Co-enrollment and the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing learners: Foundations, implementation, and challenges

Abstract

This chapter introduces the concept of co-enrollment, exploring the philosophical and pragmatic foundations of this educational option of educating deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students. The intent of co-enrollment programs is to promote full membership of both DHH and hearing students in the school and classroom. Co-enrollment programs are often bilingual in sign language and spoken language and are frequently co-taught by a general education teacher and a teacher of DHH students. The scant research on co-enrollment classrooms indicates that the social outcomes are positive, but academic and language proficiency outcomes are not yet established. Teachers, parents, and students all perceive co-enrollment programs positively. Challenges include the time required for students and teachers to master a second language and the time and effort required to establish and maintain teacher partnerships.