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S. HRG. 112–870 

LEVERAGING HIGHER EDUCATION TO IMPROVE 

EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE WHO 

ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING 

FIELD HEARING 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, 

LABOR, AND PENSIONS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS 

FIRST SESSION 

ON

EXAMINING LEVERAGING HIGHER EDUCATION TO IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOCUSING ON PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD 

OF HEARING 

OCTOBER 11, 2011 (Washington, DC) 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

( 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/ 
COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS 

TOM HARKIN, Iowa, Chairman 

BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland 

JEFF BINGAMAN, New Mexico 

PATTY MURRAY, Washington 

BERNARD SANDERS (I), Vermont 

ROBERT P. CASEY, JR., Pennsylvania 

KAY R. HAGAN, North Carolina 

JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon 

AL FRANKEN, Minnesota 

MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado 

SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island 

RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut 

MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming 

LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee 

RICHARD BURR, North Carolina 

JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia 

RAND PAUL, Kentucky 

ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah 

JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona 

PAT ROBERTS, Kansas 

LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska 

MARK KIRK, Illinois 

DANIEL E. SMITH, Staff Director 

PAMELA SMITH, Deputy Staff Director 

FRANK MACCHIAROLA, Republican Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

(II) 
C O N T E N T S 

STATEMENTS 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011 

Page 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Harkin, Hon. Tom, Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions, opening statement ............................................................................... 1 

Enzi, Hon. Michael B., a U.S. Senator from the State of Wyoming, opening 

statement .............................................................................................................. 3 

WITNESSES—PANEL I 

Hurwitz, T. Alan, Ph.D., President, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC ..... 5 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 7 

Buckley, Gerard J., Ph.D., President, National Technical Institute for the 

Deaf, Vice President and Dean, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY ............................................................................................................... 18 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 21 

WITNESSES—PANEL II 

Bravin, Seth, Accessibility Strategy and Solutions Expert, IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center, Frederick, MD ...................................................... 33 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 35 

Ellis, Michael J., National Director, Sprint Relay, Denver, CO .......................... 43 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 45 

Hanaumi, Leila, Student, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC ..................... 48 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 51 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL 

Statements, articles, publications, letters, etc.: 

Maya Ariel ......................................................................................................... 60 

Hannah Worek .................................................................................................. 61 

National Association of the Deaf (NAD) ......................................................... 63 

Response to questions of Senator Enzi by: 

T. Alan Hurwitz, Ph.D. ............................................................................. 64 

Gerard J. Buckley, Ph.D. .......................................................................... 67 

IBM ............................................................................................................. 71 

Michael J. Ellis .......................................................................................... 72 

Letter from the Consortium for Citizens With Disabilities (CCD) ............... 74 

(III) 

(1) 

LEVERAGING HIGHER EDUCATION TO IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011 

U.S. SENATE, 

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS, 

Washington, DC. 

The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 1:11 p.m., at the Kellogg Conference Center, Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Avenue, 

N.E., Washington, DC, Hon. Tom Harkin, chairman of the committee, presiding. 

Present: Senators Harkin and Enzi. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR HARKIN

The CHAIRMAN. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions will come to order. 

First, I want to thank all of you for being here now at this very 

important meeting. We want to make sure that all people have jobs 

in the future. How do you say ‘‘good jobs?’’ Good jobs? OK. Good 

jobs. Good jobs. 

[Laughter.] 

[Applause.] 

Also, we are making history here today. I will let the interpreter 

work, OK? 

[Laughter.] 

We are making history. It’s the first time, first time a congressional committee has met for an official hearing and every witness 

is deaf. First time. 

[Applause.] 

I will make an opening statement, short, I hope, and then I will 

turn it over to Senator Enzi for his opening statement. 

But let me just say how proud I am to be back at Gallaudet. This 

is a wonderful school and has a rich history. And I have so many 

fond memories of my involvement with Gallaudet, none more important than the Deaf Now movement. I forgot how long ago that 

was. What year? 

VOICE. 1988. 

The CHAIRMAN. Oh, that is a long time ago. 

[Laughter.] 

But it was a wonderful experience, a wonderful experience. And 

now Gallaudet has moved on and still doing new things. I am very 

proud of that. 
2 

The title of this hearing is ‘‘Leveraging Higher Education To Improve Employment Outcomes for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of 

Hearing.’’ This is the fourth in a series of hearings that Senator 

Enzi and I have had to increase the employment participation rate 

for all people; for all individuals with disabilities. 

At this hearing, we are focusing on persons who are deaf or hardof-hearing, in part because they have achieved greater success in 

the labor market than other groups identified by the U.S. Census 

Bureau as having disabilities. According to the 1-year estimates 

from the Census Bureau’s 2010 survey, for 18- to 64-year-olds with 

hearing disabilities, just over 48 percent were employed. Of the 3.9 

million working-age adults with hearing disabilities, a little under 

2 million of them were working. 

The next highest employment rate by disability category was the 

rate for people with vision disabilities, about 37 percent of whom 

were employed in 2010. Overall, the employment rate for persons 

with disabilities is about 33 percent in America. I mean, it is awful 

when we hear unemployment statistics that we have, what, 9 percent unemployment. Maybe some people say it is as high as 16 percent unemployment. 

But for people with disabilities, it is over 60 percent unemployment, and for people with hearing disabilities, it is, about 52 percent. So you have to put that in perspective. 

My notes say that Wyoming, Senator Enzi’s home State, is very 

good. The employment rate for people with hearing disabilities was 

72.4 percent in Wyoming. My State, Iowa, it was 64 percent. Wyoming was No. 1, followed by North Dakota at 72 percent. Iowa was 

No. 4. I have to do some more work in my State. 

Let us not gloss over the fact, though, that while we might be 

proud that people with hearing disabilities are better employed, let 

us keep in mind that there is still 52 percent unemployment, and 

that is unacceptable. That is just unacceptable. But if Wyoming can 

get 72 percent, why can’t the rest of the country get 72 percent? 

I will close with this. In the last couple of years, 3 years, the 

number of adults with disabilities that dropped out of the labor 

force was 804,000. The number of workers without disabilities went 

down by 400,000. So, in the last 3 years, for every person losing 

work in America, 2 people with disabilities lost their job. 

When we think about going forward and getting employment 

back, then the rate of employment for people with disabilities has 

to be twice that of people without disabilities. You see what I 

mean. We have to make an extra effort to make sure that it is not 

just one-for-one, but that we actually do more work in getting people with disabilities back into the labor force as we begin to move 

forward and increase employment in our country. 

Beyond that, we also want to think about the skills and the education level that people with disabilities need for the future workforce. When my brother went to the Iowa School for the deaf, he 

was told he could be one of three things. He could be a baker, he 

could be a cobbler, or he could be a printer’s assistant. That was 

all. 

Well, he didn’t want to be any of those things. Times have 

changed a lot, and he was able to go on and use his skills to have 

a wonderful life and a good job. But it wasn’t because of what he 
3 

was taught. It was sort of self-learned or learned on the job as he 

progressed through life. 

But now we have to make sure that our schools—Gallaudet, 

NTID, other schools—that we make sure that kids have the skill 

set for the new kinds of jobs in the future and to make sure that 

we (society) provides the support services so that individuals who 

are hard-of-hearing or who are deaf can use their skills to the maximum. And technology has done a lot to help that, but we have to 

make sure that those support services are in place so that people 

can achieve their highest potential. 

I want to thank President Hurwitz, whose father went to school 

with my brother at the Iowa School for the deaf and who, himself, 

is from Sioux City, IA. I thank him for hosting us here today and 

for NTID, for being here. 

On our second panel, we have employees who have gone on to 

have really good jobs at IBM and Sprint, and they are showing how 

they can make sure that workplaces are accommodating of individuals with disabilities. Leila Hanaumi will also be on our second 

panel, a senior here at Gallaudet. I met her today and also met her 

earlier in my office. 

She will tell us—what does the younger generation need? What 

are the aspirations, the goals of the younger generation of those 

who are hard-of-hearing or who are deaf? 

We are going to have, I think, some really good testimony, and 

I look forward to it. And with that, I will turn it over to Senator 

Enzi for his opening statement. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR ENZI

Senator ENZI. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

And thank you, Dr. Hurwitz and Dr. Buckley and your staffs and 

all they have done to help arrange today’s field hearing. Chairman 

Harkin and I are very appreciative that each of you, as well as the 

students and faculty of Gallaudet have graciously agreed to host 

this— 

[Buzzer.] 

[Laughter.] 

It is very pleasing to see so many students here today, too. You 

recognize that education does make a difference. 

We each believe that it is important that the committee have opportunities like this. Not only does it give us a chance to see firsthand where the real work in education is taking place, it gives 

those most impacted by our decisions the opportunity to participate. 

Also, many Americans are struggling to find work. Unemployment affects certain groups of individuals at a far greater rate even 

in the best of times. And this is the fourth in an ongoing series of 

hearings focused on barriers to employment for individuals underrepresented in the workforce. Today, we will focus on what higher 

education is doing to improve employment opportunities for people 

who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. 

The significance of a college education for everyone has never 

been more obvious. As the most recent employment data show, individuals with a college degree have an unemployment rate that is 
4 

nearly half the national average. For people who are deaf and 

hard-of-hearing, the difference is even more pronounced. 

According to some estimates, an astounding 60 percent of the 

people who are deaf are unemployed today. However, as Dr. Buckley and Dr. Hurwitz will testify, more than 90 percent of the National Technical Institute for the deaf and Gallaudet students who 

have chosen to enter the workforce are employed or furthering 

their education in graduate school. 

Furthermore, college graduates who are deaf are dramatically 

less dependent on Federal support, including Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance. Clearly, deafness is a barrier that can be overcome by education. 

But institutions like Gallaudet and NTID are successful not just 

because they provide an education. They also create opportunities 

by working with employers and demonstrating the value of hiring 

their students. 

Today, we hope to learn more about what each school is doing 

to overcome these barriers. We want to learn about their partnerships with private industry. We want to know what is working, as 

well as what challenges still have to be addressed. 

I am already aware of the difficulty faced by people who are deaf 

and hard-of-hearing. My first daughter lost the ability to hear a 

wide range of tones due to complications arisen from being born 

nearly 3 months premature. 

After struggling to just survive, she grew up not able to hear like 

others. But our little girl is a fighter, and she was determined not 

to let her limited hearing prevent her from living her life. Among 

other things, she learned to read lips. And today, she is a marvelous public school educator in Wyoming, where her experience includes being a principal in Chugwater, WY. 

She was also involved in a program in which she helped to teach 

teachers how to teach better. And as any of you are thinking about 

being teachers can believe, the ability to read lips in a classroom 

is a good thing for a teacher. 

I look forward to today’s testimony and learning about the wonderful work of each of these institutions, as well as how employers 

are working to put the many talents of students to use. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much, Senator Enzi. 

Let us introduce our first panel. Dr. Hurwitz became the 10th 

president of Gallaudet on January 1, 2010. Before that, he was 

president of the National Technical Institute for the deaf, NTID, 

and vice president and dean of the Rochester Institute of Technology. Dr. Hurwitz also served in a variety of other roles at NTID 

between 1970 and 2009. 

He is a former president of the National Association of the deaf, 

has lectured extensively, and has been widely published. Dr. 

Hurwitz earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from Washington 

University in St. Louis, an M.S. in electrical engineering from St. 

Louis University, and a Doctorate of Education from the University 

of Rochester. 

Our second witness, Dr. Gerard Buckley, became president of 

NTID on January 1, 2011. He is NTID’s first alumnus president. 

Congratulations! I didn’t know that. Dr. Buckley has more than 30 
5 

years of experience in higher education, more than 20 years at 

NTID. 

Prior to coming to NTID in 1990, Dr. Buckley led Gallaudet University’s regional center in Overland Park, KS. He holds a B.S. in 

social work from NTID, an M.S.W. from the University of Missouri, 

and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Kansas. 

Dr. Buckley, we welcome you, too. 

And so, Dr. Hurwitz, we will start with you. Both of your written 

testimonies are made a part of the record in their entirety, and we 

would appreciate it if you could sum it up in 5 to 9—if you go over 

10 minutes, I will get nervous. 

[Laughter.] 

STATEMENT OF T. ALAN HURWITZ, Ph.D., PRESIDENT, 

GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC 

Mr. HURWITZ. [The following testimony was delivered through an 

interpreter.] I was told that I had 10 minutes. So I will do my best 

to stick within those time restraints. 

Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Enzi, and distinguished 

committee members of the HELP Committee, July 13, 1990 was a 

day the U.S. Senate passed the historic Americans with Disabilities 

Act. Senator Harkin, at that time, you made this dedication. 

You said, 

‘‘I want to dedicate the ADA to the next generation of children, of children with disabilities and their parents. We say 

whatever you decide is your goal, go for it. The doors are opening, and the barriers are coming down.’’ 

Senator Enzi, on the 20th anniversary of the enactment of the 

ADA, you issued a statement. And the statement said, 

‘‘We will continue to ensure that the chance to live the American dream is an avenue of opportunity that is available to everyone without exception.’’ 

Senators, just take a look around this room. Here, in this audience, in Senator Harkin’s words, is the next generation. In fact, I 

call them ‘‘the ADA generation.’’ These are the young people who 

truly believe that the ADA stands for ‘‘American dream for all.’’ 

I would like to ask all of the students who are here in the audience to stand and be recognized. 

[Applause.] 

Nowhere else do college students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing 

routinely become president of academic clubs, editors of university 

publications, captains of the sports teams, presidents of student 

government organizations, or lead figures in theatrical plays. 

Several student leaders are here with us today, and I know that 

nowhere else in higher education do students find a fully 

immersive experience, where they can fully enjoy opportunities to 

develop their leadership skills for the workplace. Likewise, nowhere else in higher education do students find a fully immersive 

bilingual education that provides education in both American Sign 

Language and English. 

All of us recognize the critical role in what Senator Enzi described as an avenue of opportunity. Our faculty and staff are committed to empowering our students. We want our students to lever-
6 

age their experience and to improve their employment opportunities. 

You have my warm thanks and the warm thanks of our community for making these opportunities possible. All of us are pleased 

and honored to have you here. We welcome you and the other witnesses to our wonderful campus, and I am delighted to share this 

panel with my very good friend and colleague, President Buckley 

from NTID, the National Technical Institute for the deaf. As Senator Harkin said, I worked at NTID for four decades before joining 

Gallaudet. 

We hope that at the end of this hearing that all of you will continue to talk about the conversations that we have here today at 

Gallaudet. I strongly believe that Gallaudet University and NTID 

are outstanding examples of a wise government investment. 

Today, I will be sharing with you some of the outcomes and returns on that investment. I will also talk about the challenges and 

opportunities that we face regarding this ADA generation’s expectations. 

Let me broadly describe our diverse student population. You 

know, diversity for us is not just a list of differences. Instead, it 

means that we accept students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing 

from all groups, from all backgrounds, and from all communication 

preferences. 

Let me share with you the outcome data from a survey of recent 

graduates. Ninety-eight percent of graduate level alumni and 82 

percent of bachelor’s level alumni stated that they worked full- or 

part-time 1 year after graduation, and 95 percent of graduate level 

alumni and 69 percent of bachelor’s level alumni stated that Gallaudet prepared them for their occupation. 

But let me just say we cannot rest. We must explore new future 

pathways. Every day we ask ourselves in what new ways can we 

give our students wings to soar? 

We are delighted to announce that we are beginning to develop 

four new undergraduate programs. These undergraduate programs 

are pre-law, pre-medicine, pre-architecture, and pre-business. 

These can transform the lives of students who come to Gallaudet 

for this undergraduate work. They then can apply to graduate 

schools and enter those rewarding professions. 

We will give wings to future generations of students. We will 

give them the self-confidence to envision success of those great professions. 

Are there any barriers or challenges? Of course, certainly, there 

are, and they are fully described in my written testimony. But let 

me highlight three for you. 

First, to succeed in the classroom and in the workplace, our students require communication accessibility through qualified interpreters and technological solutions. And at Gallaudet, we provide 

both. 

Second, individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing are not 

well-represented in the healthcare field, despite recognized shortages. In June 2010, four partners came together and formed the 

Task Force on Healthcare Careers for Deaf and Hard of Hearing 

Community Members: Gallaudet University, the National Technical Institute of the Deaf—and again, we are working strongly to-
7 

gether, as strong partners on this project—the Rochester General 

Health Systems, and the University of Rochester Medical Systems. 

We ask the HELP Committee to work with us. We believe that 

you can ensure Federal programs targeting diversity in the 

healthcare workforce specifically include individuals who are deaf 

or hard-of-hearing, and you should also include other persons with 

disabilities, along with minority and disadvantaged students. You 

also can establish an information clearinghouse that would provide 

information about access and accommodations in healthcare fields. 

Third, we are all aware of the barriers to career advancement 

into management that our graduates face. In response, Gallaudet 

is developing a master’s of public administration degree. It is designed for individuals to work in public and nonprofit organizations. 

The Office of Personnel Management is a very strong supporter 

of this program proposal. We turn to the HELP Committee for advice, for counsel, and ensuring that Federal employees who are 

deaf or hard-of-hearing can participate in these offerings. 

I would like to close with the words from Abraham Lincoln, who 

signed the Gallaudet charter almost 150 years ago. ‘‘The Government exists,’’ as he says, ‘‘to lift artificial weights from all shoulders, to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all, to afford all an 

unfettered start, and a fair chance in the race of life.’’ 

On behalf of all of us at Gallaudet University, thank you for your 

support. Together, we can provide that fair chance. We can make 

the American dream a reality for all, including the ADA generation. 

Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Hurwitz follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF T. ALAN HURWITZ, PH.D. 

