Dr. Karen Wise Lindeman
Opening doors to ASL, deaf education—and a confident college start
A professor of Early Childhood & Elementary Education, Dr. Lindeman opens doors to
ASL and Deaf Education while easing the high-school-to-college transition through
scaffolding, community-building, and practical success supports.
Dr. Karen Wise Lindeman
Opening doors to ASL, deaf education—and a confident college start
A professor of Early Childhood & Elementary Education, Dr. Lindeman opens doors to ASL and Deaf Education while easing the high-school-to-college transition through scaffolding, community-building, and practical success supports.
"I love getting to share a new idea that's something they might not even thought about."
“Many people come into my class and don’t know a teacher of the deaf is even a thing. Like that’s a job, right?” Dr. Karen Wise Lindeman loves moments like that. A professor of Early Childhood & Elementary Education, she created Edinboro’s undergraduate Deaf Education program and teaches the Dual Enrollment course ASL & Deaf Culture—often in the evening so high schoolers and community members can join.
Her goal is equal parts access and launchpad. “College is much different than high school,” she notes, recalling a freshman who told her, wide-eyed, “You guys aren’t messing around.” Her response: “This is college… we’re going 15 weeks.” To smooth the transition, she “treats it like a freshman class,” scaffolding everything from “What is D2L?” to finding and using the textbook. Early weeks focus on getting oriented; content builds as skills and confidence grow.
Connection is part of her curriculum. Lindeman intentionally links high schoolers with peers in the room—“someone else like me”—and into campus life. One night she overheard a student invite a dual-enrolled classmate to the ASL Club meeting. Small moments, big belonging.
Her advice to families is enthusiastic. “What a fantastic opportunity… If your student is curious… look through our Dual Enrollment page.” She points to PennWest’s success coordinators and the way early exposure helps first-generation students “navigate the world of higher ed.” She’s lived it at home, too: “Both of my kids were like Addison and started college with 15 or more credits done.”
Whether students pursue Education & Teaching, Speech-Language Pathology, or discover a calling in Deaf Education, Lindeman’s course offers a meaningful first step—language, culture, community—and a realistic rhythm for college success.