First Steps in the Journey from Consumers to Producers of Research in Deaf Education

Faculty Shortages in the study of low-incidence sensory disabilities (deafness, blindness, deaf-blindness) constitute personnel preparation challenges, as documented by a variety of organizations. To alleviate this deficit in the low-incidence sensory disability professoriat, the National Leadership Consortium for Sensory Disabilities (NLCSD) was created to support the preparation of preservice researchers in these disciplines. This qualitative study documents the emerging perceptions of research by deafness-focused NLCSD first-year doctoral Fellows during their participation in an online enrichment seminar. Thematic analysis of the online interactions of the Fellows reveals their initial steps in their journey from consumers to producers of research. Results of the study offer insight into the preparation process of leadership personnel in deaf education.