
Are you a disability services professional coordinating access for deaf students at your college or university? The National Deaf Center has a wide variety of tools and strategies to help create an accessible campus environment for deaf students. This presentation is designed to walk through the initial meeting with deaf students and how to engage in the interactive process that will inform effective accommodations. Presenters will also touch on common accommodations used by deaf students as well as our top tips to prepare for the beginning of the semester. NDC’s Help Team specialists will also answer commonly asked questions from participants on implementing accommodations and campus-wide policies and procedures to support effective communication access.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Explain the purpose and 5 key components of “effective communication” as defined by U.S. Department of Justice
- Conduct a deaf-centered interview to plan accommodations with deaf people
- Effectively implement at least 2 practices for commonly used accommodations for deaf people in postsecondary settings
Stephanie Zito, M.S., NIC, Stephanie Zito (“Zito”, she/her), MS, NIC, is the Resource Manager at the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes. She has also been a RID certified sign language interpreter and trained C-Print captionist for over ten years. After studying interpreting at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she went on to pursue her Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. Stephanie has also devoted much of her free time volunteering and consulting with local, state, and national nonprofit organizations.
Kate Lewandowski, M.S., Kate Lewandowski (she/her), MS, is a Resource Specialist at the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes. She has over 12 years of experience advising and coordinating access for deaf students in the postsecondary environment. Kate earned her master’s degree in Disability Services in Higher Education from the City University of New York’s School of Professional Studies in 2019.
Interpreters and captioning will be provided for this event. Should you need any additional accommodations please email help@nationaldeafcenter.org at least three (3) business days prior to the event date.
Participants requesting CEUs will be asked to complete a short post-event evaluation. A certificate will be generated for participants who viewed the entire presentation. No CEUs will be provided for viewing the recorded session.
Event Details: Preparing Access Services for Deaf College Students: Tips and Resources
Date and Time: Thursday, August 11 at 1:00 – 2:00 pm CT
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JTAt2B1XT1SxsWq6cENuBw
Note: webinar room will be open 5 minutes prior to start time.
General Information About NDC Events:
Accessibility
- Interpreters and real-time captioning will be provided for all events.
- For additional access requests please email: help@nationaldeafcenter.org at least 3 business days prior to the event.
Event Code of Conduct
All are invited to participate as you are, engage with our team, and to connect with other participants to learn together. NDC is committed to creating a harassment-free space of learning that welcomes all participants regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, transgender status, age, body type, appreances, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack there of), veteran or marital status, national origin, or other classification protected by law. By attending the event, you agree to abide by the event code of conduct.
NDC has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind and expects all event participants will help uphold a positive experience for all. NDC reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the event, in response to any incident that violates the expectations outlined above. NDC also reserves the right to prohibit participation at any future events, virtually or in person.
Participants are expected to :
- Conduct themselves in a manner that is considerate, respectful, and professional in their interactions with all present at the event.
- Refrain from conduct that is disruptive, disrespectful, disparaging, discouraging, discriminatory, or demeaning.
- Inform NDC if you notice any behavior that is not aligned with the conduct expectation outlined above.
- Seek assistance from NDC staff at the event or by emailing help@nationaldeafcenter.org.
Professional Development Credit

NDC is an approved RID CMP sponsor for continuing education activities. Eligible RID members will be also required to complete the evaluation and accurately input their RID number on the CEU form to be eligible for CEU submission. This general studies program is offered for (.1) CEUs at the some knowledge content level.
Event FAQ:
- Does registration cost anything? No.
- Who can attend the live event? The target audience for this content are service providers working in posteseconary and education training settings, but all are welcome.
- Will professional development credits be offered for this panel? Yes
- Will a recording be made available to those who could not attend? Yes, a recording will be released several weeks after the date of the original event.
- Will interpreters or real-time captioning be provided? Yes, both are being provided. If you have additional accommodation needs please email help@nationaldeafcenter.org.
Additional event FAQ’s available online.