We aim to inform professional practice and policy development by growing the evidence base around practices that achieve strong academic and wellbeing outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing students.
In partnership with universities and other professional institutions, VDEI engages in research projects, literature reviews and needs analyses that identify leading practice in teaching and learning for deaf and hard of hearing learners. Through research and community partnerships, VDEI supports the implementation of targeted policies and programs that have a measurable impact on the quality of teaching practice and the improvement of educational outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Our current research projects and initiatives focus on diverse topics that support leading practice in the deaf education field, such as Educational Interpreter competencies, optimal acoustic conditions in classrooms, early literacy, and Auslan proficiency for Auslan teachers and Educational Interpreters. These projects and initiatives provide a solid evidence base for VDEI’s role in supporting the professional learning needs of the deaf education workforce and informing the policy development of our deaf education system.
Current projects, research and initiatives include:
Project: Assessing Auslan Development Tool
The Assessing Auslan Development tool was developed in 2016 by VDEI in partnership with Professor Adam Schembri and La Trobe University. Professor Schembri is Reader in Linguistics in the Department o...
Project: Foundations for Literacy
Foundations for Literacy is a unique early literacy program designed for young deaf and hard of hearing children who communicate in spoken and/or signed language.
Project: Transforming Auslan education in Australia
VDEI is proud to have had the opportunity to partner with Monash University’s successful application for an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Program for Industry Fellowship Program grant. Ass...
Project: Fingerspelling Our Way to Reading
The Victorian Deaf Education Institute (VDEI) leads a national project to support the implementation of the Fingerspelling our Way to Reading program in Australian schools.
Project: Professional Standards for Educational Interpreters
In 2019-22 VDEI collaborated with the Australian Sign Language and Translators Association (ASLITA) to identify key workforce initiatives required to support and upskill the Educational Interpreter wo...
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