Resources: Students

An increasing number of deaf students are pursuing study abroad opportunities which can raise many questions for disability service professionals on how to plan for accommodations.

This poster is for institutions that will provide accommodations to affiliated study abroad programs.

Transition is the process all students go through as they move from a high school setting to what lies beyond. Transition programs assist students and their parents as they plan for life after high school in a proactive and coordinated way. An effective transition program provides students with the tools and the confidence to assume responsibility for their educational and employment decisions as they move into adulthood.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) work together to protect children and adults with disabilities from exclusion, discrimination, and unequal treatment in education, employment, and the community.

Strengthening community networks and connections increases social capital, the advantage gained through relationships and social networks. Social capital can help individuals navigate complex school and workplace situations.

Background noise and distance from the instructor may present barriers for some deaf students. When this is the case, assistive listening systems can play a role in reducing or eliminating these barriers.

More and more deaf students are pursuing study abroad opportunities which often raises many questions for disability service offices on what steps to take. Study abroad experiences provide opportunities for students to learn essential social and professional skills to be marketable in today’s workforce. Many factors can influence study abroad accommodations and there isn’t a uniform set of guidelines followed by all institutions in regards to coordinating services for deaf students participating in study abroad experiences. Institutions and deaf students can work together using the tools found below to address important questions including emergency planning, service providers, travel logistics, and more.

This two-part video explains the Americans With Disabilities Act and how it applies to postsecondary education for students who are deaf.

Effective communication affords deaf individuals the ability to share and/or receive information in a manner that is successful for them. Effective communication increases the opportunity for full and equal participation in any situation. Effective communication is fluid and allows all parties to receive and respond to information equally.

The National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes conducted a review of the literature on practices that address root causes of challenges to deaf individuals' postsecondary attainment and identified five key impact areas. Evidence-based summaries of each of the five key impact areas are included in the document.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the most current data on educational attainment trends and trajectories for deaf individuals in the United States, serving as a resource for community members, educators, researchers, and policymakers.

With technology always seemingly one step ahead of us, it's easy to confuse the various telecommunication services used to visually connect hearing and deaf individuals who wish to communicate with each other. Three primary telecommunication services are in use today: (a) video relay service (VRS), (b) telecommunications relay service (TRS), and (c) video remote interpreting (VRI). VRS and TRS are free programs regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, and VRI is a fee-based service that satisfies the communication-related mandates of the Americans With Disabilities Act. As their names suggest, VRS and VRI are video-based services, and TRS is text driven.

Having high expectations for deaf individuals' postsecondary success means believing in their capability to succeed and not believing their opportunities are limited due to being deaf. These high expectations are important as deaf youth navigate the transition from high school to postsecondary education or training.
 

This brief summarizes the research related to effective communication between deaf and hearing individuals.

This brief summarizes the research related to deaf culture as a potential resource to be drawn upon in support of postsecondary education and employment outcomes for deaf individuals.

This study assessed the influence of extracurricular involvement on postsecondary outcomes for deaf individuals through a secondary analysis of data from the second National Longitudinal Transition Study.

Note taking is the practice of capturing important pieces of information in a systematic way. It is not limited to the classroom. Note taking is an important accommodation in any situation requiring learning, including job sites and internships. Effective note taking is a skill that is acquired through training and strengthened through practice. It is an accommodation that deaf individuals rely on when they are in an environment of learning. In fact, research conducted with deaf college students indicates that most students view note taking as a very useful support.

Approximately 20% of the adult population has a disability. Most deaf individuals do not seek vocational rehabilitation services, but those who do most often want employment-related services or education and/or training to prepare for employment.

Telecommunication technology has significantly changed the communication landscape for deaf individuals. For more than 40 years, text telephones (TTY) and amplified phones were the only options. Today, videophones, smartphones, and instant messaging most often replace TTY as preferred communication tools.

Deciding how, when, and why to disclose a disability to an employer is an important part of the job-seeking process. The decision can significantly affect one's ability to obtain and maintain employment. The different stages of the employment process and the potential impacts of disclosure at each stage deserve thoughtful reflection.
 

Self-advocacy is a lifelong endeavor that can never be learned too early or too late in life. Practicing self-advocacy is a critical element of the self-advocacy developmental process, and individuals who do it are better prepared to self-advocate in the future.

At the nucleus of every successful vocational rehabilitation employment goal is a well-delineated individual plan for employment, often referred to as a roadmap of services that lead to employment. By better understanding the myriad services offered by vocational rehabilitation, a deaf individual is better positioned to make informed and self-determined choices about their employment future. Vocational rehabilitation offers a wide range of services. Some services are tangible, such as an alarm clock, uniform for work, hearing aid, etc. Other services are more intangible in nature, such as counseling, soft skills training, or career guidance.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the most current data on employment trends and trajectories for deaf individuals in the United States, serving as a resource for community members, advocates, educators, researchers, and policymakers.