SUMMARY

Gallaudet University as an institution of higher education has been teaching deaf 

and hard-of-hearing students for nearly 150 years. The education and opportunities 

we provide have produced generations of successful graduates. Gallaudet strives to 

continue that tradition, in many ways, including increasing the expectations of, and 

opportunities for, our students. One of our current projects that aims to accomplish 

this is the establishment of four new professional programs that will create more 

deaf lawyers, doctors, architects and business people. By encouraging students to 

enter these professions, we will show that we have high expectations about what 

they can aspire to and achieve. Furthermore, they will be able to break down barriers to employment as members of these professions, and reduce oft-held misconceptions and erroneous stereotypes held about deaf people. 

Gallaudet assists students in a myriad of ways in their transition from our campus to the workforce. Academically, our standards have increased and persistence 

rates have risen, ensuring that more of our students will have the degrees necessary 

to obtain employment. We also have a Career Center that provides different services 

including, but not limited to, mentoring for students and hosting job fairs, which 

give students the opportunity to meet with prospective employers. Additionally, Gallaudet has a much higher rate of student internship placement as compared to the 

national average, with the majority of our seniors doing an internship prior to graduation. These internships provide them with hands-on training prior to their transition to careers. Furthermore, the ability for students to have unfettered communication access on our campus gives them the opportunity to be actively involved in student life and organizations, allowing them to develop valuable life and leadership 

skills that will greatly aid them in the workforce. 

Gallaudet is an example of best practices in the use of the most current technologies, as we strive to continue reducing barriers for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. We show the endless possibilities of what can happen when students attend 
8 

1 A familiar quote that appears at many locations, including this Lincoln Legacy site of the 

National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/liho/historyculture/legacy.htm. 

school in an atmosphere of equal access. This creates an inclusive environment 

where they can thrive, become leaders and then transition to the workforce. This 

idea, and the successes of Gallaudet, could be replicated across higher education to 

achieve greater employment outcomes for students with disabilities. 

As a historic institution with a tradition of educating deaf and hard-of-hearing 

students, Gallaudet University has been successful in preparing our graduates to 

enter the workforce. We have used the resources given us and produced a valuable 

return on investment: capable, confident, workers. We are always striving to do 

even better, and will continue to raise the bar and increase the opportunities for 

our students. This generation of youth, raised in the era of the Americans with Disabilities Act, will expect nothing less. 

Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Enzi, and distinguished members of the committee. It is an honor for me to appear today to testify on leveraging higher education to improve employment opportunities for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. You have my warm thanks, and the warm thanks of people who are deaf or 

hard-of-hearing for the leadership you have shown on so many issues for this population, and particularly on the issue of employment. I applaud the outstanding leadership of Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi in promoting the rights of 

people with disabilities in all aspects of everyday living. 

In addition, all of us here at Gallaudet University are also pleased and honored 

to welcome you to our wonderful campus for this hearing. We continue to be grateful 

for the ongoing support you and others in Congress have shown to Gallaudet University, and the significant investment you have made and continue to make to ensure that deaf and hard-of-hearing students have the best higher education available that will provide them with entry to significant employment opportunities. We 

are delighted to share that Gallaudet experience with you while you are on campus 

today. 

My name is T. Alan Hurwitz, and I am the president of Gallaudet University. I 

have been president of this storied institution since January 2010. Before coming 

to Gallaudet, I was president and dean of the National Technical Institute of the 

Deaf (NTID) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and also vice-president 

of RIT. I am fortunate to have had the privilege over many years to be heavily involved in advancing the rights of deaf and hard-of-hearing people as well as people 

with other disabilities. I have served on the board of many organizations and am 

past president of the National Association of the Deaf, the World Organization of 

Jewish Deaf, and the Rochester School for the Deaf. 

I strongly believe that Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute 

for the Deaf are outstanding examples of a government investment that makes extraordinary use of the Federal resources that each member of this committee works 

so hard to provide to these institutions. 

Allow me to provide a brief review of the long, successful history of Gallaudet University, which will bolster that statement. 

In 1864, our congressional charter was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. 

This is a heritage that we take very seriously and a unique historical distinction 

that generates great pride at our university. President Lincoln believed in equality 

of opportunity and stated so—although not within the context of Gallaudet University—as follows in 1861 at the onset of the Civil War. 

‘‘This is essentially a People’s contest. On the side of the Union it is a struggle for maintaining in the world that form and substance of government whose 

leading object is to elevate the condition of men—to lift artificial weights from 

all shoulders, to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all, to afford all an unfettered start and a fair chance, in the race of life. Yielding to partial, and temporary departures, from necessity, this is the leading object of the government 

for whose existence we contend.’’ 1 (Italics added.) 

Gallaudet continues, nearly 150 years later, to provide that ‘‘unfettered start and 

a fair chance, in the race of life’’ to enable deaf and hard-of-hearing students from 

a variety of backgrounds to receive advanced education, which leads to successful 

employment. 

At the time Gallaudet was created, education for all in America was not fully realized. In 1870, 20 percent of the population of the United States was illiterate while 
9 

2 SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the 

United States, Colonial Times to 1970. 3Preliminary Fall 2011, 15-day student census numbers. 

4 Gallaudet University Deaf Collections and Archives. 

80 percent of African-Americans were illiterate.2 While literacy figures for people 

who were deaf and hard-of-hearing are not available for that period, we can be sure 

that the literacy rate was unacceptably low, perhaps similar to the rate cited for 

African-Americans. However, deaf education had long been encouraged in the 

United States, with the founding of the first permanent deaf school in 1817 in Hartford, CT. The subsequent establishment of Gallaudet would provide higher education for deaf students, which would better empower them for the job market. 

Today, Gallaudet University enrolls 1,546 undergraduate and graduate level students, and 262 elementary and secondary school students (in the Model Secondary 

School for the Deaf and the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School respectively), 

for a total of 1,808 students.3 Many additional students enroll in our English Language Institute and in our Professional Studies programs. With students from nearly every State and over 20 countries, we are an international university serving the 

deaf population of many parts of the world. 

For the record, allow me to include the Gallaudet Mission and Vision Statement. 

Mission 

Gallaudet University, federally chartered in 1864, is a bilingual, diverse, 

multicultural institution of higher education that ensures the intellectual and 

professional advancement of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals through 

American Sign Language and English. Gallaudet maintains a proud tradition 

of research and scholarly activity and prepares its graduates for career opportunities in a highly competitive, technological, and rapidly changing world.—Approved by the Board of Trustees—November 2007 

Vision 

Gallaudet University will build upon its rich history as the world’s premier 

higher education institution serving deaf and hard-of-hearing people to become 

the university of first choice for the most qualified, diverse group of deaf and 

hard-of-hearing students in the world, as well as hearing students pursuing careers related to deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Gallaudet will empower its 

graduates with the knowledge and practical skills vital to achieving personal 

and professional success in the changing local and global communities in which 

they live and work. Gallaudet will also strive to become the leading international resource for research, innovation and outreach related to deaf and 

hard-of-hearing people. Gallaudet will achieve these outcomes through: 

• A bilingual learning environment, featuring American Sign Language and 

English, that provides full access for all students to learning and communication; 

• A commitment to excellence in learning and student service; 

• A world-class campus in the Nation’s capital; 

• Creation of a virtual campus that expands Gallaudet’s reach to a broader 

audience of visual learners; and 

• An environment in which research can grow, develop, and improve the lives 

and knowledge of all deaf and hard-of-hearing people worldwide.—Approved by 

the Board of Trustees—May 2009 

What is the role of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and Gallaudet University in preparing students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing for the workforce? 

Since its establishment, Gallaudet has built on its mission and vision and has 

helped deaf and hard-of-hearing people gain employment—the focus of our hearing 

today. It has led the way for the world in higher education for deaf people. We take 

enormous pride in the many alumni who have left our university and gone on to 

prominence, often with a focus in their lives on ‘‘giving back’’ to others less fortunate 

who were not able to obtain the start Gallaudet provided to them. For example: 

• The husband and wife team of Olof Hanson and Agatha Tiegel Hanson were 

both graduates of Gallaudet, Olof in 1886 and Agatha in 1893. Olof would go on 

to a highly successful career in architecture and Agatha, one of the first known 

women to graduate from Gallaudet, during a time when the number of women in 

higher education was minimal, was a successful teacher of students who were deaf.4
10 

5 Ibid. 6 Gallaudet University Annual Survey of Recent Graduates, 2009. 

• Another alumni, Andrew Foster, the first known African-American to graduate 

from Gallaudet, in 1954, took his education into the workplace and established 31 

schools and 2 centers for deaf children in 13 African nations.5

• Gregory Hlibok, who graduated in 1989, was named chief of the Disability 

Rights Office for the Federal Communications Commission in November 2010. 

• Sean Virnig, class of 1997, was recently selected as the first deaf superintendent of the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, CA. It is one of the largest schools for the deaf in the country. In his spare time, he runs Rawland Bicycles, 

a company he started up that sells innovative products that he himself designs. 

• Leah Katz-Hernandez graduated in 2010 and is serving as an HSC Foundation 

Youth Transitions Fellow at the American Association of People with Disabilities. 

• Vivienne Schroder, who received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from 

Gallaudet, graduating with her MA in Mental Health Counseling in 2011, is the 

Dean of Student Life at the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind. 

There are countless similar stories of success of Gallaudet graduates, many of 

them ‘‘firsts’’ in their own right, each reflecting on our goal of producing well-rounded students who will succeed in life and in the workforce after gaining at Gallaudet 

the skills and confidence needed to overcome societal barriers. 

SUCCESSES

As an institution of higher education, we have seen a great deal of success regarding the employment of our students. Gallaudet conducts annual surveys of graduates to determine employment experience, employment fields by occupational category, internship participation, whether the employment involves service to people 

who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and satisfaction with their preparation. Excerpts of 

data from the most recent survey indicate the following highlights 6: 

• Of alumni, 98 percent of graduate degree alumni and 82 percent of bachelor’s 

degree alumni, stated they worked either full-time or part-time 1 year after graduation. 

• The percentage of alumni pursuing additional education or working full or parttime during the year after graduation increased over the past 3 years. 

• Of graduate degree alumni who participated in an internship, 98 percent stated 

the internship helped them very much or some for employment after graduation; 

while 71 percent of bachelor’s degree alumni said the same thing. 

• Of alumni, 95 percent of graduate-level alumni and 69 percent of bachelor’s 

level alumni stated that Gallaudet prepared them for their occupation very well or 

adequately. 

• Graduates were working in an entire cross section of employment areas including the following from the Occupational groups from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Standard Occupational Classification: management occupations; business 

and financial occupations; life, physical, and social science occupations; community 

and social services occupations; education, training, and library occupations; art, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations; healthcare support occupations; 

personal care and service occupations; sales and related occupations; and office and 

administrative support occupations. 

These statistics show the success that Gallaudet has had in preparing our students for the workforce. The resources that are received and used to educate these 

students are effective at providing our graduates with a bright future in their chosen careers. 

While there is a great deal of success with our students, I also want to use this 

opportunity to identify a number of the barriers our students face and describe how 

Gallaudet is working to bring down those obstacles, and identify areas of need regarding those barriers in which the committee can be helpful. 

NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND PATHWAYS

Providing our students with the means to obtain high quality and well-paying jobs 

is pivotal to us as an institution of higher education. We want Gallaudet graduates 

to not only get jobs, but to have fulfilling, enriching careers that will benefit them, 

and society. We know too well that the ‘‘professions’’ are far underrepresented in 

the numbers of people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing entering professional 

schools to gain access to these careers. 

One of the goals in the Gallaudet Strategic Plan is as follows: 
11 

‘‘By 2015, refine a core set of undergraduate and graduate programs that are 

aligned with the institutional mission and vision, leverage Gallaudet’s many 

strengths, and best position students for career success.’’ 

As we consider additions to our undergraduate curriculum, let me report on new 

pathways that we will follow. As a university focusing on the Liberal Arts, we will 

build in new ways on the strength of what we offer, enabling future students to take 

advantage of our Liberal Arts education. How can we turn those strengths into 

theirs? How can we give these students wings to soar? 

We are delighted to announce that we are beginning the process of developing 

four new programs that will better position our graduates to receive advanced degrees and gain professional employment. These programs are: 

1. Pre-Law; 

2. Pre-Medicine; 

3. Pre-Architecture; and 

4. Pre-Business. 

These programs can transform the lives of students who pursue them. We can 

offer a significant service to students who will come to us for undergraduate work 

in the Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Technologies. When they graduate they can apply 

to graduate schools to enter these rewarding professions. We will have provided programs intended to guide graduates into professional graduate schools. 

Imagine the service we can provide to future generations of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. These offerings will raise the educational aspirations of these youthful 

students throughout the country. How? By raising the expectations of young deaf 

and hard-of-hearing students, we will instill in them the potential of coming to us, 

graduating, transferring to a professional school, and then transitioning to work. 

Imagine the impact! 

• More deaf lawyers. 

• More deaf doctors. 

• More deaf architects. 

• More deaf business people. 

Our vision is to increase the numbers of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in 

these professional areas, stimulating improvement in their economic well-being and 

promoting better societal understanding of deaf and hard-of-hearing adults. We will 

have given wings to future generations of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. What 

are we giving them? It is the gift of the self-confidence to envision themselves succeeding in these great professions. 

These four new programs will do more than just provide our graduates with the 

skills they need to receive advanced degrees and thrive in highly professional careers. It will show deaf and hard-of-hearing teenagers, and their family and friends 

around the country, that Gallaudet believes in them and has high expectations of 

them. Gallaudet knows they can achieve and should aim high. We know that they 

can become lawyers, doctors, architects, and businesspeople; they can achieve whatever they can dream. We know that people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing are already members of these professional fields; but we also know from personal experience that their numbers are terribly small. These programs will increase those numbers, providing deaf people with high levels of training and skills, and also raising 

the bar of expectation for these youth. 

Let me briefly describe our vision for each of these programs. 

• The Pre-Law program will allow this Nation to see a growth in the number of 

deaf lawyers who will be able to assist both deaf and hearing clients in all aspects 

of legal matters as they obtain advanced legal knowledge. Rather than limit these 

individuals to the practice of disability law, we will encourage these individuals to 

enter all fields in which lawyers ably work—even including politics. 

• A Pre-Medicine degree will of course empower our students to become doctors, 

thus providing multiple benefits by increasing the job options for people who are 

deaf and hard-of-hearing, by providing the population who are deaf or hard-of-hearing with access to health care provided by these graduates, and finally benefiting 

the general population who will be served by these individuals. 

• A Pre-Architecture program will give students the opportunity to put their visual skills to work as they create and plan the buildings and cities of the future. 

‘‘DeafSpace’’ is the concept that begins by describing people who are deaf and hardof-hearing as inhabiting a rich sensory world that relies on visual and tactile sensibilities for spatial awareness and way-finding. The on-going work at Gallaudet in 

DeafSpace will provide one of the pillars for the foundation of our Pre-Architecture 

program. We know the work in the area of DeafSpace, like so many other recent 

changes initially designed to help a small segment of the population, will in reality 
12 

7 ‘‘Building Pathways to Health Care Careers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community,’’ 

unpublished Interim Report, Short-Term Recommendations, Task Force on Health Care Careers 

for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community, June 2011. 

be found to contribute to universal design, and will benefit the larger society. Our 

Deaf Space Design Guidelines document fills what we believe is a void in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by providing design guidelines created for deaf and 

hard-of-hearing individuals. 

• Last, our Pre-Business degree will give more of our students the tools they need 

to continue their education in MBA programs, and then use their entrepreneurial 

spirit to begin their own companies or become recognized industry leaders. 

It is our intention that all of these programs will provide our students with the 

opportunity to participate more fully in the American dream through economic empowerment. 

Gallaudet understands these programs and other potential new programs cannot 

be optimized by standing alone; for that reason, we are leveraging our relationship 

with the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, which we 

intend will allow us to offer some of these, and other, programs jointly with those 

other universities. This collaborative effort is expected to allow each respective institution to provide their respective skills and knowledge in ways that utilize each 

one’s strengths. Through course offerings on our own campus, as well as at other 

schools in the Consortium, our students will be able to receive the best education 

and training in these fields. 

BARRIERS TO PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

At the same time, we are aware of significant barriers to entry to professional 

schools. We do not doubt the capabilities of our students to succeed in these programs, but we are well aware of the added cost—particularly in the provision of access to communications, usually through interpreters or real-time text services— 

which will continue to prevent the entrance of qualified students to these graduate 

programs. Unfortunately we do not have a ready answer for the committee, but certainly we do pledge to work with the committee on solutions which may resolve 

these barriers. 

BARRIERS TO HEALTH CARE CAREERS

Gallaudet is proud to be a partner with the National Technical Institute for the 

Deaf, the Rochester General Health System, and the University of Rochester Medical System in the ‘‘Task Force on Health Care Careers for the Deaf and Hard-ofHearing Community’’ which was formed in June 2010. The description of this group 

below is taken from their interim report delivered in June 2011. [I will provide a 

copy of the report for your review and consideration]. 

‘‘The Task Force mission is to provide recommendations that will increase career opportunities for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in health care professions. Such professions include those positions typically requiring associate 

degree level training through those requiring graduate and professional education in a variety of health care fields (including medical and pharmacological 

technologies, clinical care, research, administrative and IT support). The Task 

Force was created in response to a national demand for more skilled health care 

professionals, a need to improve the quality of health care services for underserved citizens who are D/HH, and an acknowledgment of the significant employment barriers that exist for qualified D/HH individuals in the health care 

industry. The Task Force also supports and furthers current Department of 

Labor goals that focus on increasing employment and career advancement opportunities for all workers and professionals with disabilities.’’ 7

The Report recognizes that unemployment is particularly high among the deaf 

and hard-of-hearing population at a time of acute shortages in health professions. 

