Although all public institutions are legally obligated to provide support, the breadth and quality of these services are dependent upon competent professional personnel knowledgeable of the unique range of needs and accommodations necessary for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. To obtain maximum services, some students need or desire services that are beyond legal accessibility. When students consider programs they may want to attend, they should ask certain questions to determine the quality of the program and whether the program's services will meet their specific needs.

The Postsecondary Education Consortium of the University of Tennessee has developed a list of questions to help students, their families, and counselors in selecting the appropriate postsecondary program. An edited version of these questions appears below. Answers to these questions may be found in college catalogs or in discussions with admissions personnel at the institution.

1. Is there a special program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing offering a range of services?
2. If there is a special program, how long has the program been in existence and what financial support is available for continuing the program? How many students attended the last term?
3. How many staff are knowledgeable about deafness? What are their professional qualifications and experiences? What is the staff's level of training and how many of the staff are themselves deaf or hard of hearing?
4. Is communication training provided for students? Are there speech and hearing services and sign language training available?
5. Are there social/cultural activities appropriate to the needs of the student who is deaf or hard of hearing?
6. Will students who are deaf or hard of hearing be able to participate in all campus wide events such as lectures, plays, student government, social events, meetings, etc.?
7. Does the college have a program leading to the student's career goal? Does that program have special admissions requirements? Does the college offer a career exploration course to help decide on a career goal? Do students who are deaf or hard of hearing have an opportunity to participate in the various career areas and programs offered within the college?
8. Are notetakers provided for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and are the notetakers specially trained? Are notetakers paid or volunteer? Is computer assisted notetaking available? Is real-time captioning available?
9. Are tutors available for students who are deaf or hard of hearing? Are tutors primarily provided when the student has experienced difficulty in the program or is tutoring an option offered early in the program? How is communication assured between tutor and student?
10. Are interpreters provided at all public events held on campus? Are the interpreter services arranged for the students or must the students locate interpreters on their own? Are interpreters available to students for classes, labs, field trips, community events, personal situations such as phone calls, interviews, etc.? Are the interpreters on the college staff or are they contracted from the community?
11. How are the interpreters' competencies to communicate in the student's preferred mode of communication evaluated?
12. Are special classes, specifically appropriate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, provided by the program? What are the instructor's credentials in teaching students who are deaf or hard of hearing? Are students evaluated and placed according to their language skills?
13. Are special assistive devices provided for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, e.g., telephone amplifiers, TTYs, television amplifiers, captioned televisions, emergency visual alerting devices, and real-time captioning?
14. Does the program provide assistance to students who are deaf or hard of hearing for independent living, locating housing, developing study skills, time management, etc.?
15. Does the program provide accommodations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing with multiple disabilities such as those with vision loss, limited mobility, learning disabilities, etc.? What special services are provided for these students?
16. Does the program provide personal and therapeutic counseling with a counselor knowledgeable about deafness?
17. Does the program provide job placement services specifically for students who are deaf or hard of hearing? Does the program offer cooperative work experience programs so that the student may learn and work at the same time?
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19. Does the program provide staff development in the area of deafness for general faculty as well as specialist faculty?
20. What is the number of students who are deaf or hard of hearing who have graduated from the program in the last year? What is the number of graduates since the program began? What is the college dropout rate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing?
21. What is the initial job placement rate for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and what are the characteristics of graduates in terms of employment status, wages/salaries, type of industry and occupation, mobility, etc.?

In addition to the information in this book, information about a variety of local programs is available from one of the four Regional Technical Assistance Centers for Postsecondary Education of Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. You can contact the Postsecondary Education Programs Network (PEPNet) at 1-888-684-4695 or at the web site http://www.pepnet.org on the Internet. PEPNet, through the Regional Centers, offers a cadre of information about postsecondary educational opportunities for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (see PEPNet section).

Additional brochures may give students and families more information to help choose the right program. Some publications that may be of interest are:

• Vocational Rehabilitation Services: A Postsecondary Student Consumer's Guide
• Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities
• Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Postsecondary Education
• How to Choose a College: Guide for the Student with a Disability
• Make the Most of Your Opportunities: A Guide to Postsecondary Education for Adults with Disabilities

To obtain these publications, contact:

HEATH Resource Center, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036-1193, or phone 1-800-544-3284 (Voice/TTY). HEATH can also be reached on Internet at HEATH@ACE.NCHE.EDU