{"id":3982,"date":"2025-10-24T10:16:20","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T14:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/?page_id=3982"},"modified":"2026-03-18T14:32:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T18:32:19","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/master-deaf-education\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"content-block content-block--has-menu wp-block-butler-content-block\">\n\t<div class=\"content-block-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"content-block-layout\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"content-block-menu-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"content-block-menu-nav\" aria-label=\"Site menu\" id=\"page-nav\"><div class=\"content-block-menu-wrapper\"><header class=\"content-block-menu-header\"><span class=\"content-block-menu-header-label\">Deaf Education Menu<\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"content-block-menu-mobile-toggle\" title=\"Toggle menu\" aria-label=\"Toggle menu\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/button><\/header><ul class=\"content-block-menu-list\"><li class=\"content-block-menu-list-item content-block-menu-item-initial\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/master-deaf-education\/about\/\" class=\"content-block-menu-list-link\">About<\/a><\/li><li class=\"content-block-menu-list-item content-block-menu-item-initial\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/master-deaf-education\/admission\/\" class=\"content-block-menu-list-link\">Admission<\/a><\/li><li class=\"content-block-menu-list-item content-block-menu-item-initial\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/master-deaf-education\/curriculum\/\" class=\"content-block-menu-list-link\">Curriculum<\/a><\/li><li class=\"content-block-menu-list-item content-block-menu-item-initial\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/master-deaf-education\/information-sessions\/\" class=\"content-block-menu-list-link\">Information Sessions<\/a><\/li><li class=\"content-block-menu-list-item content-block-menu-item-initial\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/master-deaf-education\/request-more-information\/\" class=\"content-block-menu-list-link\">Request Information<\/a><\/li><li class=\"content-block-menu-list-item content-block-menu-item-initial\"><a href=\"https:\/\/go.butler.edu\/portal\/programs?programid=42fb7f59-e823-49b8-b2ac-b6b7b8b452ff\" class=\"content-block-menu-list-link\">Apply Now<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/nav>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"content-block-content-container is-layout-constrained\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about\">About<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-larger-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">The need for highly qualified educators of the deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) is greater than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American Association for Employment in Education\u2019s 2023\u20132024 report identified deaf education as an area of \u201cconsiderable shortage.\u201d Only 51 deaf education programs exist nationwide, with only five of the graduate programs providing a listening and spoken language focus. And 20 states offer no deaf education preparation program at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For over 60 years, Fontbonne University worked to close the workforce gap in deaf education, preparing educators with the knowledge and skills to help DHH children listen, talk, read, and thrive in their communities. Following Fontbonne&#8217;s closure in 2025, Butler University is proud to continue this vital work, drawing upon Fontbonne\u2019s proven foundation to inform its own program launching in 2026.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Butler\u2019s distinct Master of Arts in Deaf Education program expands access by creating a pathway to certification that\u2019s fully online. Housed in the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Department of the College of Communication, the curriculum is designed to prepare professionals to support DHH learners through auditory-based interventions. The program will work closely with Butler\u2019s College of Education to ensure a well-rounded, interdisciplinary foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-partnerships\">Partnerships<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Service learning and community engagement are central to Butler\u2019s educational approach.&nbsp;<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Butler\u2019s Master of Arts in Deaf Education will seek accreditation by the <a href=\"https:\/\/councilondeafed.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Council on Education of the Deaf<\/a> in 2026.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The program will be part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/optionlsl.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OPTION Schools<\/a> network, an association of school programs serving DHH children learning to listen and talk.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As a key partner, <a href=\"https:\/\/sjid.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">St. Joseph Hearing + Speech<\/a>, based in both Indianapolis and St. Louis, will offer a wide range of field experience opportunities, allowing students to gain hands-on practice in early intervention, teletherapy, preschool, and itinerant settings. The organization has been instrumental in bringing Fontbonne\u2019s program to Butler.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both St. Joseph Hearing + Speech and Fontbonne&#8217;s programs were founded and sponsored by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.csjsl.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJs)<\/a>, whose generosity has helped bring access and inclusivity to classrooms nationwide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Butler partners with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hearindiana.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hear Indiana<\/a>, an Indianapolis-based program supporting families through clinical services, education, support, advocacy, and cutting-edge resources to make informed decisions about their child\u2019s future.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"butler-two-column-quote alignfull has-no-block-start-margin wp-block-butler-two-column-quote\">\n\t\n<div class=\"butler-two-column-quote-item is-butler-two-column-quote-media-left wp-block-butler-two-column-quote-item\">\n\t<figure class=\"butler-two-column-quote-item-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"butler-two-column-quote-item-media-image\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.butler.edu\/www\/sites\/10\/2025\/10\/21152519\/lindy-powell-profile.jpg\" alt=\"Lindy Powell smiles in a black blazer.\" style=\"object-position: 50.00% 50.00%\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<div class=\"butler-two-column-quote-item-content\">\n\t\t<p class=\"butler-two-column-quote-item-kicker wp-block-paragraph\">Changing Lives<\/p><p class=\"butler-two-column-quote-item-quote wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cButler is preparing educators who will change the trajectory of children\u2019s lives through listening, language, and literacy. With deaf education changing by the minute, this program will help advance the field in an innovative, evidence-based way.\u201d<\/p><p class=\"butler-two-column-quote-item-attribution wp-block-paragraph\"><br><strong>Lindy Powell, M.Ed., LSLS Cert. AVEd<\/strong><br><em>Chief Program Officer, St. Joseph Hearing + Speech<\/em><\/p>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"footer-contact has-no-social-links wp-block-butler-footer-contact\">\n\t<div class=\"footer-contact-wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"footer-contact-content\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading footer-contact-headline has-xx-large-font-size\">Contact Us<\/h2><div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top footer-contact-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-column footer-contact-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading footer-contact-column-heading\">College of Communication<\/h3><p class=\"footer-contact-column-content wp-block-paragraph\">Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences<br><br>Jenna Voss<br><a href=\"jvoss1@butler.edu\">jvoss1@butler.edu<\/a><\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column footer-contact-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column footer-contact-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":178,"featured_media":0,"parent":3977,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3982","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"revision_note":"","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v28.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>About | Butler University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.butler.edu\/communication\/master-deaf-education\/about\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" 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