Vocational Rehabilitation Resource Portal

Building Capacity to Serve Deaf People

While vocational rehabilitation (VR) services are an important part of the pathway to successful employment for people with disabilities, national data shows that deaf people experience many barriers to accessing these services. For example, very few deaf college students (0.6 – 3.8%) are documented as receiving VR support.

Data shows there are gaps and barriers for deaf people when
accessing vocational rehabilitation (VR) services:

  • Fewer deaf youth receive pre-ETS services than youth with other disabilities.
  • More deaf people are placed on VR wait lists than people with other disabilities.
  • Black deaf people are underserved by VR. While 14.8% of clients are Black deaf people, 23.2% are Black hearing.

On average, 8% of people served by VR across the country are deaf. VR professionals play an important role in ensuring that deaf people can access the services and support they need to succeed in the workplace. This includes deaf youth in high school, and deaf people seeking higher education and vocational training. VR professionals should have a nuanced understanding of deaf people’s sociocultural identities, values, goals, communication preferences and access needs.

There is a national shortage of VR counselors who have experience working with deaf people. More and more counselors are being hired who are not familiar with best practices for working with deaf people. This portal is a combination of free resources, guidance and tools to help VR professionals more effectively collaborate with deaf people and support their career pathways.

VR Counselors “hold the fate of student careers in their hands.”

— Dr. Rezenet Moges-Riedel

Understanding What it Means to be Deaf

Every deaf person is different—there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

If you are new to working with deaf people, we have resources for you! Visit our Deaf Awareness page or enroll in our Deaf Awareness Micro Certificate. To get more support, consider reaching out to experienced VR counselors, including Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf (RCDs) who receive specialized training to address the unique challenges faced by deaf people, your state’s State Coordinator for the Deaf (SCD) if that position exists, or the CSAVR Deaf Professional Network.

This image has black and white images of seven people from different ethnicity and nationality. On the image, there is the text " Deaf people are not all the same.

Deaf Awareness

While deaf people have some things in common, they have a wide range of communication preferences and experiences that share their interactions with their environment.

Deaf Awareness Micro Certificate

The Deaf Awareness Micro Certificate is a focused program that encourages self-awareness and understanding of systems and barriers experienced by deaf people. The Deaf Awareness Micro Certificate will allow you to explore the lived experiences of deaf people and learn strategies to create accessible environments.

Professional Development Opportunities

NDC offers a variety of free online opportunities for professionals who support the postsecondary success of deaf students. Earn CRC clock hours by taking our online courses or enrolling in our certificate programs. Additionally, the Model State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Deaf People was developed by VR experts to provide essential guidance to state vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs in terms of structure, services, and support.
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Work-Based Learning

Work-Based Learning (WBL) programs offer students valuable chances to connect their classroom learning with real-world employment.

A collage featuring hundreds of variety people.

Transforming Systems to Achieve for Deaf People

Participants will explore system components, examine differences, and consider opportunities to start creating real system change that can be sustained over time.

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Attitudes and Biases as Barriers for Deaf People

This module will allow learners to examine how attitudes and biases manifest and are integrated into the systems as barriers for deaf people.

Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)

Our research shows that fewer deaf youth receive Pre-ETS compared to youth with other disabilities. This is mainly due to programs not being tailored to meet the specific needs of deaf youth, and opportunities that do not align with the interests of deaf youth. You can make a difference by doing these 3 things:

Partner with providers to offer customized and relevant Pre-ETS programming for deaf youth

Share resources with existing providers on how to accommodate deaf students. NDC resources are available on our Access & Accommodations page.

Promote Pre-ETS opportunities directly to deaf youth and their families by providing clear, accessible information through partnerships with schools and community organizations. Check out our Plan Your Future Guide to VR, as well!

Check out our Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) page to learn more about how to work with vendors and partners.

Resources to Share with Deaf Students & Families

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Plan Your Future: A Guide to Vocational Rehabilitation For Deaf Youth

This is an explainer to VR services that is available to deaf youth and their families in multiple languages/formats.
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Deafverse

This ASL-based educational game for deaf youth responds to pre-ETS areas of self-advocacy

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National Deaf Center