The report also highlights several compelling needs and includes several short-term 

recommendations for addressing these needs. Those recommendations are provided 

in the following five areas, quoted from that report, which provide information on 

barriers to success in this field. The five areas are: 

1. Develop and implement a coordinated plan of information dissemination regarding health care careers and needed academic preparation for deaf and 

hard-of-hearing students and their parents, educators and other professionals working with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, gatekeepers in educational institutions, and health care employers. 
13 

2. Enhance educational curricula and training programs to assist deaf and 

hard-of-hearing individuals in preparing for and obtaining employment in health 

care professions. 

3. Adapt existing employer training programs to address health care organizations’ ability to support the success of deaf and hard-of-hearing employees and ensure that such modified programs are available to a broad spectrum of current and 

prospective organizations that employ or could employ deaf and hard-of-hearing 

health care workers. 

4. Promote improved access services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals within school and workplace settings by supporting the identification and development of best practices with respect to specialized interpreting for deaf and 

hard-of-hearing individuals in health care fields and the increasing array of available technological applications. 

5. Initiate contact with relevant local, State, and Federal agencies to inform them about the Task Force goals and recommendations and, as appropriate, 

ensure that the language of ‘‘eligibility criteria’’ for specific funding opportunities 

relevant to Task Force recommendations is inclusive of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and the institutions that serve them. 

While many of these activities can, and will, be supported and put into place by 

the four sponsoring institutions, there are others which are dependent on outside 

assistance, such as the HELP Committee, for support. This Task Force has been 

funded primarily by Gallaudet and NTID, with the funds supporting regular travel 

to meetings, faculty and staff time for the 28 members and support staff, and travel 

costs for the voluntary appearances of many outside professionals at Task Force 

meetings. When the group completes its assignment in several months, the internal 

funding will no longer be available, and the implementation of its recommendations 

will be left to those four institutions to fund; assistance of the HELP Committee 

could make a difference in the completion of this work. 

I would like to highlight two related issues that can be addressed through congressional action. 

• First, the report highlights the need to maximize information dissemination 

about career opportunities in the health care fields to deaf and hard-of-hearing students and their parents and to expand and improve the pipeline for such individuals 

to appropriate educational opportunities and from education to careers in the health 

care fields. Too often, deaf and hard-of-hearing students have not enjoyed opportunities to work in health care as volunteers, interns, emergency service workers, nor 

have they had opportunities to shadow and be mentored by professionals in health 

care fields like others have experienced. I request that you and your staff work with 

the Task Force to ensure that our deaf and hard-of-hearing students qualify for Federal diversity training programs such as Area Health Education Centers and explore 

options to provide career exploration opportunities and information about career opportunities to deaf and hard-of-hearing students comparable to those provided to minority and disadvantaged students under existing programs. 

• Second, the report highlights the need to promote accessibility and technological 

solutions that ensure meaningful and effective access. In order for deaf and hardof-hearing students to enter the ‘‘pipeline’’ to educational programs and achieve ongoing career success, they must be able to access information and instructional processes required to achieve desired goals. While access to education and employment 

opportunities, especially the use of sign language interpreters, are required by the 

ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the reality is that lack of access continues to hinder deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals from entering into and succeeding in health care fields. I request that you and your staff work with the Task 

Force to identify Federal programs that will allow the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to establish information clearinghouses and adopt other strategies to provide 

information to health care providers about access and technological solutions that 

facilitate access and accommodation in health care fields and create opportunities 

for replication of best practices. 

BARRIERS TO CAREER ADVANCEMENT INTO MANAGEMENT

We are all aware of various ‘‘ceilings’’ that prevent the advancement of one or another group into management or prevents the movement from lower management 

into upper management. People who are deaf or hard-of-hearing face similar barriers. 

Gallaudet is developing a program, the Masters of Public Administration (MPA) 

degree, specifically designed for one segment of this population—deaf and hard-ofhearing individuals working in public and non-profit sector organizations. 
14 

The program is especially appropriate for deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals 

working in Federal Government agencies. The faculty working on the development 

of this program have worked closely with, and have the support of, the Federal Office of Personnel Management’s Eastern Management Development Center (EMDC) 

in Shepherdstown, WV. We are working to create a collaborative relationship between EMDC and the Masters of Public Administration program that would allow 

MPA students from the Federal workforce to take their elective courses through the 

EMDC. 

Once approved and offered, we believe this program will prepare individuals who 

are deaf and hard-of-hearing who work in public sector organizations to lead with 

a sense of direction, to focus on results, to develop others’ capability to perform, and 

to serve with integrity. 

Once this program is approved, we would appreciate the opportunity to turn to 

the HELP Committee for advice and counsel on ensuring that Federal employees 

who are deaf and hard-of-hearing have the opportunity to participate in this offering. 

What training and opportunities are available for students of these two schools to 

facilitate the transition from school to work, and promote economic self-sufficiency? 

An understanding of our student body will be helpful in understanding what we 

do regarding transition from the university to work and regarding promoting economic self-sufficiency. 

Our 99 acres in northeast Washington, DC are a microcosm of American society. 

We have students with a variety of backgrounds, who come from across the Nation, 

and the world, to attend our University. Just as American society has experienced 

challenges throughout our history and emerged better and stronger, our school has 

as well, because of the challenges that deaf and hard-of-hearing students face on 

a daily basis. 

One of these challenges has been to address paternalism and low expectations. 

Low expectations lead students to believe they are not capable and discourages 

them from reaching their full potential. The impact is felt while at the university, 

during the transition to work, and while fully at work. At Gallaudet, we constantly 

strive to address these issues, and continually increase what is expected of our students. We have raised our admission and academic standards. For example in 2006 

we had 31 percent of our students whose English levels required their placement 

in a ‘‘conditional’’ status; by 2011 that number had dropped to 16 percent. In 2006 

our average ACT English score, math score, and reading score were 14.0, 16.9, and 

16.8. By 2011 those three scores had risen to 17.6, 17.9, and 19.7. 

Furthermore, as the caliber of students who are enrolling has risen, our graduation rates have improved, as has persistence. For example, our retention from year 

1 to year 2 rose from 54 percent in 2006 to 70 percent this year. Increasing our 

standards has not led to decreasing enrollment, showing that if we have high expectations for the Nation and the world to see, deaf and hard-of-hearing students will 

rise to the challenge. 

As the Nation’s school placement of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, mainstreamed compared to attendance at a State school for the deaf, evolves, Gallaudet 

finds that students are coming here with a wide variety of educational background 

and communication languages. A larger percentage of our undergraduate students 

come from mainstream schools than in the past; for example, 4 years ago 68 percent 

came from schools for the deaf, and that number is now 56 percent. The same is 

true for students who transfer to Gallaudet from other colleges. Many of these new 

students do not know American Sign Language. 

Gallaudet is a bilingual institution, and we provide these students the tools to become bilingual through innovative programs like JumpStart and the New Signers 

program. Our intention is that all of our students can become fluent in both American Sign Language and English. We are also witnessing an increasing number of 

Deaf Blind/Low vision students attending our university. Furthermore, the percentage of students of color as a part of the total student population is on the rise. 

It is clear that Gallaudet has been very effective in serving a very diverse population of students while continuing to raise our admission and academic standards. 

These students represent the future workforce of our country. 

FACILITATING THE TRANSITION THROUGH A CAREER CENTER

The Gallaudet University Career Center is a service unit that supports our commitment to the education of our students and employers about how to work with 

individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. It accomplishes its mission by providing students, alumni, employers, faculty, and staff with expert advising, leader-
15 

ship in experiential education, current information and resources, and networking 

opportunities on and off campus, as well as on-line. 

Staffed by career services professionals, information is shared both within the university and between students and employers at career events such as Job Fairs. In 

fact, while this hearing is occurring, our Career Center is sponsoring a job fair on 

campus to place students with companies who are here seeking employees. This is 

always an exciting time on campus, as the transition from the university to work 

is on the minds of our students. We also provide facilities that allow students to 

research participating employers in advance, as well as view on-line employer profiles, which provide information like available positions and majors recruited by the 

company. 

Employer information sessions offer students a convenient way to learn about prospective employers and start building relationships with key recruiting contacts. Oncampus interviews are commonplace. A ‘‘professional network’’ allows students to 

find a professional mentor who can provide career advice and insight from our database of alumni mentors and volunteer career advisers. 

Workshops are offered throughout the year on topics like mock interviews and appropriate business attire to help students develop and refine career-related skills. 

FACILITATING THE TRANSITION THROUGH INTERNSHIPS

A strength of Gallaudet in providing employment opportunities for our students 

is our placement of students into internships. The Career Center reports that 80 

percent of graduating seniors completed at least one internship prior to graduation, 

much higher than the national average of 52 percent. Gallaudet uses internships 

to provide our students with on-the-job, hands-on experience. This gives them the 

skills they will need that will greatly aid them in their careers. 

Allow me to illustrate with details of some Gallaudet student internship experiences. 

• Krista Brown, from Illinois, did an internship at the Sidwell Friends Academy 

in Washington, DC, where she assisted in teaching a class of 24 first graders. Originally, the students did not know how to work with an interpreter, but eventually 

they learned how to communicate with Krista, and that was an enriching experience 

for them. In the future, Krista would like to open a charter school in Chicago, IL. 

• Leila Hanaumi, from California and our student witness today, did an internship as a reporter with the Deaflymplics in Taipei, Taiwan in 2009. She is also currently interning with a professor at Gallaudet, working on starting a new company. 

• Dylan Hinks, also from California, landed a prestigious internship with the 

American Association of People with Disabilities this past summer. He was the 

AAPD fellow in the office of Congressman Ed Markey. 

• Briana Johnson of Georgia, did an internship through Gallaudet’s Capitol Hill 

Internship program, in the office of Senator Sherrod Brown. Briana assisted with 

constituent correspondence, and her experience inspired her to want to attend law 

school in the future. 

• Robert Siebert, from Minnesota, did an internship with the Gallaudet Administration and Finance Internship program in the summer of 2010. He worked with 

the associate director of Real Estate Development in the Program Development office. This past summer, he was an intern with Volkswagen in Herndon, VA. 

• Rami Traurig of Maryland did an internship with the James Madison University’s Department of Chemistry’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program. 

The REU program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. As an intern, 

Rami, a biology major, assisted with collecting and analyzing water samples from 

areas in the Shenandoah Valley and the George Washington National Forest. 

These students are well on their way to becoming successful in their careers, just 

as Mike Ellis and Seth Bravin—both witnesses today—and so many other Gallaudet 

alumni. 

We recently initiated a Capitol Hill Internship Program that places Gallaudet students in Federal offices, particularly with Members of Congress. These programs 

allow deaf and hard-of-hearing students to gain valuable job and life experience as 

well as gaining a crucial understanding of how our government functions. 

Placing our students in internships not only provides them with crucial job training, it educates employers about the capabilities of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. 

One of the barriers to employment for deaf people is that employers and the public 

in general often have low expectations and negative stereotypes about the abilities 

of deaf people. We place our students in internships to show that they are capable 

and competent and can thrive once given the opportunity. Our students, through internships, break down the misconceptions held about deaf people. 
16 

In addition to internships, Gallaudet University provides a variety of studyabroad options for students, which allows them to develop an appreciation of the 

shrinking global environment in which we now work and live. 

FACILITATING THE TRANSITION THROUGH OTHER VENUES

Gallaudet understands that providing academic support and internship opportunities are crucial to successful future employment. But there are many other skills 

that must be developed outside these venues that will allow our students to compete 

successfully in the workplace. These skills involve working in teams, making reallife decisions that impact themselves and others who work with them, interacting 

with and learning from people different from themselves in non-controlled environments, and obtaining leadership experience. 

These characteristics are the hallmark of the Gallaudet experience unmatched 

anywhere in the world. 

• Through student organizations, our students can thrive in an environment 

where each one can experience unfettered communications with one another and 

one where they can become leaders, organizers, and follow their dreams and initiatives to make the world a better place. Deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Gallaudet can become club presidents, editor of the newspaper, and president of the 

student government association. If these same students attended another university, 

their opportunities for such experiences would be limited dramatically. These experiences in leadership roles will help our graduates become leaders in their employment and in the communities in which they live. 

• As mentioned earlier, study abroad programs give students the opportunity to 

broaden their horizons and better understand the world. Our First Year Study Tour 

provides this knowledge early in their university experience. 

• Our athletic programs allow students to grow as well, as they work hard, both 

on and off the field, to achieve great things. The opportunities for leading as team 

captains would be non-existent or very limited at other universities. 

These student life activities provide students with valuable life skills that will aid 

them in succeeding in the workplace. Higher education is not only valuable for 

classroom time, but what is learned outside of that space is incredibly important. 

Surely as former college students ourselves, we can never forget the late night discussions in dorm rooms, student body government meetings, and spontaneous debates in hallways. These are possible only in an environment where students are 

given the opportunity to gather and directly communicate with each other and learn 

the joys, and yes, the frustrations of becoming responsible adults and civic partners 

of our Nation. 

As you can see, Gallaudet University prepares students for the employment world 

in a myriad of ways. From classroom learning that provides them knowledge and 

information, to social and leadership opportunities that supplies them with life 

skills, and internships that give them hands-on experience, Gallaudet makes it possible for deaf students to enter the workforce and have successful careers. Those opportunities will only increase as Gallaudet continues to innovate and grow as, for 

example, the establishment of our four new ‘‘pre-’’ programs demonstrate. 

Are there any communications technologies used by NTID and Gallaudet University 

that have broader societal use and application? 

Gallaudet has long been a leader in using up to date technology to enhance the 

experience of our students. Tools like CART, VRS and other technologies provide access to those attending Gallaudet, and are efforts that other universities could learn 

from, in order to better provide access to their students and employees. As we serve 

a variety of students, from those who primarily use visual language, to those who 

mix both visual and auditory communication, Gallaudet has expertise in the best 

technological practices for this population. We can educate employers on the technologies available in order to assist them in hiring deaf and hard-of-hearing people. 

For example, we have the Technology Access Program (TAP) that researches communication technology for the benefit of industries, the government and deaf consumers and seeks to provide equity in communications for deaf and hard-of-hearing 

people. Additionally, there is often informal experimentation taking place among 

Gallaudet students, faculty and staff, with smartphone applications and other technologies that will provide more access and better employment opportunities for our 

graduates. 

With the advent of new technologies, many barriers that previously existed for 

deaf students are evaporating. Textual communication is becoming a large part of 

the world, as texting, email, instant messaging and social media have become frequent means of communication. Furthermore, the ADA helped video relay services 
17 

to flourish, breaking down more barriers to employment of deaf people. Our graduates are entering a world where employers are learning that familiar technology— 

well beyond the constraints of email—exist and can remove barriers to working with 

deaf and hard-of-hearing employees. This technology allows employers to concentrate on hiring and work practices that can, if used properly, significantly reduce 

barriers to employment and advancement. However, it is the existence of stereotypes which are much more difficult to erase. 

These technologies do much more than simply allow people to communicate with 

one another; social media in particular, provides tools for people to be considered 

as equals on the Internet. The stereotypes that exist when people encounter each 

other face-to-face disappear when they interact with one another in this medium. 

Take for example a deaf intern who is not readily able to participate in impromptu 

hallway conversations with co-workers and thereby misses out on the social lubricant that helps the gears of work run smoothly. Through textual communications 

and social media however, the deaf intern is able to forge a bond with fellow coworkers through common-shared interests whether it be sports, clothes, the arts, 

and even music. It is through this social lubricant conducted through the electronic 

medium that will further facilitate the face-to-face interaction between this deaf intern and fellow co-workers in ways that were simply not possible before. 

What practices can be replicated across higher education for better inclusion of individuals with disabilities to better prepare them for the workforce? 

Gallaudet serves as a living example of how an institution of higher education can 

specifically address the needs of students whose abilities are different from that of 

a large segment of our population. Our programs are specially designed to serve this 

population, as is wisely mandated by the Education of the Deaf Act. At Gallaudet, 

inclusion happens in the fullest sense in that our students face no barriers in participating in all aspects of university life. It is through this collegiate experience 

that our students gain the knowledge and confidence necessary to succeed once they 

earn their degree and depart the world of academia. 

At the same time, we are very well aware that this kind of experience is a ‘‘once 

in a lifetime’’ opportunity. Hence, we provide all the tools to prepare them for inclusion in the larger world of work. This is done through internships, offering of consortium courses, participating in classroom activities that engage outside participants and the neighboring community, having them compete against their non-deaf 

peers in events such as mock trials to see how they measure up, and so on. 

Gallaudet University serves as an example of a public-private partnership that 

truly works. It is through the investment of Federal dollars and the prudence management of these resources that we are able to provide a program that meets the 

national mission. It is in this spirit that the Federal Government should consider 

how this type of arrangement can be expanded to serve others with disabilities in 

higher education settings. Just like the fact that not everyone who is deaf chooses 

to go to Gallaudet, not everyone who has a specific disability would choose to go 

to a certain college. But imagine if you will, for example, that blind college students 

could choose to attend an institution that had the Federal support to develop an environment that minimizes or removes barriers for blind people. These blind students 

would not have to spend a great deal of their time worrying about accommodations 

that are rightfully theirs. Rather, they would be better able to focus on their educational experience, knowing that access is readily achievable anywhere, anytime. 

It is also important to recognize that Gallaudet is pleased to offer a strong research base at our university. Another of the goals of our strategic plan is to become: ‘‘the epicenter of research, development and outreach leading to advancements in knowledge and practice for deaf and hard-of-hearing people and all humanity.’’ 

We want to lead in research which will lead to better understanding of deaf and 

hard-of-hearing people, ultimately resulting in better employment. One example is 

the Visual Language, Visual Learning (VL2) program at Gallaudet. Funded by a 

competitive grant from the National Science Foundation, this program, one of six 

Science of Learning centers, conducts cognitive scientific research into how deaf people develop language and literacy, in order to better understand how everyone, deaf 

and hearing, learn visually. Understanding how a minority processes the world can 

benefit society, as evidenced by VL2. This concept could be replicated for higher education for other populations; analysis of their capabilities could provide information 

about the human experience. 

