EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021

(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)

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3/15/2022  |   1:50 PM - 2:15 PM   |  Identifying Key Components of State EHDI Systems: Improving Opportunities for DHH Children’s Early Language Acquisition   |  Room 8

Identifying Key Components of State EHDI Systems: Improving Opportunities for DHH Children’s Early Language Acquisition

The Southeast Regional Early Acquisition of Language (REAL) project is a federally-funded collaboration between the Clerc Center at Gallaudet University and Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) with the goal to optimize language acquisition for children who are deaf or hard of hearing from birth to age three. Early and accessible language is especially crucial for these children, which makes early hearing detection and intervention so key for them to acquire language and avoid developmental delays. The REAL project was established to provide support, training, and resources to the nine states through Alabama’s established infrastructure for information sharing and training at AIDB. The purpose of the Southeast REAL project is to develop partnerships with nine southeast states to better address each state’s unique needs. Each state establishes its own system components with specific processes and functions to carry out early hearing detection and intervention services generally led by an EHDI committee with oversight responsibilities. Key groups of EHDI professionals include first responders, early intervention professionals, and early childhood educators who work to provide support and services for parents and caregivers of babies who are deaf or hard of hearing. Establishing collaborations with states included collecting information from EHDI coordinators, professionals, and other stakeholders about EHDI systems and processes, strengths and needs, local resources for professionals and families, and contexts in which EHDI services are provided and received. This information was used to draft models of state EHDI services in order to support collaborative efforts for identifying system gaps and approaches to address these gaps through EHDI training, technical assistance and resource needs in each state. These collective efforts are to support EHDI professionals and parents/caregivers receiving services, and in turn, impact deaf and hard of hearing children’s early language acquisition.

  • Learn about the important role different groups of EHDI professionals and parents/caregivers play in the early language acquisition of young children who are deaf or hard of hearing
  • Learn about the models of state EHDI services provided for parents/caregivers of young children who are deaf or hard of hearing
  • Learn about approaches for addressing system gaps to support EHDI professionals and parents/caregivers receiving services

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Presenters/Authors

Debra Trapani (InPerson), Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, debra.trapani@gallaudet.edu;
Debbie Trapani, the Director of National Programs and Outreach-Early Intervention at the Clerc Center and is currently, leading the Regional Early Acquisition of Language (REAL) Project in Collaboration with AIDB worked as a Parent-Child Educator, Teacher of students from Preschool through Secondary, Literacy Specialist and administrator of the Delaware School for the Deaf and Statewide Programs in Delaware before coming to the Clerc Center. Growing up deaf, Debbie was a student in several deaf education settings in California before graduating from a school for the Deaf. Debbie is the proud parent of two beautiful girls, one Deaf and one hearing.


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Lori Lutz (InPerson), Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, lori.lutz@gallaudet.edu;
Lori Lutz, Ph.D., is the Director of Monitoring, Evaluation and Research at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center (Clerc Center) at Gallaudet University. Her work involves oversight and monitoring of federal reporting requirements, public input processes, performance and evaluation components of the Clerc Center’s strategic plan projects, and research management and collaboration activities. In more than 20 years in this field, Lori has conducted evaluations of training and products, program implementation processes and dissemination activities designed for educators and professionals who work with families of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.


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Leslie Page (), Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, leslie.page@gallaudet.edu;
Leslie A. Page, the Director of Strategic Planning and interim Co-Director of Training & Professional Development at the Clerc Center and a Co Leader of the Regional Early Acquisition of Language (REAL) Project before her retirement in December 2020. Leslie's entire career has been at Gallaudet University; her career spanned different positions and responsibilities as an audiologist, a coordinator of Family Education, and Diversity Fellow for President, I. King Jordan. Leslie continues to mentor secondary students and support parents and caregivers of newly identified deaf or hard of hearing children.


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Nonfinancial -