This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) focused on the experiences and beliefs of teachers of the deaf about bilingual American Sign Language (ASL) and English education and their teacher preparation programs. It was grounded on situated learning theory, specifically on the principles of legitimate peripheral learning theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Data was collected through a semi-structured interview of four teachers of the deaf working in a school for the deaf in Northeastern United States. Four main themes emerged from this data: 1) meaningful exposure to human diversity during teachers' childhood and early adult life; 2) development of a strong belief in cultural and linguistic equity; 3) students' unmet needs move teachers to innovation and supplementation of their own professional development needs; 4) dissonance between a teacher training program philosophy and teachers' practice. Implications are discussed, emphasizing the need for focused research on the ongoing challenges in bilingual deaf education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]