FINAL COMMENT

In many ways, today’s Gallaudet students possess greater awareness and confidence in succeeding in the world of work as compared to past generations of stu-
18 

dents. When I stand on the stage in May 2012 performing what is indeed the greatest joy of any university president, the conferring of degrees, I will be handing degrees to many undergraduate students who were born after the passage of the 

greatest civil rights legislation for people with disabilities in the history of our Nation. These students have grown up in a world where the paradigm of having a disability is not an abnormality to be ashamed of, but a difference to be embraced and 

valued. They are what I call the ADA generation. This ADA generation is not reserved exclusively to those who are considered disabled by others, it is a generation 

of all young Americans who share the same hopes and desires to achieve the American dream. This is why I am confident that although barriers continue to exist, the 

future has never been brighter for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. I have 

been fortunate to be in a profession where I talk to young adults on a daily basis 

and get a glimpse into the future of our country and I know that the ADA generation will help forge a more equitable workplace for disabled people as they advance 

into positions of leadership. 

The Gallaudet Middle States Accreditation report in 2000 states that many institutions say that they have mission, but Gallaudet truly has a mission. We accept 

deaf and hard-of-hearing students with a broad range of academic experiences and 

abilities. Unlike other institutions that accept students within a narrow bandwidth 

of academic skills as indicated by their standardized test scores, our top students 

scores are as much as twice as high as those in the low end of the range. Those 

who are not as fortunate as others and have scores that reflect it, have experienced 

low expectations from others, received substandard education, and encountered barriers on a daily basis that impede their learning opportunities. Because of Gallaudet’s unique mission, we have the programs, the people, and the tools to help these 

students succeed and find employment. At the end of their Gallaudet experience, 

each student that stands on the stage with me and receives their degree is equal 

to another, regardless of where they started at Gallaudet. Each one will enter the 

world with a hard-earned college degree that is their license and pathway to gainful 

employment. This is Gallaudet’s mission and one we accomplish well. 

As was written by President Lincoln 150 years ago, the government exists to ‘‘. . . 

to lift artificial weights from all shoulders, to clear the paths of laudable pursuit 

for all, to afford all an unfettered start and a fair chance, in the race of life.’’ 

This is just as true today as it was when Lincoln penned these words in 1861. 

Gallaudet is proud to be a partner with the U.S. Government in providing the foundation for success that each student require in order to have meaningful careers and 

fulfilling and enriching lives. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Thank you. 

[Applause.] 

Thank you, Dr. Hurwitz. 

And now we will turn to Dr. Buckley. As I said, your statement 

will be made a part of the record in its entirety, and you can just 

sum up. 

Thank you. 

STATEMENT OF GERARD J. BUCKLEY, Ph.D., PRESIDENT, NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF, VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, 

ROCHESTER, NY 

Mr. BUCKLEY. Mr. Chairman, Senator Enzi, thank you very 

much for the opportunity to share and discuss the importance of 

employment outcomes for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. 

We are honored to be a part of this historic occasion, and we salute Gallaudet University for hosting this event. And we look forward to a long partnership with Gallaudet and working with you 

to [inaudible]. 

I would like to describe our program at NTID. We are a little bit 

different than Gallaudet University. We are established on the 

mainstream campus with 1,354 students. Fourteen percent of our 

students are from the West, and 45 percent are from the Midwest. 
19 

Twenty-two percent are from the South. Thirty-nine percent are 

from the Northeast. 

We have students from 49 States. I am working on Montana still. 

We are missing one. I apologize. Seventy-two percent of our students are first-time college students. But 20 to 25 percent are 

transfers from other colleges where their needs have not been met, 

and then they join our community. 

Most of our students are from mainstream programs. Twentythree percent of our students are cochlear implant users. Twentynine percent of our students are from minority backgrounds, and 

11 percent of our students have secondary disabilities. 

The RIT campus has become a model of communication accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing people in this Nation, with 120 

full-time interpreters and 55 captioners. The number of hearing 

students enrolled in ASL classes at our campus has gone up 4 

times in the last 5 years. We now have 2,200 hearing students on 

our campus studying sign language. 

For the second time in recent history, the RIT hearing student 

body, along with the deaf student body, has elected a deaf student 

to be the president of the student government. Deaf and hard-ofhearing students on our campus are part of the rich diversity of 

our campus that prepares the American workforce for the future. 

A fundamental reason that NTID has been successful is that we 

have remained focused on our primary mission, which is to prepare 

young people for employment in the world of work. Everything we 

do at NTID is driven by the need to prepare students for successfully competing in a global economy. We work closely with employers all over the Nation to achieve this goal. 

RIT is one of the Nation’s leading career-oriented universities 

that is seeking to prepare the next generation of America’s workforce in the technical areas and the professional areas, and NTID’s 

role is to make sure that deaf and hard-of-hearing people fully participate in that preparation. 

One way that RIT prepares students for the world of work is 

through our cooperative education experience, which is required for 

students to go out and work as part of their education program. All 

students are required to go out for 10 weeks and work in the workplace. They recognize their areas in need of improvement and come 

back to the campus and work on those before they graduate. 

Every year, we have 200 to 250 deaf students go throughout the 

Nation working in co-ops throughout the country, and we are very 

proud of them. We also have faculty that follow up with them and 

visit them on the work site in order to get feedback for how we can 

improve our academic programs on the campus. 

Today, there are many Gallaudet students here. But today, I am 

proud to introduce two students from NTID who join me. 

Maya Ariel is a business administration management major from 

New Jersey who is also a very talented actress. Marvelous. She recently completed her first co-op at the U.S. Department of Agriculture this summer in the marketing area, and she recently has 

accepted a co-op in Indiana this summer with Dow Chemical Corporation. 

The second student here is Hannah Worek. Hannah is a criminal 

justice major from Rochester who aspires—who will go to law 
20 

school when she graduates. She is a student athlete. She also is the 

13th member of her family to attend RIT/NTID. We are very proud 

of her. This summer, she worked for a property management company in New York City and reported directly to the CEO. 

If these two students look familiar, it is because these students 

appeared on the ABC program called ‘‘What Would You Do?’’ this 

past December. It was shown again during the summer. It was an 

8-minute segment in the show where the students were hired as 

actors to go in and apply for a job at a coffee shop. The manager 

of the coffee shop said, ‘‘I am sorry. We don’t hire deaf people here.’’ 

The intent was to see if the customers in the coffee shop would 

object. Sadly, very few people objected, despite the blatant discrimination. What was even more of concern was that several HR professionals who were in the coffee shop as customers actually were 

witnessed giving advice to the boss of that coffee shop on how to 

discriminate legally. 

NTID is using the ABC experience to educate employers, HR professionals, and our students about the reality of workplace discrimination, prepare them for the future. Tonight, we are returning 

back to Rochester, where tomorrow we will be hosting our 11th annual employer job fair, with more than 40 companies from throughout the United States that are coming to campus to interview our 

students, including Apple Computer, Cisco, Sprint, and IBM. 

The committee has asked us what practices should be replicated 

related to workforce inclusion. Our experience at NTID suggests six 

critical areas—outreach to employers to make sure they are prepared to work with and provide accommodations to deaf and disabled individuals. Regular interaction with employers to make sure 

that they know what skills the students have and also that the 

academic programs that are serving disabled individuals are 

matching the demands of the workplace world. 

We must encourage a spirit of innovation in our young disabled 

community citizens so they are prepared to compete for the world 

of work. 

We must continue to do more outreach to middle schools and 

high school students to prepare them to compete in the science, 

technology, engineering, and math. The research shows very clearly 

that if our students earn a degree in that area, the gap between 

them and their nondisabled peers is lessened. 

We must encourage more collaboration, as Gallaudet University 

and NTID have committed to working together, to improve the employment picture for deaf people in the future. 

We must continue to support and demonstrate the return, the 

ROI, the return on the investment in support from the Government. We know through our research studies, it is very clear that 

graduates are less dependent on the Federal programs, such as 

SSI, SSDI. We also know that our graduates return many times 

the investment the Federal Government has made in them through 

the form of taxes they pay throughout their careers. 

Thank you for the opportunity to share what we have learned at 

NTID about how to employ—how to improve employment outcomes. We are deeply appreciative at NTID of the support we receive from Congress. We are committed to maintaining our focus on 

enhancing the employment picture for deaf people in the future. 
21 

Thank you very much. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Buckley follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF GERARD J. BUCKLEY, PH.D. 

SUMMARY

In the 1960s, it became apparent that an institution with a technical and professional emphasis was needed for people who were deaf and hard-of-hearing. In 1965, 

Public Law 89–36 established a National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). 

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) was chosen as the host institution for 

NTID, and the first 70 students were admitted in 1968. This fall, NTID’s enrollment 

is higher than it has ever been, with 1,547 students—1,354 of which are deaf or 

hard-of-hearing. 

Flexibility informs every aspect of NTID’s preparation of students for the workforce—flexibility in terms of academic programs, communication preferences, support services, and professional experiences. Students can complete a technical associate degree at NTID, enter an associate + bachelor’s degree program, or complete 

baccalaureate or graduate degrees at RIT with the support of NTID access services. 

Those access services include faculty tutors, advisors, note takers, captionists, onsite audiologists, and speech-language pathologists, as well as the largest staff of 

full-time interpreters of any college in the world. 

RIT/NTID’s focus on career education and preparation for career success through 

experiential learning and cooperative work experiences provides key advantages for 

deaf and hard-of-hearing students in securing employment after graduation. Cooperative work experiences, or co-ops, are an integral part of academic programming at 

NTID. Employment specialists at the NTID Center on Employment assist students 

in securing 10-week work experiences that augment their studies. NTID’s annual 

Job Fair is in its 11th year and has grown from featuring 17 employers to over 40 

employers, specifically recruiting deaf and hard-of-hearing graduates. The NTID 

Center on Employment identifies new employers with which to build relationships 

by networking and exhibiting at human resources conferences, using the community 

and professional contacts of parents of new NTID students, helping alumni encourage their employers to recruit from NTID, and inviting companies to visit campus, 

meet our students, and learn about the technical programs we offer and skills we 

are developing. The NTID Center on Employment also initiates and delivers consultation, training, followup and other support services to employers. Through these 

services, employers become aware of the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people 

and facilitate graduates entering the workforce. 

Students are also encouraged to engage in innovation and research. Following 

RIT’s leadership in this area, NTID is increasing its emphasis on innovation and 

creativity, both in the curriculum and in other activities across campus. Last year, 

NTID awarded to faculty and staff innovation grants related to student services or 

scholarship/research projects, requiring them to include students as active team 

members. NTID faculty, staff, and students participate annually in Imagine RIT, an 

innovation and creativity festival that is attended by over 30,000 people. 

Changes at RIT also help NTID remain dynamic as the premier technical institute for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. RIT’s expertise is focused in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, and it has recently added a College 

of Health Sciences and Technology as well as the Golisano Institute for Sustainability. To support these technical fields of study, RIT’s campus strives to offer 

state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. 

NTID’s model has been successful. Over the last 5 years, our job placement rate 

for graduates is 90 percent. Research conducted using Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service data indicates deaf and hard-of-hearing graduates from RIT/NTID have higher employment rates and higher earnings than deaf 

and hard-of-hearing students not graduating from RIT/NTID. By age 50, deaf and 

hard-of-hearing bachelor degree graduates from RIT/NTID earn on average $6,021 

more than those with associate degrees; who in turn earn $3,996 more on average 

than those who withdraw; who earn $4,329 more than those who are not admitted. 

Communication technologies that facilitate communication for and with people 

who are deaf and hard-of-hearing are just as much for the general hearing public 

as they are for deaf students and graduates in that they foster communication between both groups. C-Print is a speech-to-text captioning system developed at NTID, 

as a communication access service option for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in 

educational environments. This technology has not only provided access to students 

who are deaf but also serves to reinforce materials presented in classrooms for those 

who hear. Presently, the NTID Center on Access Technology is working with various 
22 

companies to develop devices that will use off-the-shelf technology to create innovative applications for people who are deaf that might have broader applications as 

well. 

Despite all the employer outreach NTID initiates, there continues to be prejudice 

and ignorance about hiring and working with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. 

NTID will continue to conduct outreach to employers to help them understand hearing loss, accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing employees, and ease communication. Other challenges continue to be ensuring that NTID students, like hearing students, keep pace with the changing job market and technical skills needed in the 

workplace. RIT and NTID work to address those challenges by creating new academic programs in ‘‘hot job’’ categories, using employer feedback to tweak existing 

academic programs, and making sure equipment and facilities continue to be stateof-the-art. Appropriate academic preparation for college is another challenge for 

some deaf and hard-of-hearing students. NTID tries to improve that preparation 

through its outreach programs that connect with middle and high school students 

and alert them to what they need to do to prepare for college and career success. 

The extensive employer outreach and education that the NTID Center on Employment does on behalf of students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing could be replicated 

by other institutions on behalf of students with disabilities in general. Requiring a 

co-op experience is a practice that other higher education institutions could also 

adopt to better prepare students, with or without disabilities, for the workforce. Finally, the outreach NTID conducts at the pre-college level could be used at other 

postsecondary institutions to help prepare and generate interest in young people 

with disabilities for college and the workforce. 

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I am pleased to present the following invited testimony regarding the topic of ‘‘Leveraging Higher Education to Improve Employment Outcomes for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.’’ 

BACKGROUND

In the 1960s, it became apparent that an institution with a technical and professional emphasis was needed for people who were deaf and hard-of-hearing. In 1965, 

Representative Hugh Carey and Senator Lister Hill introduced the companion bills 

that would become Public Law 89–36, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, establishing a National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). Over 20 postsecondary institutions expressed an interest in being the sponsoring institution for 

NTID, with eight submitting formal proposals. In 1966, the Rochester Institute of 

Technology (RIT), founded in 1829, was selected for being the only institution meeting all of the mandated requirements. RIT had a national reputation for its technical programs, a history of incorporating cooperative work experiences with education (since 1912), existing partnerships with business and industrial leaders, and 

connections to deafness through its own past admittance of deaf students, several 

of whom had graduated from the nearby Rochester School for the Deaf. 

RIT/NTID first admitted students, 70 of them, in 1968 and graduated its first 

class of 54 students in 1971. I began my academic career at NTID in 1974 and went 

on to graduate with a B.S. in Social Work from RIT in 1978. I then went on to complete a Master’s in Social Work at the University of Missouri and a Doctorate in 

Special Education at the University of Kansas. I spent 10 years heading Gallaudet 

University’s Regional Center at Johnson County Community College in Kansas before returning to my alma mater as a faculty member and administrator. In January of this year, it was my honor to become NTID’s first alumnus president. I have 

also served in the past as president of the American Deafness and Rehabilitation 

Association and a member of the National Advisory Board of NIH’s Institute on 

Deafness. 

OUR STUDENTS

Much has changed since that first group of 70 students came to NTID. This fall, 

NTID’s enrollment is higher than it has ever been, with 1,547 students—1,354 of 

which are deaf or hard-of-hearing. This fall’s enrollment includes students from 49 

States and 19 foreign countries. 

More of our students are coming from mainstream high schools, and we have seen 

a dramatic increase in the number of students enrolling with cochlear implants— 

from 75 students (6 percent) in fiscal year 2002 to 305 students in fiscal year 2011 

(23 percent). Similarly, our students are increasingly ethnically diverse, with 29 percent of them from minority backgrounds (up from 25 percent in fiscal year 2007). 

Over the last decade, we have also seen an increase in the number of students with 
23 

secondary disabilities. They represented 11 percent of the student population in fiscal year 2011 compared to 5 percent in fiscal year 2000. 

RIT and its hearing student population have also changed as a result of having 

NTID students on campus for the last 43 years. RIT’s total enrollment this fall is 

17,652 students. Those students are represented by RIT Student Government, 

whose current president is Greg Pollock, a former NTID Student Congress President 

and deaf student pursuing his bachelor’s degree in professional and technical communication. This year and last year, Greg was the only student to give a speech 

at the RIT Convocation for New Students and Families, which he did in American 

Sign Language or ASL (with voicing and captioning provided by NTID Access Services staff). Many RIT students become interested in ASL as a result of NTID. The 

number of students taking ASL has more than tripled at RIT over the past 4 

years—this year, 2,193 students enrolled in ASL classes in just the fall, winter and 

spring quarters. RIT students organize the No Voice Zone, where they meet regularly (often in late evening) to teach, laugh and learn about deaf culture. Another 

example of the integration of NTID within RIT is the opening of the RIT American 

Sign Language and Deaf Culture Community Center last year, right in the center 

of campus at RIT’s Student Alumni Union. 

FULFILLING OUR MISSION

Flexibility informs every aspect of NTID’s preparation of students for the workforce—flexibility in terms of academic programs, communication preferences, support services, and professional experiences. Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can be admitted directly into baccalaureate degree programs at RIT, while receiving all the support and access services NTID offers. They can enter pre-baccalaureate programs individually tailored to prepare them for entry into baccalaureate 

degree programs or enroll in the associate + bachelor’s degree program. Students 

can also pursue associate degrees in various technical programs. RIT also offers a 

variety of Master’s and Ph.D. programs, should NTID students wish to continue as 

graduate students. 

Regardless of degree program, deaf and hard-of-hearing students enrolled at 

NTID or supported by NTID as they pursue a degree at RIT are able to take advantage of myriad access services designed specifically for them. There are faculty tutors, advisors, note takers, and captionists, as well as the largest staff of full-time 

interpreters of any college in the world. On-site audiologists provide services related 

to hearing and hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems. Speech-language 

pathologists offer a broad range of speech and language services. NTID also works 

with each of RIT’s colleges to provide the support needed to implement strategies 

for maximizing access to campus services for deaf students. 

