educational teams. They work collaboratively with families, educational teams, and APSEA employees utilizing specialized knowledge and skills to support personalized programming.
- Collaborates with families, APSEA employees, and educational teams to support the development of learner outcomes and language development priorities as they relate to ASL development for learners who are Deaf or hard of hearing using ASL, who are eligible to receive APSEA services.
- Conducts sign language assessments and checklists to support the development of learner outcomes; provides summative reports to school teams as required.
- Collaborates with the Supervisors of Educational Interpreting Services, Educational Interpreters (EI's) and Educational Deaf Interpreters (EDI's) to provide appropriate language modelling and/or interpreting styles based on learner assessment results to support the learner's continued language development.
- Supports the EST and APSEA employees as it relates to sign language development and understanding of the value of Deaf culture.
- Conducts school visits and consults in person or via digital platforms as required to identify and model language and language acquisition strategies.
- Develops and delivers programs, both online and in person, in collaboration with other APSEA team members.
- Identifies and recommends services, resources, and community contacts for families, APSEA team members, and educational team(s) to support the learner's ASL language development.
Education Support Specialist - Deaf Mentor
The ESS - Deaf Mentor provides information, models, and supports the development of visual communication, sign language, and Deaf culture with children and youth, families and educational teams. Working with learners, families, APSEA employees, and educational teams, the ESS - Deaf Mentor brings lived experience to support the understanding of Deaf cultural values and acts as a cultural role model and facilitator to the local Deaf community for the child and family through both virtual and in-person sessions.
- Provides Tier 1, 2, and 3 support for learners, families, APSEA employees, and educational teams.
- In collaboration with employees and families, supports the development and implementation of outcomes for children, youth, and families as they relate to ASL development, Deaf culture, self-advocacy, social skills, and post-secondary career and education options.
- Monitors and documents the child's ASL language development with the family, itinerant teacher, and ASL specialist.
- Provides exposure to and information regarding the local Deaf community and Deaf culture to children, youth, families, employees, and educational teams.
- Works closely with children and youth, in one-on-one and group settings, to develop strategies to enhance self-advocacy and success in school in a variety of settings.
- Acts as a language model for the Deaf child by interacting in ways that take advantage of their visual environment and provides strategies to support ASL development.
- Models' opportunities and strategies to bridge auditory experiences into visual communication and ASL, and vice versa.
- Acts as a positive role model with respect to professionalism and involvement with families, children, and youth.
Program Consultant - DHH
The Program Consultant - Deaf & Hard of Hearing (DHH) is responsible for providing leadership and direction on a broad range of issues and initiatives that support implementation of the APSEA Responsive Teaching and Learning model in the Atlantic Provinces.
- Facilitates the implementation of the Responsive Teaching and Learning model by providing supportive leadership and coaching to APSEA employees and educational partners.
- Assists APSEA employees and school-based teams in the implementation and monitoring of effective instructional and assessment practices for learners receiving services from APSEA, supporting both in-person and virtual learning opportunities.
- Identifies, plans, and facilitates relevant professional learning opportunities for employees, families, and educational partners as it relates to all aspects of the Responsive Teaching and Learning model including individual program planning, virtual learning and in-person gatherings.
Program Specialist - BVI or DHH
The Program Specialist - DHH supports and guides APSEA teachers and specialists to develop and implement programs and an environment that is developmentally and culturally appropriate. They focus on individual and group professional learning that will expand and refine understanding about research-based effective instruction. The Program Specialist - DHH or BVI delivers instructional programing to learners in a virtual or in-person group setting in areas of the Developmental Skills Inventory (DHH).
- Collaborates with the EST-DHH and/or EST-BVI, APSEA employees, and educational teams to support Tier 1, 2, 3 inclusive programming for learners who are Deaf or hard of hearing and/or blind or visually impaired who are eligible to receive APSEA services.
- Conducts observations and provides appropriate coaching, modeling, and feedback on the implementation of instruction that supports learner progress.
- Assists APSEA Service Delivery Teams and school-based education Teams in the implementation and monitoring of effective instructional and comprehensive assessment practices.
My child's hearing aids/cochlear implant needs to be replaced. Will APSEA pay for this?
APSEA does not pay for hearing aids or cochlear implants. The following are the programs that can provide financial assistance: The Children's Trust Fund, President's Choice Charity, The Elks Canada and The APSEA Auxiliary ($400.00 maximum). Each one of these organizations require different forms, information etc.
My audiologist told me my child should have an FM / DM system. What is that? How do I get it?
Frequency modulation (FM) and digital modulation (DM) are two ways that sounds can be transmitted over a distance. FM systems transmit sound using radio waves, whereas DM systems are transmitted using digital signals. Both FM and DM systems transmit sound from a microphone that is worn or used by a teacher, parent or any other communication partner directly to the child. Because the microphone is away from the child's device, both systems are often called remote-microphone hearing assistance technology (RM-HAT).
APSEA provides and maintains FM/DM systems to children K-12 free of charge.
What services will my child need in school?
The Education Support Teacher (EST-DHH) will contact you and the school team to set up an initial visit to the classroom to observe your child interacting with his/her teacher and classmates. The EST-DHH will also talk to the various members of your child's school team, including you. Following this initial visit, field-based assessments may be the next step in service delivery. The purpose for field assessments is to assist in determining and prioritizing needs, and to develop a responsive plan, which may include a variety of supports.
Will my child be able to go to university? Will APSEA services continue there?
APSEA services are discontinued when your child graduates from high school. During the high school years, either your child's itinerant teacher or a school to community transition consultant will assist you and your child in planning for life after high school.
Is there financial assistance available for my child in university?
There are various grants and scholarships that your child for which your child can apply for financial assistance.
- Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities - When you apply for Canada/Nova Scotia Student Assistance as a student with a permanent disability, your eligibility for this grant is automatically assessed. If you are eligible for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities, your need for grant funding will be determined before your need for loan. The maximum grant is $2,000 per year.
- Scholarships - your high school guidance teacher can assist your child in applying for scholarships.
- APSEA scholarships - Your child can apply for various scholarships offered through the Interprovincial School Development Association. Your itinerant teacher or school to community transition consultant will assist you in completing the application process. Applications are available on the APSEA website.