Gallaudet: Department of Education

09/03/2026

Resource Share!

Looking for resources to bring more DeafBlind perspectives and experiences into your courses?

The TouchPoint blog has a collection of academic articles addressing a variety of topics and issues impacting the DeafBlind community. These could be great additions to course readings, class discussions, student research projects, or just your own professional learning!

Check out the academic article collection here:
https://touchpoint.blog/academic-articles-2/

The broader TouchPoint blog also has plenty of additional content worth exploring and sharing.

A great resource for faculty, students, educators, and anyone looking to learn more about the DeafBlind community!

09/01/2026

AI, Deaf-Centric Pedagogy, and the Future of Deaf Education

We’re excited to share that our own Dr. Laurene Simms will be leading an upcoming Department of Education webinar titled “Artificial Intelligence and Deaf-Centric Pedagogy: Promise, Risk, and Possibility”.

As AI continues to rapidly reshape education, what does that mean for Deaf learners, ASL, bilingual development, and Deaf-centric pedagogy? Dr. Simms will explore both the possibilities and the concerns, including where AI may support our work, where it may undermine it, and what questions we should be asking as educators and researchers.

📅 Wednesday, October 28, 2026
⏰ 12:00–1:30 p.m. ET

This is such an important and timely conversation. We hope you’ll join us!

Scan the QR code on the flyer to register or go to https://gallaudet.zoom.us/meeting/register/8Gfvx5ltSQqOS81CZYLbIA

08/31/2026

🦬💙 WELCOME BACK, BISONS! 💛📚

The Department of Education is SO excited to have you back! Classes launch TODAY, which means it’s officially time to open Blackboard, check those syllabi, figure out where you’re supposed to be, and most importantly… SHOW UP!🙌

And because we can’t resist a terrible back-to-school joke…

What did the buffalo say when he dropped his son off at college?

BI-SON! 🦬👋

Okay, okay… we’ll stick to teaching.

Here’s to a new semester of learning, growing, connecting, and maybe even having a little fun along the way. Let’s do this, Bisons! 💙💛



Image description: A vertical welcome-back graphic in navy blue, gold, and cream. Large text at the top reads “Welcome back, Bisons!” followed by “The Department of Education is SO excited to have you back!” A navy banner announces “Classes launch TODAY!” Four icons remind students to open Blackboard, check their courses, keep up with their schedule, and, most importantly, show up.

08/24/2026

Last week, our Department of Education faculty were all together on campus for Faculty Development Week! 💙

We spent the week learning new things, collaborating, sharing ideas, and getting ready for another great semester. Now we’re refreshed, reconnected, and ready to welcome our students back next week!

Current students: Do you know which one of us is your advisor??



Image descriptions:

Photo 1: Nine Department of Education faculty members stand together smiling for a group photo on campus. From left to right: Dr. Julie Mitchiner, Dr. Oscar Ocuto, Dr. Bobbie Jo Kite, Dr. Christi Batamula, Dr. Ashley Greene, Dr. Adele Ann Eberwein, Dr. Helen Thumann, Dr. Laurene Simms, and Dr. Onudeah Nicolarakis.

Photo 2: Department of Education faculty sit together around a round table during Faculty Development Week. Several faculty members are working on laptops while participating in a collaborative session. Other faculty groups are visible throughout the large campus meeting space, with presentation slides projected at the front of the room.

Photo 3: A wider view of the Faculty Development Week session shows Department of Education faculty gathered around a table with laptops open, working and discussing together. Numerous other faculty groups are seated at tables throughout the large campus space, highlighting a busy day of collaboration and professional development.

08/19/2026

Welcome to the team, Dr. Adele Ann Eberwein!

We are excited to officially welcome Dr. Adele Ann Eberwein to Gallaudet University as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education!

A Gallaudet alumna, Dr. Eberwein brings more than 25 years of experience spanning K–12 education, school leadership, and teacher preparation. Her research focuses on pedagogy and viewing comprehension among deaf students, with an emphasis on inclusive approaches that recognize students’ diverse linguistic and cultural identities.

