Dr. Monica Soukup
Assistant Professor of Education
B.A. Augustana College
M.A. Augustana College
Ed. D. University of South Dakota

Please share a little about your past with us. Where did you grow up and go to school? What led you to Augustana and why do you stay?
Sioux Falls has been my life-long residence. I attended Saint Mary's School through eighth grade and then attended O'Gorman High School. My parents were deaf, and as a result, I became involved in the Deaf community at a very young age. My affiliation with the deaf community continued as an adult when I married my husband, Ben, who is deaf and became a mother to three children who are also deaf.

As a result of my immersion in the deaf community, I knew at a very young age that I wanted to pursue a career in Deaf Education. Being a native to Sioux Falls, I knew that Augustana had a program in Deaf Education, so I decided to enroll.

After graduating from Augustana with a B. A. in Deaf Education and Elementary Education in 1976, I began teaching at the South Dakota School for the Deaf and continued to teach there for 23 years. I taught various grade levels while at SDSD and was quite active in various aspects of the school. I participated in many committees that evaluated the curriculum used in various academic areas. I also taught summer school and was active in the teachers' professional organization. While teaching at SDSD, I returned to Augustana for graduate school and received a Master's degree in Special Education.

I began teaching in the Education Department's Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at Augustana in the fall of 1999. Although I miss teaching deaf children, my move to Augustana was wonderful professionally. I feel that preparing pre-service teachers allows me to reach more deaf and hard of hearing children. I believe that my personal and professional experiences enable me to provide Augustana students with information that they will need to become good teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students. I also enjoy conducting research and keeping current with new developments in the education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students. I recently graduated from the University of South Dakota with an Ed. D. in Curriculum and Instruction.

Augustana is very excited to add an ASL Interpreting degree, scheduled to begin in the Fall of 2006. You have played an integral role in designing the program. What do you envision for it?
I am excited to be a part of adding this new major at Augustana. There is a high demand for interpreters today. By preparing individuals to become interpreters, Augustana will be able to assist various communities throughout the region and the nation in meeting the need to provide interpreters to deaf children and deaf adults.

The Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at Augustana has a good reputation and relationship with many agencies and organizations in this region. I envision that the new Sign Language Interpreting program will also have a good reputation and strengthen our relationship with these agencies and organizations. I also envision that there will be a large number of students who enroll in this program and that the enrollment will continue to grow. I have been receiving many inquiries from individuals who are considering our program.

Why is a four-year degree in this field so important now? Is there currently a big need for qualified interpreters in the working world?
It is important to offer an interpreting program in Sioux Falls because there is a critical shortage of interpreters for the deaf in this region, as well as nationally. Research shows that there should be one interpreter for every 12 deaf persons, or 25,000 interpreters, in the United States to meet the demand for interpreting services. However, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf estimates that there are only 13,000 interpreters in the United States.

The demand for qualified students continues to increase. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandate that deaf adults and children are given equal access to services within the community by meeting their communication needs by providing interpreting services. In addition, the initiation of Video Relay Services (VRS) has increased the demand for qualified interpreters. VRS provides interpreting services through the use of a video phone and has become a more popular choice of telecommunication.

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf is a national organization that certifies interpreters for the Deaf. By 2012, all individuals seeking certification will be required to have a B. A. degree. A four-year degree from a liberal arts college provides interpreters with a broad knowledge base that will enable them to improve their delivery of information to deaf individuals.

What is your favorite class to teach at Augustana?
It is difficult for me to pick one favorite class because I enjoy teaching all of my classes. All of the classes that I teach pertain to the field of Deaf Education, and because I am passionate about this field, I enjoy sharing information about best practices in Deaf Education. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction knowing that good teachers from Augustana College are going into the field of Deaf Education.

What are your current research interests?
I am interested in conducting research regarding the development of literacy skills in deaf and hard of hearing students and I have given several presentations at various conferences on this topic. My dissertation study incorporated Curriculum-Based Assessment and I recently presented on the topic of Curriculum-Based Assessment at the Association for College Educators-Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACE-DHH) Conference. I would like to continue to incorporate Curriculum-Based Assessment in future research projects and mentor preservice and in-service teachers in using this assessment strategy.

What are some of your interests outside of Augustana?
Outside of Augustana, my primary interest is my family. I am fortunate to have many family members who reside in or near Sioux Falls. After graduating from college, my oldest son and daughter moved back to Sioux Falls. My mother lives in Sioux Falls and my sister and brothers live near here. My husband's brother, sister, and aunt also live in Sioux Falls. As a result, many of my activities outside of Augustana often involve family members. I also enjoy shopping!

Are there any accomplishments or things that you are particularly proud of that you'd like to share with us?
In May of 2005, I was awarded the Augustana Student Association's Faculty Recognition Award. As a professor who prepares future teachers, I believe that it is important for me to demonstrate the characteristics of a good teacher. I truly want to be a positive influence on the future teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students. I feel that I am very obvious in my passion for teaching and working with deaf individuals and I believe that the Augustana students appreciate having a professor who is passionate about a profession they will soon enter.

Over the past four semesters I have hosted five "Literacy Fun at Augie" sessions in which deaf children from Sioux Falls and the surrounding area are invited to Augustana College. The students who are enrolled in my classes are required to plan and teach lessons to the deaf and hard of hearing children who attend. This has been an invaluable experience. The Literacy Fun at Augie sessions have provided Augie students the opportunity to interact with deaf children, develop lesson plans, and practice delivering information to deaf students. In addition to interacting with deaf children, the Augustana students are able to interact with deaf parents of deaf children and hearing parents of deaf children. The deaf children of the community enjoy the books that are shared by the Augustana students and the planned activities. The deaf children also benefit from the opportunity to practice skills in reading and writing. Parents enjoy the opportunity to interact with other parents of deaf children. Finally, this activity has created a positive relationship with the parents of deaf children from the community and Augustana College.

Do you interact with students outside the classroom?
I believe it is important to maintain a good relationship with students who are majoring in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In the fall, I will invite the EDHH majors to my home as a way to introduce the freshmen to their fellow majors. In December, I will invite the students to my home to celebrate Christmas with all of the majors. For the last two years, I have offered my home to the Deaf Awareness organization to host their End-of-the-Year picnic.

What is the best thing about being a part of the Augustana community?
I believe that my colleagues at Augustana College are just as passionate about their field of expertise as I am about the field of Deaf Education, and that they are just as dedicated to helping other individuals enter their field as I am to helping individuals enter the field of Deaf Education and Interpreting. It is truly an honor to be part of a community in which all the individuals strive for excellence.