UNO student earns $900,000 grant for hearing-impaired student growth

Michael Norman, a Ph.D. student in the University of New Orleans' Department of Special Education and Habilitative Services, has received a $900,000 grant for his research on improving educational delivery to preschoolers who are hearing impaired, as well as other students who  have disabilities.

The grant from the Louisiana Department of Education is to create resources that will enable educators to better serve students, particularly preschoolers, who have hearing and communication struggles.

Until he graduates in December, Norman will be in charge of an interdisciplinary team of education and health professionals from throughout Louisiana. They will create a training curriculum to offer direct technical assistance to  school districts. The team will also support individual students throughout Louisiana.

The work targets cochlear implants among preschoolers and several other disabilities among other students. These can include autism spectrum disorders, which typically cause students to lack communication skills at school.

Norman is a native of Louisiana and a long-time service provider in the New Orleans region. He currently organizes the Louisiana Deafblind Project for Children and Youth, and his work could change countless lives as students acquire more communication skills inside the classroom.