Start College if You're Deaf or Hard of Hearing

If you have a hearing impairment, going off on your own to college can be a frightening prospect. Unlike in high school, you will be responsible for ensuring you get the accommodations you need to succeed in school. To start college if you're deaf or hard of hearing, work closely with your professors and school administrators and learn how to advocate for yourself and your needs as a disabled student.

Steps

Choosing Your School

1. Work with your school counselor. Your high school guidance counselor can help you set up a schedule to keep track of all the application deadlines. They also will have information about the services for hearing impaired students available at different schools.
   • Set up an appointment with the counselor as soon as possible, preferably during your junior year of high school. This gives you plenty of time to properly evaluate different schools and choose the one that is best for you.
2. Find out what special programs are available. Many schools have orientation and assistance programs that are specifically designed for prospective and new students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
   • These programs typically are organized by staff in the school's office for students with disabilities. They are designed to introduce you to all of the accommodations available, and teach you how to effectively advocate for your needs.
   • For example, schools may offer additional orientation programs for students with disabilities, note takers, or sign language interpreters. Some schools also offer tutoring programs specifically for students with disabilities.
3. Search for financial assistance. In many areas, scholarships, tuition waivers, and other financial assistance is available so students who are deaf or hard of hearing can attend college.
   • Your high school guidance counselor can help identify programs that are available for you. You'll want to gather documents that provide proof of your disability, such as a letter from your doctor.
   • In some places you also can get financial assistance to help cover the cost of any assistive devices you might need, such as a TDD/TTY telephone.
4. Talk to someone in the students with disabilities office. Most colleges and universities will have an administrative office that is in charge of handling accommodations for students with disabilities. Staff in these offices are there to assist you and make sure your educational experience is successful.
   • Don't expect someone from this office to contact you. Especially in larger universities, they may not have any information identifying you. Rather, you need to make the first move and introduce yourself.
   • Get the name of the first person you talk to who is able to help and answer your questions. Establish a relationship with this person by always asking to speak to them when you contact the office.
5. Work with your parents to create a budget. When you go off to college, you will be responsible for managing your own finances. Your parents can help you figure out your living expenses and allocate your income.
   • Take into account any other expenses you may have, such as for assistive devices, translators, or note takers.

Seeking Accommodations

1. Contact your professors. Professors are required to accommodate your disability, but if you don't talk to them before class starts, they may not know what you need them to do. Go to each of your professors during their office hours and introduce yourself.
   • Find out what the professor's classes are like, and explain what accommodations you need based on what they've said. For example, if the professor shows a lot of videos in class, you want to ensure that all of those videos have closed captioning enabled.
   • Ask your professors if they have outlines of their lectures available. Many professors keep notes and will make copies of these available to hearing-impaired students.
2. Download an app. There are a number of apps for tablets, laptops, and mobile phones that can make classes and lectures more accommodating for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. You may want to try several and see if they help you in any way.
   • Typically finding an app that works well for you will be a matter of trial and error. Something that a hearing-impaired friend of yours loves may not work so well for you. For this reason, you probably want to do some experimenting with different apps before school starts so you can pick the best ones.
3. Request assistance devices. Specific devices typically can be made available to you, including amplification devices or telephone assistance devices, but you must ask for them. Don't expect the college or disability office to anticipate your needs and offer you anything.
   • In some cases you may be expected to buy assistive devices yourself, or pay a small monthly rental fee. If you use assistive devices, find out about this as soon as possible so you can budget accordingly.
4. Find someone to take notes for you. Whether you communicate by lip-reading, or need a sign language interpreter, it is difficult to pay attention to what the professor is saying in class and take notes at the same time.
   • Many schools have groups of volunteer note-takers who are specially trained to take notes on the lecture.
   • You also can ask a good friend to take notes for you, or you can use the notes of someone else in the class. Just make sure the person takes good notes and that they are a good student. You may want to borrow notes from several classmates so you can make sure you don't miss anything important.

Advocating for Yourself

1. Keep a folder with your disability documentation. When you request accommodations, you may be asked to submit proof of your disability. Keep these documents together in a safe place so that you always have access to them while you're at college.
   • You also may include identity documents that you need with you at school, such as your birth certificate and your immunization record.
   • Get a fire safe or lockbox to keep these important documents secure.
2. Tell your professors what you need. Don't be afraid to speak up if you're having difficulty in a class or can't understand a professor. You have the right to the same education as hearing students, so if you need something repeated, say so.
   • You also shouldn't worry about disrupting the class if you need something to accommodate your disability. Remember that no one is going to know you need anything unless you say that you do.
3. Take responsibility for your own education. In elementary school and high school, you probably were accustomed to teachers and adults making decisions for you regarding your education and the accommodations you need. In college, you're on your own.
   • Your college's office for students with disabilities can help you with this. In addition to a lot of resources, many of these offices also have student advocacy groups that you can join.
   • Larger colleges also may have clubs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. These clubs also have resources that will help you get the most out of your education.
4. Get TDD/TTY for your dorm room. Colleges typically don't provide phones in dorm rooms. Rather, each student is responsible for bringing their own phone. If you use TDD/TTY to communicate over the phone, you'll have to bring your own machine.
   • Some colleges may have TDD/TTY phones available for you to rent for a small fee. Check with your college's office for students with disabilities.
   • If you don't plan to have a phone in your room, find out from the resident advisor in your dorm where there are TDD/TTY phones available for you to use.
5. Talk to your roommate. If you have a hearing roommate, they can be a tremendous asset to you. However, just as with your professors, you have to let your roommate know exactly what you need to live safely and comfortably in the dorm.
   • For example, you may want to create a signal with your roommate that they can use to get your attention if they need to talk to you.
   • You also want to discuss alarms and what to do in case of an emergency. Having a plan will enable you both to remain safe in the event of a crisis situation.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Get a Job As a Deaf or Hard Of Hearing Person
• Be a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Parent
• Pick a School for Your Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child
• Choose a Phone if You're Hard of Hearing
• Pick Hearing Assistive Technology
• Teach a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Student
• Communicate With Deaf People
• Hear TV Sound Without Blasting Everyone Else Out
• Communicate With a Deaf Person
• Ask a Deaf Person for a Date

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