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Our Impact

Who We Are

OPTION members are driven and united by our passion for listening and spoken language (LSL). We guide leaders to be intentional and directed in everything we do. This sense of purpose is what enables us to create impact and move forward with confidence.        

As a coalition of professionals, we value leadership, advancement, collaboration and passion with a purpose. Together we advance listening and spoken language education in four unique ways:

1. Supporting and promoting LSL educational options for children who are deaf or hard of hearing

  •  Represent LSL expertise in field-building unification effort called Common Ground
  • OPTION exhibits at national conferences
  • Outreach and education to graduate programs nationwide about professional LSL opportunities in OPTION programs 
  • In response to COVID19 pandemic, 100% of OPTION programs were offering virtual services by March 2020

2. Measuring outcomes

  • Developed and maintains the first and only (longitudinal) database that consolidates outcome measures for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and receive specialized listening and spoken language training from multiple programs throughout the country
  • Outcome-based presentations at national conferences (ASHA, AG Bell, CEC, EHDI)
  • Research-based article in Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (an ASHA publication, Vol. 49, Issue 1, January 2018), The Listening and Spoken Language Data Repository: Design and Project Overview

3. Establishing and sharing best practices

  • Ongoing topic-based virtual discussions through OPTION Circles 
  • Widely attended annual meetings, including virtual opportunities
  • Quarterly OPTION Connections webinar series to support and champion LSL professionals
  • Quality Standards and Self Study resources in development
  • In response to COVID-19, OPTION offered real-time membership support and resources to meet the critical needs of children and families from afar.

4. Raising awareness through advocacy

  • Teacher Shortage Task Force formed to address urgent need for LSL professionals
  • Statement/Response to AG Bell LEAD-K Model Bill
  • Perspective on Language Readiness for Kindergarten

 

WE ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR MEMBERS! 

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