Deaf college students have long faced barriers in higher education — from delayed access services to limited campus involvement. A new study from the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) shows how the COVID-19 pandemic further magnified those disparities, pushing many deaf students out of college during a time of crisis.
A recent article by Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom and Dr. Jeffrey Palmer, published in the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, reveals that during the early months of the pandemic, deaf college students were nearly twice as likely to leave college compared to their hearing peers — despite receiving similar institutional support.
What the Study Looked At
The researchers conducted a secondary analysis of national data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) to explore the early impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students. They focused on three key questions:
- Did deaf students receive helpful communication from their colleges?
- Did they face greater disruptions to housing, academics, or finances?
- Were they more likely to take a leave of absence or withdraw?
Key Findings
Deaf students reported receiving about the same level of helpful communication as hearing students during the pandemic. They even experienced fewer financial disruptions. But deaf students were still nearly twice as likely to leave college.
As the authors wrote:
“deaf students in higher education may already be on thin ice… institutional support alone may not be sufficient for addressing their unique challenges when disruption occurs.”
This pattern suggests that deaf students remain especially vulnerable during times of crisis, even when formal support appears to be in place.
Why This Matters
Deaf students have long faced unique barriers in higher education: communication delays, access fatigue, and social isolation all contribute to lower degree completion rates. Only 22.7% of deaf people have completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 38.4% of hearing people.
College enrollment is also lower. Just 5.2% of deaf people ages 16–64 are enrolled in college, compared to 9.8% of hearing people.
“Considering these low enrollment numbers,” the authors explain, “colleges are obligated to do everything in their power to retain the few deaf people who do enroll and support them in completing their degrees.”
This research makes one thing clear: offering services is not enough. Institutions must create responsive systems that build true sense of belonging for deaf students — especially when campus life is disrupted.
As Dr. Bloom explains:
“Colleges may be meeting their obligations on paper, but that doesn’t mean deaf students feel included. Support must go beyond basic compliance — it must build a true sense of belonging.”
What Colleges Can Do
The study calls on colleges and universities to strengthen support for deaf students before, during, and after crises. Institutions should:
- Build systems that support real access — not just check a box
- Include deaf students from day one — in orientation, classes, and campus life
- Create feedback loops and act on what deaf students share about their experiences
“When you design with deaf students in mind,” says Bloom, “you build a campus that works better for everyone.”
Want to learn more about how NDC supports colleges, state agencies, and community members? Contact us to access tools, data, and personalized support! You can reach out to us via email at help@nationaldeafcenter.org for one-on-one support.
Learn More About the Authors
Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom, Co-Director of NDC
Jeffrey Palmer, Research Associate at NDC