Cooperative work experiences, or co-ops, are an integral part of academic programming at NTID. Employment specialists at the NTID Center on Employment assist students in securing 10-week work experiences that augment their studies. Employment specialists or faculty members visit many students and their supervisors 

at their co-ops to assess progress and resolve any workplace issues. Most academic 

programs require one to three cooperative assignments. For example, RIT’s Student 

Government President Greg Pollock worked in the Public Affairs Department of 

Dow Chemical’s Business Services Group in Michigan. Finance student Erick Hoens 

worked as a branch intern for J.P. Morgan Securities in New York City. Mechanical 

Engineering student Kelly McNabb worked on polymer blends for fuel cell technology at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Medical Illustration student 

Mitsuyoshi Yabe worked as a medical illustration intern at the University of California at San Diego. Applied Computer Technology student George White worked 

as an engineering aide at the Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center in Alabama. Biomedical Sciences and Diagnostic Medical 

Sonography student Abbi Simons worked as a marine botany anatomist at the 

Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History here in D.C. These 

are just some examples of the hands-on job experiences that NTID students have 

at major companies and institutions nationwide. Requiring a co-op experience is a 

practice that other higher education institutions could adopt to better prepare students, with or without disabilities, for the workforce. 

Following RIT’s leadership in this area, NTID is increasing its emphasis on innovation and creativity, both in the curriculum and in other activities across campus. 

We encourage our faculty to actively involve students at all levels in scholarship and 

innovation activities. Last year, NTID awarded to faculty and staff innovation 

grants related to student services or scholarship/research projects, requiring them 

to include students as active team members. NTID faculty, staff, and students participate annually in Imagine RIT, an innovation and creativity festival that is at-
24 

tended by over 30,000 people. At Imagine RIT, NTID Laboratory Science Technology 

students present their research; the NTID Electric Bike Club shows off their nocarbon-emission bicycles; and students present applications they have developed for 

deaf and hard-of-hearing users of smartphones and PDAs. Also, this Friday, October 

14, NTID will celebrate a groundbreaking ceremony for Rosica Hall, a first-of-itskind facility specifically designed to foster innovation, research and entrepreneurship among our deaf and hard-of-hearing students. 

Changes at RIT also help NTID remain dynamic as the premier technical institute for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. RIT is one of the largest producers in the 

country of baccalaureate degrees in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and 

math) fields. It has recently added a College of Health Sciences and Technology as 

well as the Golisano Institute for Sustainability, featuring the world’s first doctorate 

in sustainable production. To support technical fields of study, RIT’s campus offers 

wireless computer access, smart classrooms with state-of-the-art computers and 

multimedia-based technologies, computer graphics and computer-aided drafting 

labs, microelectronics and computer engineering facilities, digital printing presses, 

laser optics labs, a robotics program and fully networked residence halls. 

NTID also aims to provide deaf and hard-of-hearing middle school and high school 

students with educational experiences designed to encourage them to seek postsecondary education. NTID conducts a SpiRIT Writing Contest; a National Science Fair 

for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades 6 through 11; Explore Your Future 

summer camp for upperclass high school students; TechGirlz and TechBoyz summer 

camps for junior high students; Steps to Success weekend camp for African-American, Latino-American and Native-American students; a math competition for middle school students; and a Digital Arts, Film and Animation Competition for high 

school students. NTID also assists employers and secondary and postsecondary educational institutions that work with students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing 

through the efforts of our Postsecondary Education Programs Network—Northeast 

Region center. NTID’s Project Access initiative is designed to help educators incorporate basic strategies to foster better learning for mainstreamed deaf and hard-ofhearing students. Many other outreach activities are aimed at deaf and hard-ofhearing adults who are post-college and now employed. These kinds of outreach activities could be used at other postsecondary institutions to help prepare and generate interest in young people with disabilities for college and the workforce. 

OUTCOMES

In the late 1970s, it became increasingly clear to NTID that self-reported questionnaires completed by graduates were inadequate for assessing the impact of an 

NTID education on employment outcomes. As a result, institutional partnerships 

have been forged over time with the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security 

Administration, and disability employment and public policy experts at the School 

of Ecology at Cornell University. NTID has not only developed memoranda of agreement with these Federal agencies, but also data sharing agreements that ensure 

complete confidentiality of exchanged information. The resulting program of research generated and supported by these partnerships and agreements is described 

as ‘‘unique throughout higher education and rehabilitation services’’ by Dr. Richard 

Burkhauser, who is an internationally recognized public policy expert at Cornell 

University. 

By providing the social security numbers (serving as individually unique identifiers) of its graduates to appropriate Federal agencies, NTID has obtained aggregate 

statistics on yearly earnings, employment participation, and participation in Federal 

assistance programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Analyses of these aggregate data have revealed the 

return on investment for students who attend RIT/NTID. For example, deaf and 

hard-of-hearing bachelor degree graduates return to the Federal treasury an average of $6,632 per year in Federal taxes during their first 25 years of employment. 

This figure exceeds, by $2,063, the annuitized amount of $4,569 required to pay 

back the Federal investment for their education (Clarcq, J.R. & Walter, G.G., 1998; 

Schley et al., 2011). Using longitudinal data collected through this same program 

of research, NTID also has documented the effects of successive degree levels from 

RIT for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. For example, 2006 research showed 

that each successive degree level translates to an average $10,000 increase in taxable yearly earnings. 

Additionally, research conducted in 2006 compared a group of NTID deaf and 

hard-of-hearing graduates with three other groups: those students who were denied 

admission, those who were accepted but chose not to attend, and those who enrolled 

but did not persist to graduation. In each of these cases, it was clear that grad-
25 

uating as an NTID-supported student at RIT meant on average a significant increase in earnings. Further observations include the decreased dependency on Federal assistance programs such as SSI and SSDI for those individuals who graduate 

from RIT/NTID, as compared to those who do not (NTID Annual Report 2010, 

http://www.ntid.rit.edu/sites/default/files/annuallreportl2010.pdf). This resulted in a lower expenditure of Federal funds on deaf and hard-of-hearing students 

who attend and graduate from RIT/NTID. 

In short, deaf and hard-of-hearing graduates from RIT/NTID have higher employment rates and higher earnings than deaf and hard-of-hearing students not graduating from RIT/NTID. By age 50, deaf and hard-of-hearing bachelor degree graduates from RIT/NTID earn on average $6,021 more than those with associate degrees; who in turn earn $3,996 more on average than those who withdraw; who earn 

$4,329 more than those who are not admitted. 

Over the last 5 years, our job placement rate for graduates is 90 percent. Michael 

Anthony, a 2010 graduate with a B.S. in Computer Science and Game Design and 

Development, is now working for Microsoft as a Software Development Engineer for 

Xbox. Monica Donovan, a 2006 graduate with a B.S. in Visual Media, started her 

own photography business. Lawrence Dorsey, a 2008 graduate with an associate degree in Computer Integrated Machining Technology, is a machinist for Rock Island 

Arsenal. Alex Johnson, a 2011 graduate with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, is 

part of a New Engine Development Team with GE Aviation. Melissa Skyer, who 

went on to get an M.S. in Environmental Science in 2006, is an environmental specialist with Southern California Gas, Natural Resources & Land Planning Group of 

Environmental Services. Right here in DC, we have Christopher Samp, a 2010 graduate with his M.S. in Public Policy, who is now working as a congressional staffer 

for Senator Dick Durbin. 

BUILDING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS

RIT/NTID’s focus on career education and preparation for career success through 

experiential learning and cooperative work experiences provides key advantages for 

deaf and hard-of-hearing students in securing employment after graduation. NTID’s 

annual Job Fair is in its 11th year and has grown from featuring 17 employers to 

over 40 employers, specifically recruiting deaf and hard-of-hearing graduates. The 

NTID Center on Employment identifies new employers with which to build relationships by networking and exhibiting at human resources conferences, using the community and professional contacts of parents of new NTID students, helping alumni 

encourage their employers to recruit from NTID, and inviting companies to visit 

campus, meet our students, and learn about the technical programs we offer and 

skills we are developing. 

The NTID Center on Employment also initiates and delivers consultation, training, followup and other support services to employers. Through these services, employers become aware of the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people and facilitate 

graduates entering the workforce. For instance, in fiscal year 2010, the NTID Center on Employment presented programs to 521 human resources professionals, including the workshop ‘‘Working Together: Deaf and Hearing People.’’ This workshop 

has been given on-site to companies like Honda, Procter and Gamble, the Walt Disney Company, The Dow Chemical Company, and the CIA to help employers understand hearing loss, accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing employees, and ease communication. NTID also produces several brochures and other materials to educate 

employers and facilitate communication, such as the Let’s Communicate brochure 

with basic signs and tips for communicating with ASL users and the DVD I Can 

Work for You!, featuring students and graduates talking about their successful coop and employment experiences. The extensive employer outreach and education 

that the NTID Center on Employment does on behalf of students who are deaf or 

hard-of-hearing could be replicated by other institutions on behalf of students with 

disabilities in general. 

NTID’s relationship with employers directly affects the educational programs we 

provide. NTID’s co-op visitation program enables faculty and staff to visit students 

while on their co-op education assignments. During that visit, faculty are able to 

observe firsthand the job environment and the NTID student’s responsibilities in 

that environment, which allows them to evaluate what skills that student needed 

to acquire at NTID in order to be successful. Similarly, every employer participating 

in NTID’s co-op program has an opportunity to provide feedback on what technical 

or communication skills its co-op student needs to improve before graduation. 

NTID’s academic programs also have employer advisory groups in which employers 

in the field can review the curriculum for that program and offer suggestions. 
26 

Recently, the National Science Foundation provided funding for RIT/NTID to establish DeafTEC: Technological Education Center for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing 

Students, an Advanced Technological Education National Center of Excellence. 

There are approximately 40 advanced technological education centers across the 

country, and DeafTEC will be the first ever established to serve individuals who are 

deaf or hard of hearing. In addition to serving as a national resource for high 

schools and community colleges that educate deaf and hard-of-hearing students in 

STEM-related programs, DeafTEC will assist employers hiring deaf and hard-ofhearing individuals. Through its comprehensive Web site, DeafTEC will serve as a 

clearinghouse for information related to technical education and technician careers 

for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, including career awareness materials, teaching strategies for improving student access to learning, developmental math and 

English curricula, and information for employers to help them provide a more accessible workplace. 

COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES

Communication technologies that facilitate communication for and with people 

who are deaf and hard-of-hearing are just as much for the general hearing public, 

or broader society, as they are for deaf students and graduates in that they foster 

communication between both groups. Because of the low incidence of deafness, most 

technologies utilized by people who are deaf have come from the adoption or adaptation of technologies for people who hear, with the exception of various assistive listening devices. 

In the early 1980s, NTID researcher Dr. Ross Stuckless adapted the ‘‘stenotype 

system’’ utilized by court recorders to provide real-time captioning for classroom use. 

The success of this application in RIT classrooms led to the development and deployment of C-Print. C-Print is a speech-to-text system developed at NTID, as a communication access service option for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in educational 

environments. It was developed by researchers to improve the classroom experience 

for students at both the secondary and college levels. This technology has not only 

provided access to students who are deaf but also serves to reinforce materials presented in classrooms for those who hear. 

Presently, the NTID Center on Access Technology is working with various companies to develop devices that will use off-the-shelf technology to create innovative applications for people who are deaf. For example, a proprietary smartphone application and micro-circuit is being licensed to a corporation for a notification device. Additionally, a Bluetooth-based device/micro-circuit application is being developed for 

athletic events where deaf and hearing people compete together. Further, a videobased see-through white board system is being developed for use by deaf people 

teaching students who are deaf so that the teacher always faces the students. These 

are three applications of off-the-shelf technologies that are being innovatively applied for use with people who are deaf. 

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

Despite all the outreach NTID, Gallaudet University, and other entities conduct 

with employers, there continues to be prejudice and ignorance about hiring and 

working with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Earlier this year, ABC’s television show What Would You Do? featured NTID students Hannah Worek and Maya 

Ariel acting as if they are trying to get jobs at a coffee shop. An actor portraying 

the manager of the coffee shop told the young women that they would not be hired 

simply because they are deaf. The show looked at how the general hearing public 

who witnessed the discrimination would react. Sadly, in this instance, only a few 

individuals spoke out against the management. What is worse, several customers 

who identified themselves as HR professionals advised the managers on how to discriminate in ways that could not be easily detected or proven. Almost 5 million 

viewers tuned in, and NTID is using the show as another launch pad to provide outreach and education to human resource professionals and employers. 

Other challenges continue to be ensuring that NTID students, like hearing students, keep pace with the changing job market and technical skills needed in the 

workplace. RIT and NTID work to address those challenges by creating new academic programs in ‘‘hot job’’ categories, using employer feedback to tweak existing 

academic programs, and making sure equipment and facilities continue to be stateof-the-art. Appropriate academic preparation for college is another challenge for 

some deaf and hard-of-hearing students. NTID tries to improve that preparation 

through its outreach programs that connect with middle and high school students 

and alert them to what they need to do to prepare for college and career success. 
27 

THE ROAD AHEAD

NTID has a strategic plan for the next 10 years that establishes key initiatives 

responding to existing challenges and shaping future opportunities. We want to improve services to underprepared students by working with regional partners to create intensive summer academic preparation programs in select high-growth, ethnically diverse areas of the country. We are pursuing enrollment targets and admissions and programming strategies that will result in increasing numbers of our 

graduates achieving baccalaureate degrees and higher, while maintaining our focus 

and commitment to quality associate-level degree programs that lead directly to 

jobs. We will continue our commitment to admit and support qualified AfricanAmerican, Latino-American, and Native-American students; qualified students who 

use ASL, spoken English, and both ASL and spoken English; and qualified students 

with secondary disabilities and diverse learning characteristics. In response to employers’ emphasis on ‘‘soft skills’’ as being key to workplace success, we will create 

more opportunities for the integration of soft skills (such as time management, 

teamwork, critical thinking, ethical and civil behavior, independence, etc.) into 

course objectives. 

We are also mentoring deaf and hard-of-hearing NTID employees to have the 

honor, as I do, of serving NTID as faculty, administrator and now president. I am 

excited to lead NTID as we build on our rich history, navigate new and existing 

challenges, and continue to prepare our students for employment in the workforce 

and enrichment in their communities. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Dr. Buckley. Thank you. 

[Applause.] 

Thank you very, very much. 

So you have 2,200 hearing students studying sign language? 

Mr. BUCKLEY. For credit. 

The CHAIRMAN. For credit. See, I learned sign language when I 

was growing up. I forgot many signs. Maybe I should go to your 

school. 

[Laughter.] 

Mr. BUCKLEY. The biggest complaint I receive from hearing students on campus is that we don’t have enough ASL classes for 

them to sign up for. That is a nice problem. 

The CHAIRMAN. Sure. Sure. Maybe I should come back to Gallaudet, Dr. Hurwitz. 

[Laughter.] 

Mr. HURWITZ. Absolutely. We have plenty of ASL classes to offer, 

always happy to send along our student interns to your office to 

offer you some ASL classes and training in your office. Can make 

that happen. 

The CHAIRMAN. I use the interns. 

Thank you both very much. 

Let me ask a question. What practices at your schools could be 

replicated across higher education, across other higher education 

schools for better inclusion of students with disabilities, especially 

nonhearing students, to better prepare them for the workforce? Not 

every deaf student in America can come to Gallaudet. Not every 

deaf student can come to NTID, Rochester Institute of Technology. 

What could we do a better job of, when looking at higher education? What could be done out there to better prepare nonhearing 

students like you are doing here? What could be replicated? 

Mr. HURWITZ. I can begin. Here at Gallaudet University, we have 

regional centers, actually, a total of six different regional centers 

throughout the United States. And those centers are charged with 

providing services to the local communities that surround them. 

They collaborate with other community colleges nearby or other 4- 

year institutions in those particular regions and through that pro-
28 

vide various workshops that may be related to general awareness 

of having deaf or hard-of-hearing students in classrooms. 

They also provide a lot of information about how to best prepare 

sign language interpreters to provide those kinds of services in 

higher education. They provide workshops that cover a variety of 

different topics, including technological solutions, like, for example, 

the use of real-time captioning. 

I have to say we have an outstanding career center, and I am 

sure that Dr. Buckley can talk about what they do. I know tomorrow they are having their 11th career fair at NTID. We, in fact, 

are having our career fair today on campus, just across from the 

building we are in right now. 

We have 40 to 50 different employers represented there, providing information to our students. So we do share a lot of the information with other institutions, making sure that young people 

are well prepared for future careers. 

Mr. BUCKLEY. The only thing I would add is that the academic 

preparation of young deaf people has to improve. We have to make 

a commitment as a nation to improving the academic preparation 

of young people. 

The CHAIRMAN. Early on. 

Mr. BUCKLEY. Ready for school, ready for college. And I am 

proud to share that we were recently awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation, where we will be working with three 

States over the next few years—Florida, California, and Texas. It 

is designed to establish relationships between high schools, community colleges, 4-year colleges, and vocational rehabilitation agencies, really designed to try to make sure that that pipeline of preparation is there so that picture is brighter in the future. 

Mr. HURWITZ. And if I may add, I agree that it is so very critical 

to have early start programs. I can remember talking with the 

dean of engineering and the dean of engineering school, talking 

about how we could maybe target in specific young children and 

their families, encouraging them to think about future job opportunities. 

And you know, maybe those students who have become an engineer would begin as early as sixth and seventh grade preparing 

themselves so that they would be encouraged to take in high school 

4 years of math and 4 years of high school science and 4 years of 

high school English so that that way, they are better prepared for 

that career. 

Currently, we see many students who come to colleges and universities throughout the United States completely unprepared. 

Some say they may want to become an engineer, but yet they have 

only had 1 year of math in high school, and they are underprepared for that kind of a degree. So we want to make sure that 

young people are well prepared for the future. 

The CHAIRMAN. Each of you have doctorate degrees. You have excelled in education. But you attended college in an earlier time 

when we did not have access to some of the technologies like text 

messaging, video relay, that have widespread use today. 

