Deafness 101

This manual has been developed for community college personnel who strive to provide optimum support for students who are either deaf or hard of hearing. Central Piedmont Community College has long been an innovative leader in Disability Services. The program for the deaf and hard of hearing at Central Piedmont Community College has been in existence since 1972. Since that time, the program has undergone many challenges and growth that has strengthened the program.

Based on our long history of providing support services to students who are deaf and hard of hearing, it is our hope to share our knowledge and expertise with other colleges in their pursuit to provide quality support services for deaf and hard of hearing students. While new services and programs are being established throughout the state and the surrounding region, the reality of providing for the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students are challenging. Hopefully, this manual will pave the way for a smoother journey.

No manual is ever complete. As much as we would like for this to be a comprehensive and entirely sufficient manual, we know that there are always new questions and new answers. This manual is a starting point. The basis of the DEAFNESS 101 began over a period of time as a guideline for service provision for the new service provider. It is by no means a comprehensive manual, but a practical one.

There are many excellent resources that can be utilized for further reference. At the end of this manual there are a list of readings and references. The internet has opened up a mass of helpful information about deafness, services, resources, Americans with Disabilities Act, and much more.

Central Piedmont Community College
P.O. Box 35009
Charlotte, NC 28235-5009

Funded by The Postsecondary Education Consortium,
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee,
U.S. Department of Education Grant Number H078AG0007-1.