USAO to Host State Deaf Education Conference June 2-5
For immediate release
Contact: Bryce McKinnis | (405) 574-1337
CHICKASHA (May 14, 2025) — The Oklahoma State Department of Education has announced it will hold its annual Deaf Education Conference and pre-conference on the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma’s campus next month.
The Oklahoma Educational Interpreter Training Institute (OEITI) pre-conference is scheduled for June 2-3, 2025. The Deaf Education Conference, tabbed “Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers,” will follow June 4-5, 2025.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for us to share our campus with exceptional educators across Oklahoma,” said Dean of the School of Education and Speech-Language Pathology, Dr. Sarah Layman. “USAO has the only Deaf Education certification program in the state of Oklahoma, and we are excited for the opportunity to highlight our unique program through hosting this special conference event.”
The two-day conference is open for all teachers of the deaf, early intervention/early childhood specialists, educational interpreters, and anyone interested in Deaf Education. The conference will include workshops and networking opportunities for professionals in Deaf Education. OEITI is open to educational interpreters who have not received QAST level IV or an EIPA of 4.0 or higher.
Individuals must register for the events on sde.ok.gov by June 5. The OSDE has waived registration costs for in-state attendees.
Interested attendees can reserve lodging at the Best Western Plus at 430 S. Grand Ave. in Chickasha by May 18, 2025 to secure a guaranteed rate.
For inquiries about the Deaf Education Conference, contact the OSDE Deaf Education Project Manager, Traci Prince, at traci.prince@sde.ok.gov. For more information on USAO’s Deaf Education program, contact Dean Layman at slayman@usao.edu.
About the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma
As Oklahoma’s liberal arts college, the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma provides a distinctive education in the liberal arts and sciences, supporting both its interdisciplinary core curriculum and major fields of study with superior teaching. USAO fosters diversity of thought and practice to help students realize meaningful, purposeful and productive lives as global citizens in a rapidly-changing world.