I just wonder if each of you could reflect on how job prospects 

for college students who are deaf have changed over time? And do 
29 

you have any crystal ball for what that looks like in the future? I 

will elaborate a little. 

I remember when we first got our relay systems that was first 

put in the ADA, but then it came into being I think a little bit 

later, in the mid-1990s—the relay systems. And they are very good. 

And the TDYs that we all use, that we had in our offices. But now, 

all my deaf friends send me messages. 

Mr. HURWITZ. No longer. 

The CHAIRMAN. I don’t even have to talk to them on the phone. 

They just send me messages now. Just watching the change in the 

technology. Talk a little bit about that and how you see this going 

into the future. 

Mr. HURWITZ. That is an excellent question. I was just thinking 

about during my high school years and college years as well, we 

had nothing in terms of accommodations. We had never even heard 

of the word ‘‘interpreter.’’ I mean, they were unheard of at that 

time. 

But we had some volunteer interpreters who worked in church 

settings, but no one in the school systems. So we had to make it 

through just by the skin of our teeth, just do as best as we could 

and relying on friends or classmates to share notes with us and 

meeting with the teacher after class to get what we could. 

That was my experience, and I refer to those ages as ‘‘the dark 

ages.’’ To be honest, at that time, I didn’t even know what I was 

missing. It wasn’t until I was in the doctoral degree program that 

I actually had an interpreter for the first time, and I thought to 

myself, ‘‘My God, the information that is here.’’ It was almost like 

an information explosion for me. 

I looked back and pondered how on earth did I make it through 

with what I didn’t have? Back then, I was maybe a B or C average 

student. But having an interpreter and having captioning support, 

it just allowed me to do so much better academically. 

Just recently I was talking with some of our students here on 

campus, and they were talking about social media being what it is 

and how it is the thing of the day, and technology is with them all 

the time. And they take that for granted. Probably they are farther 

ahead of the faculty members here in terms of their technological 

savviness. So faculty are always trying to catch up. 

I can envision the future being an amazing opportunity for young 

children where they don’t have any fears or anxieties when it 

comes to technologies. They can just jump into the social media setting and use video technologies at ease and communicate with anyone, anywhere throughout the world. 

I can remember when I was in Russia and one other time when 

I was in China, I was actually able to communicate with my wife 

through email correspondence on my pager, on my iPhone. You 

know, it was very easy for us to communicate with one another. 

Technology is the boon when it comes to people who are deaf and 

hard-of-hearing. I mean, it is very exciting as we look into the future. 

In the past, communication was something that really separated 

or technology was something that separated deaf people from hearing people and communications. And now, with that not being the 

case any longer, we are fully integrated. 
30 

Mr. BUCKLEY. Senator, when I was a college student, I had the 

benefit of going to NTID. I am a product. So I had the benefit of 

a wonderful education. 

But when I was a college student, I remember there was one 

deaf lawyer. We all knew him. Now there are several hundred deaf 

lawyers throughout the country, many deaf doctors. My own 

daughter, who is deaf, is a veterinarian practicing in New York. 

These young people have a different attitude, thanks to you for 

supporting the Americans with Disabilities Act. They have a spirit 

of ‘‘can do.’’ And our job is to make sure we provide support so they 

are successful. 

I am very optimistic that technology will be very beneficial. I am 

very optimistic that one of my two students will become a Senator 

from New York some day. 

Mr. HURWITZ. I second that. 

Mr. BUCKLEY. They are marvelous people. And thank you for 

supporting that because ADA has made a significant difference in 

the lives of all disabled people. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

I just want that future Senator to know, however, that she will 

not be the first person to give a sign language speech on the Senate 

floor. 

[Laughter.] 

I did that in 1990 with the passage of the ADA. But that would 

be wonderful. 

I am sorry. 

Senator Enzi. 

Senator ENZI. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

I appreciate the testimony of both of you. I have some extensive 

notes on things that we can do, but I want to get into a bit more 

detail. 

I would like to know what kinds of partnerships that your institutions have formed with businesses and employers to encourage 

the hiring of your students, and what can be done to encourage 

more partnerships, particularly those that are in high demand in 

the high-skill industries? 

Mr. BUCKLEY. At NTID, we have a center on employment that 

has full-time staff that reach out to 800 employers every year, providing training on working together with deaf and hard-of-hearing 

citizens. We are always traveling with teams throughout the Nation. 

I think it is an ongoing educational effort to make sure that employers understand the opportunities that are available by hiring 

qualified deaf and hard-of-hearing people, understand what reasonable accommodation is. Aren’t frightened by the cost associated 

with that. 

They have many misunderstandings about cost, and we are able 

to show them that often very reasonable, very simple accommodations—for example, texting back and forth—works very effectively 

for communication between a supervisor and an employee. That ongoing effort, both Gallaudet University and NTID, are continuing 

to work with employers throughout the Nation. We will continue 

to expand that in the future. 
31 

Mr. HURWITZ. I would agree with what has just been stated. I 

also wanted to mention we have three research centers that have 

already been establishing partnerships with other colleges and universities. 

Just as an example, we have the Visual Language and Visual 

Learning Center, VL2, that has been funded by the National 

Science Foundation. And they are tasked with exploring ways to 

improve communication through language development, and they 

are partnering with several other universities throughout the 

United States and, actually, internationally. 

Another example is we have the Technology Access Program. 

That is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and they 

have partnerships established with a variety of different universities where they are exploring possibilities of technologies and applications that can be used in a variety of different scenarios, including those in the workplace. 

Third, I wanted to mention the hearing and speech in science research that is happening here on campus. We have a center where 

many universities are working with us to provide information and 

opportunities to conduct further research in the area of hearing 

and speech sciences. 

And this is how we can work to help deaf people in the future. 

Senator ENZI. Kind of as a followup on that, what industries 

have been the most open to working with you to place students, 

and what industries have been the most resistant? 

Mr. BUCKLEY. For us, we have 200 different majors at RIT that 

are open to students, and I believe that many of our students are 

the first majors. For example, we have a new program in sustainability sciences, and employers have never thought of hiring a deaf 

person because deaf students have never majored in that area at 

RIT in the past. But I believe that all fields are open and that if 

we can prepare students with the appropriate skills to compete, 

then all the fields are open to everyone. 

Mr. HURWITZ. We have graduates who have been hired by a 

number of different companies throughout the United States. In 

fact, we have two of our alums who will be speaking about their 

experiences, working for two major companies, one being IBM and 

the other Sprint. 

There will always be challenges that we face in the workplace. 

That is certain. Challenges that exist just in terms of the knowledge and understanding that is out there in terms of the abilities 

of deaf and hard-of-hearing people to be employed. 

Oftentimes, there is a lot of misunderstandings that exist and 

just assumptions about what people can and cannot do. We do have 

a career center here that provides awareness training to future employers in this area. So this will always be an area of challenge. 

I can remember at one point in time, it was some time ago, there 

was a mayor of a city in Texas who made a statement. And he said 

that you probably can change behaviors overnight, but to change 

attitudes, that is an entirely different story. 

There is always going to be those two major barriers that we face 

that we need to work to remove. One of them being that of the environmental barriers, and that is an easy fix for us. But the other 

barriers are attitudinal barriers, and they create quite a bit more 
32 

of a challenge for us. And that is our job now to work together so 

that we can educate employers about what deaf and hard-of-hearing people can do in the workplace and how they can be a great 

asset in the future. 

Gallaudet University is very excited about our professional programs and our new pre-professional programs for deaf people being 

able to become doctors and architects and lawyers and business 

people. We do believe it can happen. 

Senator ENZI. I love your enthusiasm and your answers, and I 

know that at some point, someone had high expectations for you, 

which translated into high expectations for yourself. And I appreciate that you are passing on those high expectations to others 

now. 

I have a series of questions, but they are a bit more technical, 

and I will provide those in writing and would hope that you would 

respond on them so that I can make that a part of the testimony 

as well. 

Mr. HURWITZ. Absolutely. Happy to do that. 

The CHAIRMAN. Before you leave, just two things. One, there was 

a recent story, maybe some of you read, about a young man in California who wanted to join the Army. He had all of the abilities that 

was needed, but the Army turned him down. 

I have Andy back here working on that right now, and I hope 

to have—some things take a little time. But I am now working 

with the Secretary of Defense, an old classmate of mine, by the 

way. It always helps to have friends. 

[Laughter.] 

And hopefully, in the next several months, we will have some 

good news that young people who are deaf can find occupations in 

the U.S. military, just like they should be able to. 

Mr. HURWITZ. Fantastic. 

[Applause.] 

The CHAIRMAN. Andy Imparato said to me that a couple of years 

ago, he was trying to place a deaf intern in a congressional office, 

and the intern coordinator said to him, ‘‘Excuse my ignorance, but 

what would a deaf person do in a congressional office? ’’ 

As you said, it is the attitudinal barriers. That is what you got 

to break down. 

Mr. HURWITZ. Exactly. 

The CHAIRMAN. And that sometimes takes a lot of time. But I 

think once they find out that a person with deafness can do anything that anybody else could do in the office, you would be amazed 

how they get over it. 

Thank you both very much for being here. We will move on to 

the next panel. Thank you. 

Mr. HURWITZ. Thank you. Thank you very much. 

[Applause.] 

The CHAIRMAN. On our second panel, we have three witnesses. 

Our first witness is Seth Bravin. Mr. Bravin manages strategy and 

solutions for the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center in 

Frederick, MD. In his prior role with IBM, he did finance and planning for the Global Public Sector. 

Before joining IBM, he worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, a management and technology consulting firm, and also for Dow, Lohnes, 
33 

and Albertson, a corporate law firm. Mr. Bravin graduated from 

Gallaudet in 1996, received his MBA from Cornell University in 

2003. We welcome you, Mr. Bravin. 

Our second witness is Michael Ellis. Mr. Ellis is the national director of Sprint Relay and is based in Denver, CO. Mr. Ellis is responsible for nationwide domestic and international telecommunications relay services, including the traditional 711 services, wireless, conference captioning, Internet, and video customer applications. He supervises 30 employees, many of whom are deaf or hardof-hearing. 

Mr. Ellis earned his B.A. from Baker University in Kansas, an 

M.A. from Gallaudet, and he currently serves on the Foundation 

Board for NTID and Gallaudet University’s Board of Associates. 

We welcome you, Mr. Ellis. 

And of course, we kept our best for last, our final witness is Leila 

Hanaumi, a fifth-year senior here at Gallaudet. She was born and 

raised in the Bay area of California, graduated from the California 

School for the deaf in Fremont. Her parents are also Gallaudet 

alumni. 

She is the editor-in-chief of the Buff and Blue. She is a senator 

for the Gallaudet student congress, an active member of her sorority, an actress on Bison TV series, and an intern for a company 

that focuses on bilingual storytelling products. And we welcome 

you, Ms. Hanaumi. 

Thank you all for being here. 

As with the previous two, your testimonies will all be made a 

part of the record in their entirety. And I would just ask if you 

could sum it up in 5 or 7 minutes. 

We will start, as I introduced, with Mr. Bravin. 

STATEMENT OF SETH E. BRAVIN, ACCESSIBILITY STRATEGY 

AND SOLUTIONS EXPERT, IBM HUMAN ABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY CENTER, FREDERICK, MD 

Mr. BRAVIN. [The following testimony was delivered through an 

interpreter.] Hi. Good afternoon, Chairman Harkin, Senator Enzi, 

members of the committee, and esteemed Gallaudet friends and 

colleagues. 

My name is Seth Bravin. I am a strategic industries program 

manager at IBM and have been for 9 years. I want to thank the 

committee members for an opportunity to speak on a topic that is 

both a personal passion and a partial focus of my job with IBM. 

On behalf of the company, I would like to thank you personally, 

Chairman Harkin, for agreeing to visit our office in Iowa later this 

week. Thank you so much. 

With the committee’s permission, I would like to share my personal story. My parents are both deaf. They are both college graduates, and they worked hard to become very successful. I benefited 

from their professionalism and their personal experience. I have 

had a very supportive home environment that encouraged my ambition. I want to stress the importance in also community service. 

I graduated from Gallaudet 15 years ago. This is an amazing institute. There are great role models, technology, and they really 

give the students an opportunity to maximize their success in life. 
34 

While at school here, I had an opportunity to interact with topnotch faculty members and public sector members. I would like to 

thank the consortium programs as well. I took a few financial 

courses over at Georgetown University. Those experiences at 

Georgetown and here at Gallaudet are amazing, and they made me 

build confidence in how to function effectively in a hearing work 

world. 

After graduating from Gallaudet, I spent 5 years in corporate 

law, in consulting. Then I went to Cornell University for my MBA, 

and as I was going to graduate, IBM recruiters came out, and I 

interviewed and got a full-time position with IBM. Clearly, higher 

education played a very significant and vital role in improving employment outcome for people with disabilities, including deaf and 

hard-of-hearing people. 

First, the power of successful deaf and hard-of-hearing role models can’t be underestimated. It is important for students to see 

firsthand how deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals can really 

thrive in the workplace. And in fact, one of my role models, Fred 

Weiner, is here currently. 

Second, colleges and universities can pursue partnerships with 

companies to provide students an opportunity to innovate and get 

real world experience. Just last year, I visited RIT with a few other 

IBMers and met with the Center on Access and Technology to explore opportunities to collaborate, including intellectual property 

development. I am actually flying to Rochester tonight for a conference to continue building that relationship. 

Another opportunity for deaf and hard-of-hearing students to 

build leadership skills and communication skills—I remember as I 

was a student—I was on student congress. At business school, we 

were often assigned to work with three or four others to work 

throughout the semester on projects. 

Fourth and final, maybe most important, is the internship connections and possibilities. I call an internship a long-term interview. It is an opportunity for employers to see the students that 

they are hiring and employing a deaf and hard-of-hearing student 

is not very difficult to do and will help them overcome any type of 

fear of the unknown. That is probably the greatest inhibitor to employment. 

I have fond memories of my two summer internships with 

Verizon in New York and also one internship with a corporate law 

office here in Washington, DC—Dow, Lohnes, and Albertson. Gallaudet’s career center took the initiative and provided awareness 

training to the law firm that contributed to my success and led to 

a full-time position and 2 great years there. And I believe Dr. 

Hurwitz and Dr. Buckley spoke to the importance of and the role 

of the career center in supporting the employers. 

Employers play a critical role. I want to share a few examples 

of how IBM supports individual disabilities. We have cost recovery 

programs in place that eliminate the charges of any accommodations for employees with disabilities from individual managers’ 

budget, and you move that cost to a central fund at the corporate 

level. I can’t say enough about that program. It really opened doors 

for many employees with disabilities to have opportunities. 
35 

And a support system that works with HR professionals and experienced IBMers to work with a transition of new employees with 

disabilities. I can still remember my lunch with two experienced 

IBMers 9 years ago. They gave me a really warm welcome, and 

that made a huge difference. 

Third is accessibility and technology and ecosystem. Personally, 

without the technology, I would not be as productive as I am today 

or the person I am. When I joined in 2003, IBM had already established relationships with interpreting and CART so I could be productive from day one. 

I have some recommendations to offer. I think educational institutes with accessibility in mind from the outside. Oftentimes, accessibility for students can benefit other students and foreign students, for example, as well. 

Also for employers to make accessibility a core business value. 

Also government can enact and enforce new, modern, relevant 

labor laws. And fourth, which is a shared responsibility, is to build 

candidate pipeline for employers. 

IBM’s experience suggests that employment outcomes of deaf and 

hard-of-hearing individuals can’t just be achieved by public or private entities separate. It requires a lot of collaboration among government and private sectors, as well as academia and advocacy 

groups as well, and GMs. And through this collaboration and ecosystem, we can impact and effect a very long-lasting change. 

Chairman Harkin and Senator Enzi, members of the committee, 

thank you for the opportunity to testify in front of you today. I look 

forward to answering any questions you may have for me this 

afternoon. 

Thank you. 

[Applause.] 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Bravin follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SETH E. BRAVIN

Good morning, Chairman Harkin, Senator Enzi, members of the committee and 

esteemed Gallaudet colleagues and friends. My name is Seth Bravin. I am a strategic industries program manager at the IBM Corporation. In this role, I am responsible for managing strategy and solutions for the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center. During my 9 years at IBM, I have hosted several company-sponsored 

technology camps for high school students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, and 

I currently serve on the board of directors for the Lexington School for the Deaf and 

the Maryland Association of the Deaf. 

As a deaf professional and committed advocate for the rights and inclusion of all 

people with disabilities, I am honored to appear before this committee to discuss 

leveraging higher education to improve employment outcomes for people who are 

deaf and hard-of-hearing, a subject that is both a personal passion and a partial 

focus of my job at IBM. 

I also am here to bring to the committee’s attention several public policy issues 

that inhibit our collective ability to fully enable this segment of the U.S. population 

to not only obtain gainful employment, but to develop meaningful and economically 

viable careers. I will address difficulties associated with recruiting, hiring and retention of people with disabilities and the accessibility of information and communications technologies in workplaces and institutions of higher learning. I will conclude 

with recommendations for the committee’s consideration. It is our hope that the 

committee will review these recommended topics during the current congressional 

session. 

These ongoing challenges are the consequence of lingering cultural discomfort 

with disabilities and attitudes facing people with disabilities, here in the United 

States and around the world. Put another way, it is overcoming the ‘‘fear of the unknown’’ regarding the people with disabilities that is the greatest inhibitor to em-
36 

1 National Council on Disability study. ‘‘Empowerment for Americans with Disabilities: Breaking Barriers to Careers and Full Employment.’’ 2007. (http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/2007/ 

10012007. 2Deaf Understanding. ‘‘Facts about Deafness.’’ (http://www.deafunderstanding.com/modules 

.php’name=News&file=article&sid=11). 

ployment and a fully inclusive workplace. These issues, identified by a 2007 study 1

conducted by the National Council on Disability, include areas like education, training, and transportation. 

