Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing are most often served in their local school districts by a staff of deaf educators and educational interpreters. The deaf educators and interpreters work as part of the local school team with other special educators and classroom teachers. ESU 9 employs 3 deaf educators and 4 interpreters. The program coordinator is Heather Witte.
For more details on each area of service, Visit the links below:
ESU 9 Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TODHH) serve deaf or hard of hearing students ages birth to 21 in home-based, early childhood, general education, special education and transition settings. A TODHH works as part of a team and is responsible for identifying programming needs for students with a hearing loss. The teachers serve as a resource to all team members including parents, instructional and support staff, and students to provide unique information on the impact of a hearing loss on language, communication, academic and functional skill development
Services Provided:
A Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing typically provides direct instructional support in areas directly impacted by a hearing loss such as: listening, communication, language, vocabulary, reading readiness skill development, and self advocacy. Indirect services include providing staff development and consultation to teachers, interpreters/transliterators/transcribers, parents and other staff; ensuring adequate and appropriate access to classroom information, including access to captioned media; supporting the maintenance of amplification equipment; advising on environmental adaptations; monitoring students’ functioning in the school setting; supporting parents in communication system decisions and development; and assisting students and families with community resources related to hearing loss.
TODHH assist with Tier 2 and Tier 3 in the NeMTSS system.
Sign Language Interpreters are responsible for facilitating communication and bridging the communication barrier between students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and hearing individuals in the educational setting. ESU 9 Interpreters meet the Nebraska Rule 51 guidelines.
How Sign Language Interpreters connect into your school
Interpreters assist with all Tiers in the NeMTSS system.
Sign Language Facilitators are responsible for facilitating communication and bridging the communication barrier between students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing and hearing individuals in the educational setting. ESU 9 Interpreters meet the Nebraska Rule 51 guidelines.
How Sign Language Facilitators connect into your school
Interpreters assist with all Tiers in the NeMTSS system.
Heather Witte, Coordinator Educational Service Unit 9 5807 Osborne Drive West Hastings, NE 68901 Email: heather.witte@esu9.us Office: (402) 463-5611 FAX: (402)463-9555
Sara Peterson, CWNP Coordinator Educational Service Unit 13 4215 Ave I Scottsbluff, NE 69361 Email: speterson@esu13.org Office: (308) 635-3696 FAX: (308) 635-0680
Sara Peterson Liaison to Nebraska Department of Education Educational Service Unit 9 5807 Osborne Drive West Hastings, NE 68901 402-463-5611 sara.peterson@esu9.us
Teresa Coonts Director of Autism & Low Incidence Disabilities Nebraska Dept. of Education Office of Special Education 301 Centennial Mall, PO Box 94987 Lincoln, NE 68509 PH: 402.471-4310 teresa.coonts@nebraska.gov
