A National Survey of Transition Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

Abstract

This manuscript analyzed a survey of programs providing transition services to deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students. Quantitative analyses compared services offered by residential, large (35+ D/HH students), and small (<35 students) programs. Correlations across Employment Preparation, Post-school Preparation, and Transition Assessments were significant suggesting program consistency in offerings. ANOVA comparisons for Employment Preparation found that residential programs offered significantly more services than large or small programs. Post-school Preparation and Transition Assessments were not significantly different indicating similar levels of services. Overall, programs focused their services on early and initial transition issues rather than on long-term needs and strategies. In contrast, research indicates that D/HH students require longer to achieve postsecondary and employment outcomes commensurate with their peers. Several strategies are offered to increase program access to specialized transition services and supports for these students in meeting their unique transition needs.