MY PERSONAL STORY

I’ll begin with a brief overview of my own journey, which I believe is relevant to 

the topic of today’s hearing. I was born deaf. My parents, who are also deaf, both 

attended and graduated from college. My father was also an IBMer for nearly 25 

years. Both worked hard to achieve success in work and life, and I benefited significantly not only from their personal experiences and professional lessons learned, but 

also from an enormously supportive home environment that encouraged my ambition and stressed the importance of giving back to the community. 

Growing up, my parents taught me that my deafness was not a limiting factor, 

but an important part of who I was as a person. Early on, I learned that my deafness was a trait that helped me facilitate the development of an extra set of skills 

and entirely unique perspectives that could add real value in learning and work environments. It was my parents’ positive attitudes and certainty in my ability to succeed that made me determined to pursue a degree in higher education at Gallaudet 

University. 

Gallaudet is an amazing institution that provides students who are deaf and 

hard-of-hearing with the environment, role models, technology and tools to really 

succeed in higher education. For students who are willing to challenge themselves, 

Gallaudet also offers formative experiences that directly contribute to easing the 

transition into the workforce for people who are deaf and setting them up for success. 

For example, thanks to Gallaudet’s consortium program with more than a dozen 

other universities, I was able to take finance courses at Georgetown University. 

Here, I was not only exposed to a different set of top-notch educators and role models, but I was able to build confidence in my ability to communicate effectively in 

a hearing world. 

At Gallaudet, I also learned from and regularly interacted with qualified instructors who were also deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals actively engaged in both 

the academic and private-sector workforce. These important people played a pivotal 

part in helping me believe not only that I could get a challenging job, but achieve 

any goal I set for myself personally or professionally. 

After graduating with honors in 1996, I spent 5 years working in consulting and 

corporate law. At the same time, I taught for several summers at the Gallaudet 

Leadership Institute, which nurtured a passion for giving back to my community 

and helped me continue to develop critical leadership skills. Shortly afterward, I 

attended Cornell University where I obtained my Masters of Business Administration. Near the end of my time there, IBM recruiters made a trip to campus. I interviewed and shortly afterward accepted a position with the company where, as I 

mentioned earlier, my father worked for more than two decades. 

While I have much to say about my 9 years with this exceptional company, I want 

to first stress that my educational and professional success would not have been 

possible without the support of my incredible family and the opportunities afforded 

to me here at Gallaudet. The importance of family attitudes and tailored, challenging higher education learning experiences, facilitated by deaf and hard-of-hearing role models for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing cannot be overstressed. 

In fact, one of my role models, Fred Weiner is here today. He had a rewarding career with AT&T and is now the executive director of Program Development at Gallaudet. 

Not all young people with disabilities are so lucky. More than 90 percent of deaf 

children are born into hearing families.2 Some hearing parents are able to provide 

the necessary resources to raise a successful deaf or hard-of-hearing child. Other 

parents, however loving and supportive, do not have the same personal tools, resources and life lessons to share. Enabling the full societal inclusion of people who 

are deaf and hard-of-hearing as well as the much larger total population of people 

with disabilities simply cannot be accomplished by any one entity. Governments, advocacy groups, non-government organizations, institutions of higher learning, and 
37 

employers must, where possible, partner to provide what many families cannot, either from lack of personal experience, finances, perspective or ability. 

Together, through visionary policies and programs, I believe we can find new 

ways to support, encourage and enable the equal participation and success of people 

with disabilities throughout primary, secondary and post-secondary education systems, in the workforce, and in society at large. 

HOW HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS CAN HELP

Clearly, higher education institutions play a vital role in helping improve employment outcomes for students who are deaf or have hearing loss. Certainly the culture 

of inclusion that I alluded to earlier matters a great deal. Modern and accessible 

technology is also critical, but let me share a few additional thoughts regarding my 

educational experience and how higher education institutions can really help as it 

pertains to employment and employment readiness. 

• First, at the risk of belaboring the point, the power of successful deaf and 

hard-of-hearing role models simply cannot be underestimated. I remember one 

professor at Gallaudet who worked at Merrill Lynch and another from Cornell who 

worked on Wall Street. While my professor at Cornell was not deaf, for me, having 

exposure to a professional who had real working experience on Wall Street made 

a tremendous impression. Through my relationships with these professors, I saw 

firsthand how they thrived in the workplace. This gave me the assurance and determination to pursue my goals. 

• Second, opportunities for deaf students to develop communication and leadership skills are absolutely essential to preparing them for success in the workplace. I, for example, served on the Student Congress representing my class at Gallaudet. Universities and colleges can help by providing more of these kinds of opportunities and strongly encouraging students with hearing loss to take advantage of 

them. 

• The third and perhaps most overlooked thing that students, colleges and universities can do for the deaf or hard-of-hearing is provide ample opportunities for 

collaborative team-oriented work. When I was in business school, professors 

often assigned three or four students to work together for an entire semester on 

group projects. We met during the evenings and on weekends and only sometimes 

did the interpreter join us. Other times we used instant messaging and e-mail to 

communicate. The experience really taught me and my classmates how to be creative and flexible in communicating and how to work as a team regardless of disability. 

• Next, I’d like to talk briefly about the importance of diversity. At Cornell, we 

had students from more than 30 countries. Each brought with them different perspectives and cultural experiences. For me personally, it was interesting to watch 

how students were able to adapt to life at business school. I remember one student 

from China who had never visited the United States before and we were assigned 

to the same group for one semester. That was a successful experiment of inclusion 

and diversity that I will never forget. The opportunity to create personal relationships with people who are different is an important element in how we improve understanding and flatten unhelpful stereotypes. 

• At the post-secondary level, support from Career Centers is also extremely important. Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing need personalized help to understand the best ways to position their education, previous experience and unique skill 

sets to potential employers. Resume ́ development, mock interviews and presentations with the alumni in the working world are all valuable ingredients for a successful launch into the business world. Now that I am with IBM, I am occasionally 

asked to speak about my IBM experiences at Gallaudet University. Based on the 

response from students, I almost always walk away feeling as though I’ve made a 

real difference for some of them. 

• The final, but probably most important service colleges and universities can 

offer are internship connections. Internships represent the No. 1 critical success 

factor for obtaining a job in the ‘‘real world’’ of work. I call internships a long-term 

interview. When done correctly, companies and students with disabilities generally 

have surprisingly positive experiences. More often than not, internships give employers the opportunity to see first hand that hiring and employing a person with 

a disability isn’t as hard as they previously believed. Students with disabilities too, 

are often pleasantly surprised to find that they are perfectly capable of functioning 

in an able-bodied workplace when paired with employers who are willing to accommodate their needs. 
38 

In today’s competitive work world, it is the rare graduate who can expect to land 

a good job without some kind of internship experience. For students with disabilities, this previous work experience is even more essential. 

HOW EMPLOYERS LIKE IBM CAN HELP

Employers, too, play a critical role in improving employment outcomes for people 

with disabilities—including people who are deaf or have hearing loss. I’m proud to 

say that IBM has a long history of commitment to hiring people with disabilities 

and innovating to accommodate for their unique technology needs within the workplace and marketplace. 

Diversity Policies and Programs 

When IBM first began exploring accessible technology innovation, it was due in 

part to an ongoing need to support our own workforce, which has always been extraordinarily diverse. In fact, for more than 100 years, IBM has embraced the concept of equal employment opportunity. We have aggressively pursued our own corporate policies and practices due to the deep and abiding belief of our founder, 

Thomas J. Watson, Sr., who in 1914 hired the first IBMer with a disability, 59 years 

before the U.S. Rehabilitation Act and 76 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

IBM has been embracing diversity and inclusion to drive innovation throughout 

the company since our founding. Our diversity milestones: 

• 1899: We hired our first black and female employees. 

• 1914: We hired our first IBMer with a disability. 

• 1934: We recruited our first professional women, three decades before the Equal 

Pay Act. IBM’s founder, T.J. Watson Sr., also promised women ‘‘the same kind of 

work for equal pay.’’ We also created focused development programs for those 

women so that they developed skills for critical jobs that were previously viewed as 

‘‘men’s jobs.’’ 

• 1941: We hired Michael Supta, a blind psychologist, to recruit 181 people with 

disabilities. Dr. Supta’s motto was ‘‘No person is handicapped if he or she has the 

right job.’’ 

Since 1995, IBM has increased its number of identified executives with disabilities 

200 percent. 

We also look at the specific jobs people with disabilities perform. We found that 

58 percent of employees with disabilities are in key skill groups. 

People with disabilities hold or have held job titles at IBM that include IBM Fellow, our highest technical level, vice president, director of benefits, director, IBM 

Human Ability and Accessibility Center, Global Solutions director of Business Development; director of Workforce Communications, distinguished engineer; software 

engineer; development engineer; IT architect; sales and marketing specialist. 

These are high-level jobs that directly impact our clients. That means IBMers 

with disabilities contribute to the bottom line of our business—by serving clients, 

advancing technology or earning patents. 

I’d like to take a moment and showcase one of my colleagues who embodies IBM’s 

values and possesses the work ethic I just described. 

Dr. Dimitri Kanevsky is an IBM master inventor with more than 100 patents 

to his name. Deaf since the age of 3, Dimitri exhibited an aptitude for math 

early on, attending a special school for mathematically gifted children in the Soviet Union. In 1969 he entered Moscow State University, where he went on to 

receive both his Master’s and Ph.D. in math. 

Today Dimitri, 24-year IBMer, creates new technologies at the Watson research center in New York. His work includes human language technologies, 

communications technologies for accessibility, and speech recognition. Notably, 

his work has directly benefited clients in the auto industry and law enforcement. He is a role model for many. 

IBM has worked diligently to develop an end-to-end approach for recruiting, hiring and retaining IBMers with disabilities. We began by establishing a Global Accommodations Guideline requiring all new buildings to have barrier-free design, upgrades automatically including accessibility; and case-by-case reviews when IBMers 

with disabilities join the company or change work locations. We also created corporate IT standards to ensure our technology and tools were accessible to all of our 

employees. 

Over time, our holistic approach expanded to include: 

• Thirteen Diversity Network Groups for IBMers with Disabilities. These 

groups come together to provide support for our people with disabilities and to en-
39 

gage the larger IBM community to raise awareness and understanding about our 

people with disabilities. • Diversity Councils within every business unit worldwide. • People with Disabilities Technical Leaders Forum held every 2 years. • Online communities and forums on our company intranet. • A Cost Recovery Program that removes the cost of accommodations for disabled employees from the individual manager’s budget to ensure that hiring and 

promotion decisions are based on skill and talent. Since instituting this process, 

IBM has spent about $2 million a year accommodating employees worldwide. • Internships and mentoring programs—past and present—specifically tailored to 

people with disabilities, such as: 

• Entry Point: A program developed between the American Association for the 

Advancement of Science (AAAS), IBM, and NASA, IBM has placed 191 students with disabilities in summer/internships and hired 44 students to regular employment. As an IBMer, I joined Entry Point’s booth at Gallaudet’s 

annual career fair to help with recruiting. • Lift: A nonprofit program that trains computer programmers and analysts 

with substantial physical disabilities and then contracts for up to a year with 

companies like IBM. • Project View: An IBM diversity recruitment program offering Latino, African American, Asian, Women, Persons with Disabilities and Native American, 

BA, BS, MS, and Ph.D. students the opportunity to explore IBM’s national 

career options. This has been an especially successful path into IBM for many 

people with disabilities. I personally know a number of deaf colleagues who 

first identified career opportunities at IBM through the Project View program. 

• Reverse mentoring sessions in which senior IBM executives meet with 

IBMers with disabilities from around the world to discuss personal experiences, 

viewpoints on our company culture, accessible technology solutions for our workplace and career progression. 

At IBM, we believe it’s not enough to hire people with disabilities—we want them 

to thrive as well as aspire to, and attain leadership roles. 

Finally, with respect to employers and people with disabilities, I’d like to mention 

the importance of creating appropriate and responsive support systems, not just for 

people with disabilities, but for key professionals as well. For example, IBM human 

resources (HR) professionals supply the perspective and experience necessary to 

help hiring managers make informed decisions and provide unique approaches to 

problem solving. In addition, hiring managers and H.R. professionals sometimes 

contact me for advice to help with the transition of a new employee with a disability. I also reach out to new employees who are deaf or hard-of-hearing to give 

them a warm welcome. Other IBMers with disabilities do this as well. It simply is 

part of our culture and it’s one of the reasons why IBM is continually recognized 

as a top employer for people with disabilities. 

Accessible Information and Communications Technologies: The ‘‘Great Equalizer’’ 

Accessible information and communications technologies level the playing field for 

people with disabilities, including people who are deaf and those with hearing loss. 

In fact, technology is the ‘‘great equalizer’’ for people with disabilities. 

I am proud to highlight IBM’s contributions to helping transform the information 

and assistive technology landscape to advance digital inclusion of all people include: 

• 1975: First Braille printer. 

• 1980: Talking typewriter for people who are blind. 

• 1988: Screen Reader/DOS—One of the first screen reading products in the 

world. The word ‘‘screen reader’’ is now used as the name of the category of software. 

• 1990: Voice Type and Via Voice (1998) technologies, which have roots in research for helping people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. 

• 1997: IBM Home Page Reader—The first practical screen reader and voice 

browser product in the world. 

• 2003: Web Accessibility Technology (WAT)—Named ‘‘2003 Product of the Year’’ 

by the National Disabilities Council. 

• 2004: IBM CaptionMeNow—Enabled deaf and hard-of-hearing users to attain 

captioning for corporate Web casts and pod casts on demand. 

• 2008: IBM AbilityLab Sametime Language Translator—Provides multilingual 

translation of IBM®, Lotus®, Sametime®, chats to enhance collaboration between 

colleagues who speak different languages. 

• 2008: IBM AbilityLab Sametime Conference Transcriber—Delivers speech-totext capability for IBM® Lotus® Sametime® text and voice chat to allow people who 
40 

are deaf and hard of hearing to more actively participate in meetings and teleconferences. • 2009: IBM AbilityLab Captioner and Editor—Delivers cost-effective solution for 

real-time captioning of rich media content. • 2010: IBM AbilityLab Voice Chat Transcriber—Enables automatic, real time 

transcriptions of conversations conducted through Voice over VoIP applications for 

people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. 

For me personally, without technology I would not be as competitive or productive 

in the workplace as I am now—if at all. IBM is, not surprisingly, adept at creating 

and maintaining the right ecosystems to support IBMers with disabilities. When I 

came to work here in 2003, the company already had relationships in place with 

interpreting and captioning agencies so that I could be productive from day one. 

This kind of approach by employers is crucial to supporting the success of new 

IBMers with disabilities. 

The reality is that in today’s agile office workplace, everything is connected, collaborative, and dynamically changing. Workers communicate via e-mail, instant 

messaging, and Web conferencing. Documents, reports, and calendars are all electronic. Business processes are now managed via online applications. Social media 

sites (Facebook, Twitter), news feeds, and Web applications (Google docs) are increasingly being used, and social capabilities are being incorporated into enterprise 

applications to drive new levels of global collaboration and innovation. 

In many ways, this technology-based workplace creates an environment where 

workers with disabilities can have the flexibility to participate more equally and 

fully. Often however, these technologies were designed and launched without the 

ability to accommodate the needs of all people with disabilities. Audio-visual content 

creates difficulties for those with hearing and vision disabilities. Small devices require fine motor skills, which individuals with limited mobility or dexterity may not 

have. And the cognitive load is a challenge for those with cognitive disabilities. 

For the potential of an inclusive workplace to be realized, current and future 

workplace technologies should be optimized for accessibility and standardized. IBM 

has made a commitment to advancing global standards and legislation in accessibility. We have led and contributed to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web 

Contents Accessibility Guidelines (1999, 2010); U.S. Rehabilitation Act, Section 508 

(2001); W3C Accessible Rich Internet Applications (2009). We continue to lead and 

contribute to 25 working groups in standards organizations worldwide, with the goal 

of harmonized international accessibility standards. 

Fundamentally, accessibility is about democratizing access to information and 

services for everyone—regardless of age or ability—to support full and active participation in the workforce and society. 

Finally, in addition to advancing accessibility for our clients and the world, IBM 

has retained a dedication to innovation on behalf of our employees. In 2009, IBM 

developed a first-of-a-kind integrated IT solution, Accessible Workplace Connection 

(AWC), to bring together all of the company’s processes, accommodations, intelligence and accessibility innovation into a single, integrated and globally managed 

solution for IBMers with disabilities, their managers, and the human resources staff 

that support them. 

Designed to deliver a ‘‘one stop’’ accommodations resource, the first version of 

AWC was released late last year and has already begun streamlining requests for 

items like screen readers and live captioning for teleconferences as well as centralizing the delivery processes. In the coming year, enhanced collaboration capabilities 

within AWC will also enable employees and established IBM communities to leverage the experiences of coworkers around the globe and ensure consistency in how 

accommodations are made and used throughout different geographies. 

INCREASING THE HIRING OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Having addressed some of IBM’s best practices for recruiting, hiring and retaining 

employees with disabilities, I’d like to talk about the need for employers to increase 

the hiring of people with disabilities, including those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. 

First, take a look around the room. Take note of the blackberries, cell phones, or 

even laptops that either you have or the person next to you has. If you haven’t noticed, the world of work has indeed changed. The new normal for work no longer 

is the traditional 9 to 5 workplace or is based upon a continuous Monday–Friday 

routine. The new normal work is characterized by rapid changes in technology and 

dynamic markets where clients want 24/7 availability of our systems and services. 

These new technologies and client expectations create greater opportunities for the 

kind of flexible work options that increase employment options for people with dis-
41 

3Kessler Foundation/NOD 2010 Survey of Americans with Disabilities (www.2010disability 

surveys.org/pdfs/surveyresults.pdf) 

abilities. This is the new world of work—a world I believe is extending a hand to 

people with disabilities to not only participate, but to lead. IBM’s workforce model 

recognizes this new normal in work. 

