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Instructors of the Deaf and Hard-ofHearing at Bloomsburg University
win USDLA Teaching Award for their
Accessible Classes via Wimba
”We’re the only people in world we know of who have a fully online class that is
taught synchronously, where I lecture and all my words are coming out of an interpreter’s hands or through captioning.”
CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT (HIGHER EDUCATION)
Bloomsburg University
Bloomsburg, PA
www.bloom.edu
WIMBA PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
• Wimba Classroom
KEY BENEFITS
• Offer accessible live online classes
-Dr. Samuel Slike, Professor and Curriculum Coordinator of the Education of the Deaf and
Hard-of-Hearing Program, Bloomsburg University Computer Information Technology, Ivy Tech
CommunityCollege
via closed-captioning and interpreters
Nestled along the eastern edge of central Penn-
classes during which prospective classroom and
• Won 2008 United States Distance
sylvania’s Appalachian Mountains, Bloomsburg
itinerant teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing
Learning Association award
University is one of 14 liberal arts colleges of
students are provided with an eclectic back-
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Educa-
ground of coursework and experiences in the
tion. Founded in 1839 as the “Bloomsburg Liter-
field. And though teaching to hard-of-hearing
ary Institute,” the university is a comprehensive
students is hardly unusual in and of itself, they
master’s institution with an enrollment of 7,900
way Dr. Slike and Berman teach their class – en-
undergraduate and 800 graduate students, most
tirely live online via Wimba Classroom – is so
from the eastern half of the state.
novel that it won one of the most prestigious
teaching awards in the country.
While faculty and students at Bloomsburg have
received numerous accolades in the forms of
Dr. Slike and Berman use Wimba Classroom to
awards, national rankings and professional ac-
teach live online to their students. However, be-
creditations which serve as testimony to the
sides showing PowerPoint slides and interacting
excellence of its academic programs, one par-
via chat and voice like most instructors do via a
ticular award in 2008 has garnered arguably the
virtual classroom, they incorporate a number of
most acclaim for the institution.
innovative accessibility features using a variety
of learning technologies. Wimba Classroom en-
Dr. Samuel Slike, Professor and Curriculum
ables students to access a sign-language inter-
Coordinator of the Education of the Deaf and
preter and closed-caption text to accompany
Hard-of-Hearing Program, and Pamela Berman,
the standard slide presentation and instruc-
an instructional designer and developer at the
tor’s voice. Other learning technologies in-
Institute for Interactive Technologies and an
clude a Sorenson Video Phone for facilitat-
adjunct faculty member for the Department of
ing real-time visual interaction between
Instructional Technology, lead teacher training
interpreters and deaf students, replacing
www.wimba.com
• Meet accessibility standards
Dr. Samuel Slike, Professor and
Curriculum Coordinator of the Education
of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program, Bloomsburg University
the need to communicate via text chat, a much
been able to take this course had it only been of-
slower form of interaction.
fered on campus,” says another former student,
Jillian Forschner. “As a deaf professional, these
Bloomsburg University
Bloomsburg, PA
www.bloom.edu
“We’re the only people in world we know of who
additions to the online course are exceptional
have a fully online class that is taught synchro-
and without them I would not have full access to
nously, where I lecture and all my words are com-
what is being offered.”
ing out of an interpreter’s hands or through captioning,” says Dr. Slike.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
“As a premier organization for the
entire distance learning profession, we
are honoring Bloomsburg University
as a leader in the industry. The work of
Samuel Slike and Pamela Berman has
raised the bar of excellence and we are
truly honored by their contributions to
the distance learning industry.”
-Dr. John G. Flores, CEO, United States Distance
Learning Association
Students enrolled in the course gain an understanding of basic challenges, principles and prac-
In the Spring of 2008, the United States Distance
tices related to educating people who are deaf/
Learning Association awarded Dr. Slike and Ber-
hard-of-hearing. Topics include:
man its award for Best Practices for Distance
Learning Programming - Online Technology in
Higher Education for their work. They’re the only
two persons in the world who regularly use such
a unique combination of accessible technologies
in all of their live online classes.
• Incidence, definitions and classifications of
hearing loss;
• History of the education of deaf/hard-of-hearing students;
• Present educational methods, philosophies
and programs and
“As a premier organization for the entire distance
• Social and psychological aspects of deafness.
learning profession, we are honoring Blooms-
ABOUT WIMBA
burg University as a leader in the industry,” said
The primary instructional goal of this course is to
Wimba develops web-based collabora-
Dr. John G. Flores, CEO of USDLA. “The work of
expand access and better prepare future teach-
tion software designed for online educa-
Samuel Slike and Pamela Berman has raised the
ers of the deaf/hard-of-hearing. The fully acces-
tion, language learning and live interac-
bar of excellence and we’re truly honored by their
sible online course can be taken by students
tive communications. Our collaborative
contributions to the distance learning industry.”
located across the United States which can potentially increase the enrollment of teachers who
applications enable learning professionals to fully embrace the new wave
This course first launched in the fall of 2006 as an
will continue on to graduate program in Educa-
of teaching and learning opportunities
online course fully accessible to deaf and hard-
tion of the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing.
afforded by the Internet; regardless of
of-hearing persons titled “History, Education, and
geographic location, bandwidth or op-
Guidance of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing.” Offered at
“Who would have thought that technology could
erating system. Our classroom collabora-
a distance, its convenient nature helps all learn-
take such an astounding step in advancing our
tion solutions enable educators to con-
ers. Thus far, Dr. Slike and Berman have taught
educational system?” says student Kelly Klined-
duct live, online classes, meetings, office
45 students, four of whom were deaf and one on
inst. “Not only was I studying about deaf history
hours and other collaborations, and our
whom was hard-of-hearing. Though most stu-
and culture, but I was provided the chance to
language learning tools add oral interac-
dents were scattered throughout the state, one
learn and grow with two simple tools, a comput-
tion directly into course content, web-
student took the course from Hawaii.
er and headset. Rushing to class and fighting the
pages, study groups and assessments.
“I worked full time and it was impossible for me
chilly weather was of no need for this course for
With simplicity and power, Wimba adds
to attend the class in person with my schedule. I
it was conveniently located at the very location I
new dimensions to online, accessible ed-
live far from the university and would not have
spend much of my time, my computer desk.”
ucation, enhancing the learning experience for both students and instructors.