National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes

Overview

The National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes is a technical assistance and professional development grant under the research-to-practice area of the Office of Special Education Programs. The national center focuses on the advancement of postsecondary outcomes for deaf individuals. Center resources are evidence based, data driven, and aligned with stakeholder needs. Within the center, the initiatives use a variety of strategies to educate and engage with stakeholders with the goal of creating conditions for systemic change over the long term. Our initiatives are innovative, based on implementation science principles, and share the goal of moving the system into one that draws upon the strengths of deaf individuals and the community.

Outcomes

  1. Strengthen program and institutional capacity to
    • use practices and strategies supported by the best available evidence for improving participation in postsecondary training and education programs,
    • increase self-advocacy skills,
    • promote access through effective technology use,
    • engage in effective outreach, and
    • provide career planning and readiness services,
  2. resulting in improved participation in and completion of postsecondary education and training programs among deaf people.