Math, ASL, Social Studies - Building a Deaf School Online

In Utah, deaf and hard of hearing elementary school students can access their education--in American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken and written English--from their devices at home. Many secondary students can access online coursework as well. This is thanks to a four-year project undertaken by the Utah School for the Deaf (USD). The goal was to provide online services--even an online school--for deaf and hard of hearing students, for both those in deaf schools and those in mainstream programs. Today, any deaf or hard of hearing student in Utah can take advantage of the USD Online School. Deaf and hard of hearing students can elect to work entirely from home or make up a single high school course for credit. Students in the mainstream can sign onto courses in ASL and see other courses in written and spoken English. A shift in thinking has occurred. Many teachers have re-evaluated traditional notions of what school means and looks like.