A $1.07 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will empower Illinois State to prepare professionals for work with infants and toddlers with hearing loss, and their family members.

The grant will fund a graduate course to prepare early intervention professionals with current degrees in deaf education, speech and language pathology or audiology to work with infants and toddlers who are deaf and hard of hearing. The year-long sequence is aimed at enhancing the auditory and spoken language skills in the child with hearing loss; and developing the competencies specific to working with infants, toddlers, and their families.

The program will be offered tuition-free to accepted students. Preference will be given to bilingual applicants from underrepresented populations or within high-need geographic areas. Classes will be offered in Chicago and on campus.

For more information go to www.SpecialEducation.ilstu.edu, e-mail Special Education Professor Maribeth Lartz at mnlartz@IllinoisState.edu, or call her at (309) 438-8988.