Teacher Reaches for Higher Goals with Special Education Program

Meet Leneé Lassiter, a teacher who went on to earn her master’s degree from University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s Special Education, Specialization in Deaf & Hard of Hearing Education, MA online program.

Leneé Lassiter was a teacher with a master’s degree in education, teaching students that were deaf or had hearing impairments. After two years, she realized she needed further education in order to provide top-quality education to her students.

“The online program I found from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln was exactly what I had been looking for,” Lassiter said. While enrolled in the program, Lassiter was able to continue teaching deaf youth during the day and work on her degree during the evenings and on weekends.

In regards to online learning, Lassiter said, “Being successful in an online master’s program can be challenging. It takes time management, commitment, focus, flexibility, self-determination, supportive advisors and professors and of course, a reliable computer.”

In terms of professor and student interaction, Lassiter stated, “The work was rigorous but rewarding. Each professor held us to a high standard.” The most memorable moment came for Lassiter when Dr. Eccarius, a professor and advisor of the program, encouraged her to spend time in a public school setting with mainstreamed students. “I never thought I would need the experience to be in a residential school but here I am in a new city, working with mainstreamed deaf students,” Lassiter observed. “Dr. Eccarius was right and I’m glad that she took the time to personally talk with me and look out for me even when I didn’t have the insight to look out for myself.”

Lassiter emphasized, “If you want a degree from a university that will support you, challenge you, give you current knowledge and continues to maintain contact and support after graduation, UNL is the school for you.”

More about special education online programs:
The University of Nebraska offers a wide range of online special education programs that focus on early childhood, deaf and hard of hearing, visual impairment and sensory disabilities, among many other subjects. The special education programs are focused on developing skills needed to interact and teach children with special needs or disabilities.

A full list of online special education programs can be found here.

Do you know of an exceptional online student? We love to feature students and the programs that help make them successful. Email student feature ideas to online@nebraska.edu.