Deaf South Division

Our offices are located in Orem at Scera Park Elementary School, in a modular unit.  While the office is located in Orem, on the Wasatch Front, the majority of our services are provided in rural Utah, ranging to Utah’s borders with Colorado, Arizona and Nevada.

There are 41 school districts in Utah.  The South Region of the School for the Deaf serves 23 of these districts.  Do you have an idea of how many square miles there are in Utah?  Well, here’s a piece of trivia!  Utah contains 84,899 square miles and of that 84,899 square miles, 64, 838 square miles are included in the South Region, which works out to be 76% of the state.

Currently we have modular unit classrooms in Orem at, Orem Elementary, as well as a class at Lakeridge Jr. High and one class at Mountain View High School and one class at Dixie High School in St. George.  These units provide a specialized learning environment for those students who it is determined would benefit by the educational placement team.

The self contained students are located in five general areas:  Orem, serving the Alpine, Provo, Nebo and Juab school districts, as well as Vernal, St. George and Blanding.

 To explain briefly the five levels of consultant services provided to the students.

Students may be identified through the Parent Infant Program or we may be asked by local school district personnel to assist with students who are deaf or hearing impaired.  A referral is made to USDB personnel and the Assessment period begins.  During this time, the Teacher Consultant will speak to parents and teachers, arrange for a hearing evaluation, observe students in their classes and, if necessary, conduct assessments.

Once the necessary information is gathered key personnel are convened to evaluate the student’s needs.   If however, the student has a hearing loss and has need of service offered by the USD Teacher Consultant.

Tracking.  Students who receive this level of service may benefit from the following:  The Teacher Consultant may in-service the teachers about hearing loss, provide training regarding a child with a hearing loss in the classroom and its impact on learning and arranging for audiological evaluations.  The Teacher Consultant may also provide support for assistive technology in the classroom such as FM systems, classroom amplification, etc.  This type of intervention and support often results in the student NOT developing greater needs in the future because strategies are implemented early to serve the student.

Technical Assistance.  Students who receive this level of service are those who have an IEP or a 504 plan in place.  These students receive the same services as those provided at the Tracking level.  The Teacher Consultant is a member of the local school district IEP or 504 team, providing that key component needed to appropriately serve a student with a hearing loss. The Teacher Consultant monitors hearing aids, and or cochlear implant, FM systems and provides information to the teacher on this equipment.

Collaboration.  Collaboration involves more time and involvement by the USD Teacher Consultant.  They will actively work with teachers to design effective instructional strategies for the deaf students.  They may train in curriculum modification, demonstrate actual lessons and even provide training to the other students in the class.  At the Collaboration level of service, these students and teachers also benefit from the same services of the previous levels, Tracking and Technical Assistance.

Direct Service.  Students who require direct instruction of IEP goals and objectives receive the direct instruction from the Teacher Consultant. The Teacher Consultant will evaluate the student’s needs and determine the appropriate goals that should be instructed to the student.  Working with the IEP team, they will determine the time needed on a daily or weekly basis in order to best meet each student’s needs.  The student receiving Direct Service, as well as the IEP team members and parents receive all the opportunities, strategies and training provided at the other levels of the consultant continuum.

Director:             Marilyn Madsen                          Program Specialist:        Teresa Davenport

                            424 S. 350 E.                                                                    424 S. 350E.             

                            Orem, UT 84058                                                                Orem, UT  84058

                            801-431-5100                                                                    801-431-5102