The Maryland MarylandBulletin School for the Deaf, www.msd.edu The Maryland Bulletin Volume CXXIX, No. 2 Winter 2008-09 Table ofContents 1 Columbia Campus Staff Learn More About Verbal Behavior 2 Pilot Program for Deaf Studies with Emotional Disturbance 6 (JET’s Column) Editor James E. Tucker [email protected] 7 Around MSD Associate Editor 21 Junior Bulletin Stanley C. Baker [email protected] 24 Sportscope Managing Editor & Graphic Designer 3 4 Alumni News Larry Newman [email protected] 36 Community News Copy Editor Nan Cronk-Walker 37 MSD Alumni Profile:Van Alden Brewer, ‘71 [email protected] 30 MSD Flashback: The Maryland School for the Deaf’s First Class ON THE COVER MSD senior Ryan Bonheyo sports a Towson University t-shirt at the Harry T. Creager Athletic Field. On February 4th, Ryan signed a letter of intent to play Division I football at Towson University. The Maryland Bulletin (USPS 331-660) is published three times a year. Subscription price is $10.00 per year by Maryland School for the Deaf, 101 Clarke Place, Frederick, MD 21705-0250. Periodicals postage paid at Frederick, FREDERICK CAMPUS (MSD-FC) COLUMBIA CAMPUS (MSD-CC) 101 Clarke Place, P.O. Box 250 Route 108 & Old Montgomery Rd., P.O. Box 894 MD Postmaster: Send address Frederick, Maryland 21705-0250 Columbia, Maryland 21044-0894 changes to The Maryland 301.360.2000 (Voice) 410.480.4500 (Voice) Bulletin, 101 Clarke Place, 301.360.2001 (TTY) 410.480.4501 (TTY) Frederick, MD 21705-0250. 301.360.1400 (Fax) 410.480.4506 (Fax) [email protected] [email protected] THE MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, mental or physical disability, national origin, political affiliation, belief or opinion, race, religious affiliation, sex, or sexual orientation in matters affecting program, activities, or employment practices. Questions regarding this policy in terms of employment may be directed to Eva Staubitz, Director of Personnel (301) 360-2008. Questions regarding the school program may be directed to Ms. Susanna Oliver, Director of Pupil Personnel Services (301) 360-2025. Both may be reached at the Maryland School for the Deaf, 101 Clarke Place, P.O. Box 250, Frederick, Maryland 21705-0250. Columbia Campus Staff Learn More About Verbal Behavior Christopher Duck, M.Ed., BCBA, Teacher, Colubmia Campus, [email protected] hen a child with limited learn language. It is not through devel- Verbal Behavior. To be honest, what language acts out, he/she is oping receptive skills that are somehow he wrote was quite difficult for many communicating. The chal- magically transformed into expressive people to understand. However, in the Wlenge is to teach this child to communi- skills. It is not through learning many last few decades, several behavior analysts cate by using socially acceptable means. vocabulary words that later just come out (including Dr. Jack Michael, Dr. Mark Traditionally in the field of education of in the right order as expressive language. Sundberg, Dr. James Partington, and Dr. the deaf, exposure to visual language is Instead, through a process of reinforce- Vincent Carbone) have studied Skinner’s emphasized. It is often assumed that once ment and extinction (withdrawal of work and have helped make this analysis exposed to the language, the deaf child reinforcement), certain behaviors are of verbal behavior accessible to those of will pick it up. Once they build enough learned, reinforced, and generalized to us who work with students who do not receptive skills, then they will begin to use conform with the standard way that our develop the normal use of language. In the language expressively. To encourage community uses formal language. fact, it has helped to see how these basic this input of language, a heavy emphasis Behavior analysis is the process of principles of behavior are used when is often placed on developing vocabulary, looking at behavior scientifically. Instead working with students who do develop particularly learning the names (or signs) of providing anecdotes or looking at the good use of language. for many things. However, despite abun- behavior of many people or a group of In his analysis of verbal behavior, dant input, some students do not use the people and seeing trends, patterns or Skinner identifies basic behavioral language expressively. correlations, the behavior analyst sets up units of language. He calls them verbal The truth is that sometimes this experiments to confirm a hypothesis about operants. These behaviors or operants process does not work. Some students fail what actually causes a change in behavior. are learned and maintained because of to “pick up” the socially-mediated language and do reinforcement (i.e. not use formal reinforcement pro- ASL to com- vided by another municate well. person). Each Often they do verbal operant is “pick up” some different because of the informal of its function. aspects of ASL, Especially for in- including facial dividuals who do