About the Editors

Marc Marschark, PhD

Marc Marschark, PhD, is a professor at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, a college of Rochester Institute of Technology, where he directs the Center for Education Research Partnerships. His primary interest is in relations among language, learning, and cognition; current research focuses on such relations among deaf children and adults in formal and informal educational settings. He was the founding editor of the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education and now co-edits two book series for Oxford University Press.

Patricia Elizabeth Spencer, PhD

Patricia Elizabeth Spencer, PhD, retired as professor of social work at Gallaudet University. As a research scientist at Gallaudet’s Center for Studies in Education and Human Development, she had conducted research on early cognitive and communication/language development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Her ongoing interest in communication and language development grew from her “hands-on” experiences as a teacher, assessment specialist, and educational advocate for deaf and hard-of-hearing students as well as those with multiple learning challenges.