Highlights
The Survey on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Postsecondary
Education was requested by the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services of the U.S. Department of Education. This
survey was intended to obtain information about the range of
postsecondary institutions in which deaf and hard of hearing students
enroll, the number of deaf and had of hearing students enrolled at these
institutions, and the support services provided to these students by the
postsecondary institutions. Information about deaf and hard of hearing
students was limited to those who had identified themselves to the
institution as deaf or hard of hearing, since these were the only students
about whom the institutions could report. The information presented
does not include Gallaudet University and the National Technical
Institute for the Deaf, since the intent of the survey was to obtain
information about deaf and hard of hearing students enrolled at
institutions other than these two federally funded national programs for
persons who are deaf. Data were collected from 2-year and 4-year
postsecondary education institutions in spring 1993, and were weighted
to provide national estimates.
- About half (47 percent) of the nation's 5,000 2-year and 4-year
postsecondary education institutions enrolled one or more students
who identified themselves to the institution as deaf or hard of hearing
in the last 4 academic years (1989-90 through 1992-93;
Table 1).
This represents about 2,350 institutions. Public institutions were
much more likely than private institutions to enroll such students (79
versus 29 percent).
- There was some fluctuation from year to year in which institutions
enrolled deaf and hard of hearing students. Of the 2,350 institutions
that enrolled any such students in the last 4 academic years, 13
percent did not enroll any deaf or hard of hearing students in
academic year 1992-93 (Figure
2).
- Of the estimated 20,040 students that institutions could identify as
deaf or hard of hearing enrolled in academic year 1992-93, there
were 4,520 deaf students, 7,770 hard of hearing students, and 7,750
students in the combined deaf or hard of hearing (i.e., the institution
did not distinguish between deaf and hard of hearing) category (Table
2). The 20,040 students represent an increase of approximately
3,000 students since academic year 1989-90.
- About a third (37 percent) of the 5,000 2-year and 4-year
postsecondary education institutions provided special support
services designed for deaf and hard of hearing students to such students in
academic years 1989-90 through 1992-93 (Table
6). This represents about 1,850 institutions. About three-quarters (79
percent) of the institutions that enrolled any deaf or hard of hearing
students in 1989-90 through 1992-93 reported providing support
services to deaf or hard of hearing students during those years.
- In academic year 1992-93, some 16,100 deaf and hard of hearing
students were provided with special support services by 2-year and
4-year postsecondary education institutions (Table
7). Institutions
reported providing services to 4,120 deaf students, 5,270 hard of
hearing students, and 6,720 students whom the institutions did not
distinguish as deaf or hard of hearing.
- Classroom notetakers were provided to deaf and hard of hearing
students by 75 percent of the institutions that provided any support
services to deaf and hard of hearing students in the last 4 academic
years (Figure
4). About two-thirds of these institutions provided sign
language interpreted (67 percent) and tutors to assist with ongoing
coursework (65 percent). Assistive listening devices were provided
by 33 percent of the institutions that had provided any support
services. Oral interpreters were provided by 20 percent of the
institutions. About a quarter (29 percent) of the institutions that had
provided any support services indicated that they provided some
other type of support service. Other services frequently mentioned
were testing accommodations, counseling or advising, assistance
with registration, classroom seating arrangements, tape recording of
class sessions, and advocacy or consultation with instructors.
- During academic year 1992-93, 2-year and 4-year postsecondary
education institutions provided 8,700 deaf and hard of hearing
students with classroom notetakers, 8,100 with sign language
interpreters, 5,320 with tutors to assist with ongoing coursework,
1,070 with assistive listening devices, and 970 with oral interpreters
(Table
10). Institutions reported providing other support services of
some kind to 3,700 deaf and hard of hearing students in 1992-93.
Top