Morgan Lee presenting in front of a screen at a conference

Presentation Tracks

Intersectionality & Positionality

Defying the Gravity of Oppressions

Language deprivation is the lack of language exposure during a child’s age of acquisition which impacts language development, academic success, and cognitive capabilities. Children from marginalized communities are more likely to suffer from language deprivation and less likely to have instructors who share their cultural background. Transformative classrooms require staff to understand their own positionalities and recognize the intersectionalities of their students. To create these spaces, teachers must take a balcony approach to recognize systemic barriers, biases, and deficit thinking that can negatively affect their students. A culturally responsive classroom can be built using approaches that honor each student. Doctoral research centering the lived experiences and recommendations of BIPOC Deaf practitioners of the Deaf anchor this presentation through a critical framework.

Language deprivation remains a pervasive yet often overlooked form of educational inequity, disproportionately affecting BIPOC Deaf students who navigate multiple layers of oppression within public school systems.  This presentation provides an overview of a study which critically examines the long-term consequences of language deprivation on academic achievement, identity development, and socio-emotional well-being.  Through the lived experiences and insights of BIPOC Deaf teachers, this study highlights the intersectional barriers these educators have faced and the systemic failures that continue to marginalize Deaf students of color.  This study provides actionable recommendations for public schools, including the need for bilingual ASL-English education, culturally affirming pedagogies, cultural sensitivity, and policy reforms that center the voices of BIPOC Deaf educators and students.  This research advocates for a more inclusive and linguistically just educational landscape.

Instruction Strategies

Importance of Bilingualism

This presentation focuses on effective strategies for teaching Deaf children who have experienced language deprivation. It emphasizes the importance of modifying curriculum to meet students where they are, using brain-based learning principles to support cognitive and language development. Educators will explore how the brain learns language and literacy, and how to create visually rich, accessible classroom environments that support comprehension and engagement. The session also highlights the critical role of building trust, fostering community, and establishing emotionally safe spaces that encourage risk-taking and connection. Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies for designing inclusive, responsive instruction that nurtures both language growth and student confidence.

This presentation emphasizes the critical importance of providing deaf children with full access to both spoken language (through hearing technologies and speech therapy when appropriate) and sign language from an early age. It highlights the risk of language deprivation—a condition where a child lacks sufficient exposure to accessible language during key developmental years—and its long-term effects on cognitive, social, and academic development. By advocating for a bilingual approach, the presentation underscores how integrating both sign and spoken language supports a strong linguistic foundation, fosters identity, and maximizes each child’s potential.

Culturally Responsive Interpreting

This presentation equips ASL interpreters with practical strategies to become culturally responsive practitioners in their work with a diverse community of Deaf consumers. It challenges the “universal Deaf” myth—the false notion that all Deaf people share a singular cultural identity or experience—and explores the rich intersectionality within the Deaf community, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, immigration status, and more. Through real-world scenarios and guided reflection, participants will learn how to recognize and respect cultural nuances, avoid assumptions, and adapt their interpreting approach to honor the unique identities and lived experiences of each Deaf individual they serve.