Postsecondary Education Programs
for Individuals Who Are Deaf

This document is a listing of all the grants and contracts funded in Fiscal Year 2004 by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education, under its competition 84.324A, Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals Who Are Deaf. This funding is authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), our nation's special education law.

84.324A
Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals Who Are Deaf

Purpose: The Western Regional Outreach Center and Consortia (WROCC) will expand the array of educational opportunities within the region for students who are deaf. The project will collaborate with other grantees to operate a postsecondary education programs network for needs assessment, material development, technical assistance, outreach, information dissemination, and ongoing communication. WROCC will serve the states and territories of Alaska , American Samoa , Arizona , California , Colorado , Guam , Hawaii , Idaho , Montana , Nevada , New Mexico , Northern Marianas Islands , Oregon , Utah , Washington , and Wyoming .

Method: WROCC will provide technical assistance to institutions to help them develop and improve services for educational access for deaf individuals. The project will use a consortia model, creating a partnership of institutions called hubs, which will serve their own areas. Each hub will have a unique field of expertise, accessible throughout WROCC's region. The needs assessment, consultation, training, technical assistance, information dissemination, and materials and products developed by WROCC will serve to expand the educational opportunities available to students who are deaf.

Products: WROCC will establish and maintain the postsecondary education programs network resource center—a clearinghouse for program materials and products, available nationwide. The center will operate a national interactive database of records and literature about deafness and the education of people who are deaf.

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Purpose: Through this project, the Northeast Technical Assistance Center (NETAC) will continue to work with postsecondary educational institutions in the northeastern United States to expand the array of postsecondary educational opportunities available and accessible to students who are deaf.

Method: NETAC will achieve its goals through the implementation of proven models, best practices, and innovative technology designed to meet the needs of target audiences. NETAC will work with institutions currently serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students to improve their programs. With institutions not currently serving those students, NETAC will work to develop programs collaboratively and in a cost-effective manner. It will provide consultation, training, and planning and development assistance to staff at postsecondary educational institutions to enhance access to programs and accommodation of individuals who are deaf and to improve students' basic skills before they matriculate in a postsecondary education environment.

Products: By using regional and national networks, NETAC will coordinate and collaborate on the improvement and development of outreach strategies and the dissemination of information about available opportunities and access services to individuals who are deaf. In providing support for institutions across the region, NETAC will create opportunities for sharing previously developed methodologies and research findings and it will continue to develop innovative means of ensuring accommodation and access and provide ongoing evaluation of new and existing programs and services.

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Purpose: This project, the Postsecondary Education Consortium (PEC) at the University of Tennessee , will provide outreach and technical assistance services to secondary and postsecondary institutions, including academic, vocational, technical, continuing, and adult education programs, to expand and enhance educational and vocational training opportunities in the southern region for students who are deaf.

Method: In collaboration with postsecondary institutions across the region, the PEC will create opportunities for the sharing of previously developed methodologies and research findings, and the development of innovative means of ensuring accommodation and access to education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The PEC will conduct a needs assessment to determine the needs, directions, and innovations in effective service delivery. It will provide consultation and technical assistance to enhance and expand postsecondary education services. Training activities are intended to increase professional competencies and technical expertise to professionals at all types of postsecondary educational institutions. The project will collaborate with and coordinate services within the state, the region, and across the nation.

Products: The project is intended to have a significant impact on the range and quality of postsecondary education and support services available to students in the region. It will provide increased and updated resources for professionals and other stakeholders who work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing, through professional development activities and information dissemination at the local, state, regional, and national levels. It will increase collaboration and networking opportunities among groups at these levels, which will help provide increased access to postsecondary education and training with appropriate accommodations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.

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Purpose: The Midwest Center for Postsecondary Outreach (MCPO) will increase and improve postsecondary educational opportunities for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in 12 midwestern states. The MCPO will provide technical assistance for postsecondary institutions to increase their capacity to attract and serve deaf or hard-of-hearing students.

Method: The MCPO incorporates five regional model elements into its program: a task force/advisory committee representing the expertise of the region and including consumers to determine their needs and provide input; a coordinating council of model programs and services in the region that provide outreach services and focus on areas of need; a scaffolding structure that includes a "train the trainer" model for ongoing human resources development; extensive use of technology that includes Web sites, online training, chats, and numerous linkages; and best practices assistance and dissemination for curriculum development, support services, and legislative mandates. The MCPO will cooperate with participating secondary and postsecondary educational institutions within the region to develop outreach strategies and to disseminate information to individuals who are deaf to enhance their awareness of available opportunities, both within and outside the region.

Products: Outreach activities will include development of a manual describing a pre-college assessment program for individuals who are deaf, a Web site for high school students and parents, and online training for secondary students. The project will also disseminate information about financial and other support resources available to students who are deaf and to postsecondary institutions to help them accommodate these students. Information will also be disseminated on proven models and other exemplary practices, including innovative technology, to assist administrators, faculty, and staff in implementing effective and cost-effective service-delivery systems that foster integration of students who are deaf with other students.

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