expression, body not develop lan- language, ges- guage normally, tures, etc., but being able to use are unable to use a word or sign as the formal ASL signs well and also fail An independent variable is manipulated to one verbal operant does not mean that to progress with reading and writing. confirm its influence and causal effect on a he is able to use the same word as another Even those who do “pick up” enough dependent variable. Extreme care is taken verbal operant. language to get their wants and needs to be sure that there is no confounding Here is an example: A young child met, sometimes fail to develop more variable (a separate influence other than learns to sign or say, “Cookie,” because sophisticated language, such as deal- the independent variable) that is caus- he/she wants a cookie. In a verbal be- ing with the abstract and responding ing the change in behavior. From these havior approach, this is called a mand. to “wh” questions (such as who, what, experiments, basic principles of behavior Mands are basically requests. When the where, when, how, and why). When are formed. It is these principles that are individual receives what he/she requests, looking closely at the process of lan- used to analyze the complicated process they are reinforced. The item requested is guage acquisition for students who are of language acquisition. a reinforcer. Another child signs or says, successful, it can be concluded that they In 1957, B.F. Skinner wrote a detailed “Cookie,” when they see a cookie. He is learn language the same way all children analysis of language in a book entitled Continued on page 3 THE MARYLAND BULLETIN, WINTER 2008-09 1 Pilot Program for Deaf Students with Emotional Disturbance Lisa Houck, Principal Intern/Director of Curriculum and Instruction, [email protected] n January 20, 2009, the Maryland School for the Deaf launched the Pilot Program for Deaf Students with Emotional Disturbance. The program was the Oresult of a joint initiative between MSD and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Recognizing MSD’s excellence in educating deaf youth, Dr. Carol Ann Heath- Baglin, MSDE Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services, approached MSD Superintendent, James E. Tucker about the possibility of establishing a program to meet the needs of this under- served population. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines Emotional Disturbance as “a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of Christina Vorreyer-Davis and Julie Hemstreet finalize plans time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child’s for the day. educational performance: 1. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. 2. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory in- terpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. 3. Inappropriate types of behavior or feel- ings under normal circumstances. 4. A general pervasive mood of un- happiness or depression. 5. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears as- sociated with personal or school problems.” [Code of Federal Regulations, Title 34, Section 300.7(c)(4)(i)] In Maryland, 8.16% of students who receive special educa- Kathleen Setzer teaches an Algebra lesson. tion services have an emotional disability. Generally speaking, students with emotional disturbance have higher drop-out Fortunately, research has shown that the prognosis for rates, miss more days of school, fail more courses and have students with emotional disturbance can be improved through lower grade point averages than their peers. interventions that are sustained, flexible, positive, collaborative, Local school systems often find it difficult to provide ap- culturally appropriate, and regularly evaluated. With that in propriate services to students who are emotionally disturbed. mind, the Maryland School for the Deaf dedicated itself to When students are Deaf and emotionally disturbed, the establishing a program that would provide high behavioral and challenge is even greater. Traditionally, Deaf students with academic expectations. A number of programs serving students emotional disturbance have been placed in programs in their with emotional disturbance were researched with site visita- home counties where they accessed their programs through tions to Laurel Hall School, The Jefferson School, and Heather sign language interpreters. Many professionals agree that this Ridge School. Working in collaboration, Dr. Patricia Hodgdon approach is ineffective and does not sufficiently meet the needs of Deaf students. Occasionally, Deaf students with emotional (Director of Student Support Services), Kathleen Setzer (Lead disturbance have been placed in out-of-state residential treat- Teacher), Julie Hemstreet (Behavior Specialist) and Christina ment facilities. The cost of an out-of-state placement can cost Vorreyer-Davis (Teacher Aide) developed a program that would over $200,000 per student, per year.