解:$(1)$∵$ AB = AC,$∴$ ∠B = ∠C$
∵$ ∠ADC$是$∆ABD$的外角
∴$ ∠ADC = ∠B + ∠BAD,$即$∠ADE + ∠CDE = ∠B + ∠BAD$
∵$ ∠B = 40°,$$∠ADE = 40°,$∴$ ∠CDE = ∠BAD$
∵$ AB = 2,$$DC = 2,$∴$ AB = DC$
在$∆ABD$和$∆DCE$中
$\begin {cases}∠BAD = ∠CDE\\AB = DC\\∠B = ∠C\end {cases}$
∴$ ∆ABD≌∆DCE(AS A)$
$(2)$当$∠BAD$的度数为$30°$或$60°$时,$∆ADE$是等腰三角形,理由:
∵$ $在$∆ABC$中,$AB = AC,$∴$ ∠B = ∠C = 40°$
$① $若$AD = AE,$则$∠AED = ∠ADE = 40°$
∵$ ∠AED$是$∆DEC$的外角,∴$ ∠AED = ∠EDC + ∠C,$
∴$ ∠EDC = 0°,$此时点$D,$$B$重合,不符合题意,舍去
$② $若$AD = ED$
则$∠DAE = ∠DEA = \frac 12(180° - ∠ADE) = \frac 12×(180° - 40°)= 70°$
∵$ ∠AED = ∠EDC + ∠C,$∴$ ∠EDC = 30°$
∴$ ∠BAD = ∠EDC = 30°$
$③ $若$AE = DE,$则$∠DAE = ∠ADE = 40°$
∵$ ∆ABC$的内角和为$180°,$∴$ ∠BAC = 180° - 2×40° = 100°$
∴$ ∠BAD = 100° - 40° = 60°$
综上所述,当$∠BAD$的度数为$30°$或$60°$时,$∆ADE$是等腰三角形