We’re thrilled to have Adele Ann joining our Education team and bringing her wealth of experience, passion for Deaf education, and commitment to students into this new role. Welcome (back) home, Adele Ann! 💙🦬

Read more about Adele Ann and her journey back to Gallaudet: https://gallaudet.edu/academic-affairs/education-and-it-programs-welcome-new-faculty-members/

08/18/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Onudeah Nicolarakis and Dr. Oscar Ocuto on earning tenure!

We are thrilled to celebrate two incredible faculty members in Gallaudet University’s Education program who are now among Gallaudet’s tenured faculty.

Dr. Nicolarakis’ work centers on language, literacy, and equity, with a focus on bilingual and multilingual learning environments and translating research into meaningful educational practice. Dr. Ocuto’s research explores the home language environments of deaf children, while his teaching and mentorship emphasize helping students connect research and coursework to real-world experiences. Together, they are committed to preparing the next generation of educators and researchers to make a difference in the lives of deaf children, families, and communities.

We are incredibly proud to have Dr. Nicolarakis and Dr. Ocuto as part of our Education faculty. Please join us in congratulating them on this well-deserved milestone!

Read more about Gallaudet’s newly tenured faculty:
https://gallaudet.edu/academic-affairs/driven-to-help-students-thrive-gallaudets-newly-tenured-faculty/

08/18/2026

Missing summer already!

There’s just something special about getting to learn, collaborate, and connect in person. We had such a great summer session bringing together students and faculty for learning, leadership, and community building.

First photo: EDU 807 & EDU 808 Summer Leadership Courses. Connor Baer, Nicole Kusek, Deborah May, Kelsey Cobb, Mel Bowman, Raschelle Neild, Maddey McDonald, Frances Sorrentino, Pamela Grossman, Rachel Cole, Melinda Nelson, Jonathan Davis, Kim Bianco Majeri, Helen Thumann, and Onudeah Nicolarakis

Second photo: Our first TLADE EdD cohort!
Connor Baer, Nicole Kusek, Deborah May, Kelsey Cobb, Mel Bowman, and Raschelle Neild

We loved having everyone together and are already looking forward to the next time we can share the same space. What a great way to spend part of the summer!

08/10/2026

We are so incredibly proud to see Candace Jones, one of our Ph.D. students and member of our fabulous team, featured for her outstanding leadership and commitment to Gallaudet’s Family Learning Vacation! 💙💛

Under Candace’s leadership, FLV has continued to grow, welcoming 38 families this summer which is more than double the number who participated last year. The program creates an incredible space for deaf and hard of hearing children and their families to experience Deaf community, culture, language, connection, and possibility.

Candace’s dedication to families, children, and the Deaf community is evident throughout this work, and we are so proud to have her as part of our Ph.D. program. Congratulations, Candace, on the impact you continue to make!

Read more about this summer’s Family Learning Vacation:

https://gallaudet.edu/academic-affairs/another-standout-summer-for-family-learning-vacation/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Parents at Family Learning Vacation (FLV) marvel at how their young deaf children gain the confidence to do all sorts of new things on the Gallaudet

07/31/2026

Hot off the press!

We are excited to share yet another publication from the department in The Reading Teacher: “Is ‘Typically Developing’ Really Typical? Reimagining Deaf Literacies Through Crip Linguistics.”

This article was a true collaborative effort, bringing together two faculty members and two doctoral students across two universities: Dr. Jessica Scott, Georgia State University; Dr. Ashley Greene, Gallaudet University; Christopher Black, Georgia State University; and Mallorie D. Evans, Gallaudet University.

In this article, we explore how a Crip Linguistics perspective challenges traditional assumptions about deaf literacy and encourages more asset-based approaches to teaching and learning.

07/23/2026

Hot off the press! This new study explores the barriers deaf parents face and the resources they need. The research was conducted in collaboration with Gallaudet University, RIT/NTID, and the University of Michigan Medical School.

We’re excited to share these findings and contribute to a deeper understanding of the experiences and needs of deaf parents.