Hi! My name is Shelly Buckley-Durst. My students call me Ms. Shelly. I teach the Hearing Services: Total Communication Classroom. Total Communication means that lessons are taught using both voice and sign language.

About the Teacher...

I have been teaching since 1991. I started in Knox County in 1998 and have been using sign language since I was 12 years old. I grew up in northern Indiana and have a degree from Ball State University in Deaf Education. I also have an endorsement in Special Education from the University of Tennessee, Martin.

About Our Class...

My students have won several first place ribbons at the quilt show in Pigeon Forge, TN. We have also participated in events such as Special Olympics, Very Special Arts, and deaf awareness days at Dollywood.

My classroom continues to be a site program that helps in training the University of Tennessee interns in both deaf education and educational interpreting.