At IBM, we seek to create an inclusive culture for our workforce, which include 

many of the concepts I just mentioned. Since 1995, IBM has measured our global 

journey toward inclusion through the representation of our people, the transformation of IBM culture, and the behavior expected of us as outlined by our company values. For those of you not familiar with our values, they are: 

• Dedication to every client’s success; 

• Innovation that matters—for our company and for the world; and 

• Trust and personal responsibility in all relationships. 

Today, approximately 3,000 IBMers around the world have self-identified as having a disability, and we estimate that people with disabilities represent 1–3 percent 

of our global population, all the while remembering that disclosing one’s disability 

is a very personal and private matter which is not mandatory. 

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN EASING TRANSITIONS FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT

I include people with all types of sensory and mobility challenges because there 

are certain practical realities that must be addressed for each of these groups to enable them to effectively transition from post-secondary education to the workforce. 

A major barrier to employment for people with disabilities is accessible transportation. According to the latest National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey 

(2010),3 people with disabilities are twice as likely to have inadequate transportation when compared to the mainstream population (34 percent versus 16 percent). 

Lack of mobility is a major inhibitor not only to obtain a job, but also if one aspires to a leadership role. The inability to travel, or the perception that one cannot 

travel easily, may even remove people with disabilities from consideration for a variety of jobs, making career advancement more difficult. Government and business 

must continue to partner and look at transportation from the perspective of people 

with disabilities. 

Another critical issue facing people with disabilities transitioning to work is that 

of assistive technology. The Harris survey I referenced also reported that Americans with disabilities not only rely on assistive technology, but a third reported they 

would lose their independence without it. Many assistive technology accommodations cost as little as $500.00. At IBM, we’ve found that investments in technology 

can help enable incredibly capable IBMers to reach their highest potential and productivity. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Plan with accessibility in mind. As the planet progresses with increasing 

speed toward a fully knowledge-based economy, driven and enabled by advanced 

technology, one thing is certain: Education will be a critical determinant of success 

in the 21st century. 

Despite sweeping global economic changes since 2008, demand for knowledge 

workers with specialized skills continues to grow by 11 percent a year. Many of 

these jobs will require lifelong training and continuous updating of skills. Fulfilling 

global workforce requirements while adjusting to new stakeholder expectations for 

highly personalized and individualized learning experiences, is difficult at best, especially given dramatic changes in the student landscape. 

Global technology, government policy and demographic trends are converging to 

drive the transformation of 21st century models for education. CIOs and administrators of today’s higher education institutions must manage changing expectations 

with new economic realities to create smarter systems that deliver on diverse stakeholder demands. 

Planning with accessibility in mind from the outset can not only reduce long-term 

costs, but lays the foundation for an inclusive culture and improves access to education for the entire workforce. At IBM, 80 percent of our learning content is online 

and enables our employees to access both knowledge and the expertise of their global colleagues. Taking a holistic, enterprise-wide approach to accessibility integration 

from the outset, enables cost-effective compliance with current and emerging legislation. 
42 

IBM continues to invest in research innovations and business insights essential 

to address end-to-end accessibility requirements facing today’s higher education institutions. Accessible technology solutions can enable a culture of inclusion, especially in education and learning where ability—and the expansion, development and 

improvement of individual abilities—is the key metric. 

FOR EMPLOYERS: MAKE ACCESSIBILITY A CORE BUSINESS VALUE

IBM defines an inclusive smarter workplace as one that includes seamless integration of: 

• Smarter applications that are designed, implemented and deployed to support 

the requirements of all users. 

• Consumable information in the form of Web sites, documents, presentations and 

media that is enabled for accessibility. 

• Tools and applications that support inclusive collaboration between all individuals, some of whom may have disabilities. 

To realize the goal of a more inclusive smarter workplace, employers must elevate 

accessibility to a core business value, comparable to security, with associated processes and risk management. It must be: 

• Included in corporate policy; 

• Designed into the workplace governance processes and infrastructure; 

• Measured and assigned a risk value; and 

• Reported. 

FOR GOVERNMENT: ENACT AND ENFORCE MODERN, CLEAR AND RELEVANT LABOR LAWS

In the 21st century, the economy is characterized by technological innovation, dynamic structural and market shifts, new business models, new workforce management models and changing labor pools. Thus, how work gets done and where it gets 

done is vastly different than it was a mere decade ago. We have embraced this 

change at IBM. 

For us, the world of work is characterized by a philosophy that work is something 

one does, not a place one goes. We firmly believe that enabling our employees to 

manage their work and personal lives is a business imperative, one where technology enables all employees, including those with special needs, to work from anywhere, at any time they choose. However, elements of our labor law and associated 

regulations are stuck in the old ways of the early 20th Century, limiting our ability 

to comprehensively offer flexible work options to our entire U.S. population. The solution is a modern, clear and relevant labor law that reflects today’s workforce 

needs where more flexible work options are not only desired and encouraged, but 

also permitted. 

A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: BUILD THE EMPLOYMENT CANDIDATE PIPELINE

Perhaps one of IBM’s greatest challenges in continuing to increase the employment of people with disabilities in our global workforce is the lack of qualified candidates. Federal and State Governments can help by creating incentive programs 

that begin with primary and secondary education systems and extend through to 

post-secondary institutions for higher learning. 

Educational systems at all levels should be incentivized to: 

• Create inclusive environments in which K–12 students with disabilities are 

fully integrated into mainstream classrooms and given the tools and technology to participate. 

• Support deaf schools serving K–12 students and provide innovative tools and 

technology to allow students to reach their potential. 

• Promote a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education for all students, with a special emphasis on identified students with 

disabilities who have aptitudes in these subject areas. 

• Require IT accessibility training as a core component of K–12 Teacher certification within each State. 

• Require universities that offer teacher credentialing or continuing education 

courses to increase annually the percent of their staff and administrators who 

have successfully completed IT accessibility training until they have reached 

85 percent (combined). 

• Require IT accessibility courses to be mandatory academic coursework for all 

STEM degree programs as a pre-requisite for any university receiving Federal 

research grant funding—either directly or indirectly. 
43 

Establish a national clearinghouse for vendors and content that can be used 

by States as part of their teacher credentialing/continuing education. 

Provide tax incentives to businesses that establish internship and co-op programs specifically for students with disabilities. 

Create a private-sector resource similar to the public sector Job Accommodations Network to assist small- and medium-size business in providing accommodations to support recruiting and hiring of interns, co-ops and employees with disabilities. 

Partner with State governments, city transit authorities and employers to develop 

viable, cost-effective solutions that address transportation barriers for people 

with disabilities. 

CONCLUSION

As I said at the beginning of my testimony, IBM’s research and experience suggest that improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities—including 

people who are deaf or have hearing loss—cannot be achieved by any single public 

or private entity. This work requires collaboration among business, government, advocacy groups, academia and non-Government Organizations. Only through a collaborative ecosystem can we affect real and lasting change. Furthermore, we can all 

do more when it comes to inclusion and being comfortable with people who are different than we are—not just people with disabilities. 

For some employers today, the inclination is to think that if a person has a disability, the employment issue can be handled by simply providing technology that 

enables an employee to work from home. In some cases that may be true or even 

necessary. But it’s critical for people with disabilities to be visible and in the workplace. To overcome those lingering societal misconceptions I mentioned earlier, a 

professional with a disability must be fully integrated into the workplace, not isolated. 

I’m sure there are many organizations that will hire a person with a disability 

with the right skills for a job, but how many have the vision to consider that same 

person to run their company or organization? 

Today’s institutions of higher learning can help by preparing students with disabilities to lead. By giving them the skills, role models, experiences and technology 

tools necessary for success, universities and colleges help lay the foundation of confidence necessary for students who are deaf, have hearing loss or any other physical 

or sensory disability to pursue and attain not just jobs, but careers. They can also 

help by increasing the visibility and integration of people with disabilities in their 

institutions so that our future workers and leaders enter the workplace with a higher level of awareness about this community. 

Employers can make a difference by creating cultures that celebrate diversity and 

inclusion and provide the policies, processes and technology tools to support it. At 

my company, when a person is hired at IBM, they are immediately labeled an 

IBMer. There is no avoiding it. This label is not about whether you are a person 

with a disability, male or female. Nor is it about what color you are or where you 

call home. It is a label that comes with enormous pride and sense of community. 

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I hope my personal experiences, 

the IBM history and practices I have discussed, and our suggestions for related reforms, are helpful. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. I look forward to answering any questions you may have. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. Very good. Thank you very much. 

And now we will turn to Michael Ellis. Michael, welcome. 

STATEMENT OF MICHAEL J. ELLIS, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, 

SPRINT RELAY, DENVER, CO 

Mr. ELLIS. [The following testimony was delivered through an interpreter.] Good afternoon, Chairman Harkin, Ranking Chairman 

Enzi, and committee members. 

Thank you for this opportunity to testify before the committee. 

I am honored to share with you my experiences, both as an individual who lives with a hearing loss and as a business leader in 

the relay community. 

But first, some personal history. I was born to a hearing family 

and raised in a hearing world. But then at the ages of 14 and 20, 
44 

I experienced a diving accident that resulted in hearing loss, and 

those events changed my life. 

The first person I met from the deaf world was Gerard Buckley 

28 years ago. He met me at a very critical time in my life and was 

very supportive of me. He was extremely supportive and encouraging to me. 

He encouraged me to pursue my education despite my hearing 

loss and to experience as many things as possible. With that encouragement, I applied and was accepted to Gallaudet University 

grad school. 

Attending Gallaudet was a very eye-opening and inspiring, powerful and life-changing experience. Everyone at Gallaudet was supportive and encouraging of me. They taught me how to accept and 

adjust to my hearing loss and how to just move on in a very positive way. 

After receiving my master’s from Gallaudet, I worked in human 

services for 5 years before I joined Sprint. For almost 20 years, 

Sprint has empowered me, developed me, and trained me as part 

of a solution that breaks down barriers for people with disabilities. 

I now work side by side with many other deaf and hard-of-hearing 

and hearing professionals where we provide functionally equivalent 

telecom. That access is provided for thousands of consumers every 

day. 

As national director for Sprint Relay, I currently serve on the 

Foundation Board for NTID and the Board of Associates for Gallaudet. For over 20 years, Sprint has been providing products and 

services to deaf and hard-of-hearing community members. Sprint is 

also an equal opportunity employer, and we believe that diversity 

fosters creativity, sensitivity, and growth. 

Through diversity, we have been able to expand our products and 

services to be more inclusive. And as a result, Sprint has been recognized with numerous awards from different organizations. Sprint 

offers a comprehensive array of technology to people with disabilities. 

Many examples can be found at www.sprint.com/accessibility. 

There, you can find information about products and services for 

customers who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, speech disabled, blind 

or visually impaired, or people with mobility and cognitive disabilities. 

We provide accessibility for our employees as well. Just as an example, we have ASL staff and contract interpreters. We use video 

technology—it is almost like Hollywood Squares—that empowers 

us to simultaneously see one another while using ASL interpreters 

and audio-visual conferencing technology. Pretty cool technology. 

To quote one of my employees, ‘‘At Sprint, accessibility is a verb.’’ 

Every day, we have access to meetings, social events, emails, 

texting, IM, conference calls, just like our hearing coworkers. 

Finally, our training and continuing education classes also have 

captioning. Our goal is to provide a positive, accessible work experience for all. 

Now, moving on to the role of higher education. I would like to 

share with you how Sprint works with different universities to create internship opportunities. These internships provide great experience that can help prepare students for work and help employers 
45 

address possible environmental or communicative or even attitudinal barriers that may exist today. Some of these student interns 

may also receive support from Vocational Rehabilitation Services 

Administration. 

Another great example of a valuable resource is PEPNet, the 

Postsecondary Education Programs Network. As you may know, 

PEPNet is under contract with the U.S. Department of Education 

Office of Special Education to provide transitional support for 

school to work. 

Specifically, they have a program called ‘‘Getting A Job: Tools, 

Techniques, and Training.’’ That is one of the many support services that improves the employment outcomes for deaf and hard-ofhearing students. 

In sum, universities should continue to work with RSA, U.S. Department of Education, and corporate America, all to maximize resources, centralize funding, and encourage better preparation for 

students transitioning from school to work. 

In conclusion, based on my experience, it will be required that 

strong partnerships between universities, corporations, and Congress be established to achieve more favorable employment outcomes for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. 

Thank you again for this opportunity to participate today. And 

I look forward to your questions. 

[Applause.] 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Ellis follows:] 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF MICHAEL J. ELLIS

Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Enzi and committee members, thank you for 

this opportunity to testify before the committee as you examine opportunities for 

positive employee outcomes for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. 

Through our discussion, I plan to share my experience as both an individual who 

lives with a disability, hearing loss, and as an executive of the business community 

that has helped Sprint deliver services to the deaf, hard-of-hearing and speechdisabled community for the past 20 years. 

My personal journey of living with deafness as a disability began at the age of 

14 and then again at the age of 20 as a result of diving accidents. With the most 

profound hearing loss occurring 1 week prior to my senior year of college, I adjusted 

my life with little to no support or any type of reasonable accommodation. However, 

I didn’t let deafness define me. One of the very first professionals in the field of 

deafness that I met was Dr. Gerard Buckley, current president of the National 

Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). Gerry encouraged me to use my education, 

recent hearing loss and personal experience to further my education as a graduate 

student. So I applied and was accepted to Gallaudet University. Becoming a graduate student at Gallaudet was a positive, life changing event. While at Gallaudet, 

I was taught how to embrace my disability and turn my hearing loss into a positive. 

After graduating from Gallaudet with a M.A. degree, I worked in the field of human 

services for 5 years before I joined the ranks at Sprint. At the time, Sprint recognized me as someone that understood the challenges of living with hearing loss and 

the related barriers and felt that my experience, education and training could help 

Sprint provide better services to people with disabilities. Thus, almost 20 years ago, 

Sprint hired and empowered me to be a part of a solution that broke down barriers 

via our relay services. I now work side-by-side with many other deaf and hard-ofhearing employees at Sprint where we provide functionally equivalent telecommunications access for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech disabled in all 50 

States, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico. 

As the National Director of Sprint Relay, I am responsible for nationwide domestic and international telecommunications relay services, including traditional 711 

services, wireless, CapTel, relay conference captioning, Internet and video relay customer applications. I currently serve on the Foundation Board for NTID and Gallaudet University’s Board of Associates. 
46 

OVERVIEW OF SPRINT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING

COMMUNITY

Sprint has a long history of providing products and services to the deaf and hardof-hearing community, as well as being an employer who enthusiastically employs 

a workforce that is diverse from many perspectives. Sprint is an Equal Opportunity 

Employer, which includes employing those individuals with disabilities. The company embraces a diverse and inclusive workforce. At Sprint, we believe diversity fosters creativity, sensitivity and growth. Through diversity we have been able to grow 

our product portfolio to be more inclusive. 

Sprint has developed partnerships and/or fostered mutually beneficial relationships with higher education institutions, such as Gallaudet, NTID, California State 

University—Northridge (CSUN), and regional, State and local deaf and hard-ofhearing organizations. Many of the people behind Sprint products and services for 

the deaf and hard-of-hearing community are also people that live with deafness or 

hearing loss, every day. These employees are actively involved in serving on the 

boards of organizations such as NTID and Gallaudet. We also hire deaf and hardof-hearing summer interns for 10-week assignments which provides them with the 

experience they can apply in future studies and employment. Through the personal 

experiences of our employees and knowledge gained from our partnerships, Sprint 

is able to better relate to and support the communities we serve. 

Our efforts to foster inclusion in both the workplace and marketplace have resulted in Sprint being recognized by numerous external organizations. 

The Sprint Foundation supports the deaf and hard-of-hearing community through 

grant support for K–12 education programs targeted at improving middle school student achievement in science, technologies, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

SPRINT TECHNOLOGY FOR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS

Sprint supports and promotes accessibility for our employees and customers who 

are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Iconic and award-winning devices and relay services 

provide a great wireless value for people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a 

speech disability. These services include: 

• Data only plans: includes email, Internet access, instant messaging, text and 

picture messaging (SMS). 

• Hearing aid compatible wireless phones. 

• TTY compatible phones allow people with hearing and/or speech loss to make 

and receive telephone calls. 

• 711 dialing to access in-state Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS). 

• Relay services include traditional TRS, Sprint IP Relay, Sprint Video Relay, 

CapTel, Relay conferencing captioning, Sprint Relay with AIM and Web CapTel. 

• Sprint Relay Video Customer Service (VCS) enables deaf or hard-of-hearing customers to contact a Sprint representative who uses American Sign Language. 

Sprint also offers a comprehensive array of technology to our deaf and hard-ofhearing employees. Many of these go beyond the definition of ‘‘reasonable accommodation’’ that was crafted as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Described 

below are just a few examples of how we provide accessibility from the application 

process to performing essential functions of the job that allow our employees to 

enjoy equal benefits and privileges of a social, economic and employment environment. 

• Phone amplifiers. 

• American Sign Language staff and contract interpreters are available in a variety of settings and locations. 

• A multi-point video software tool much like ‘‘Hollywood Squares’’ is used to 

allow up to 40 deaf and hearing employees, contractors and consultants to simultaneously see each other while using an ASL interpreter and/or audio conference technology. The technology is made available via a licensing agreement with Nefsis. 

• Sprint offers the same accessible technology to our employees that we offer our 

customers (see above). 

On any given day, an employee at Sprint that happens to be deaf or hard-of-hearing has the same access to meetings, conference calls, email, texting and socializing 

as their hearing counterparts. He/she may use a wireless device with a forwardfacing camera to connect with a video interpreter that will call a hearing co-worker 

to arrange for a meeting later in the day. He/she will then use Nefsis, a multi-point 

video tool from their computer with built-in web cam to see conference call participants as well as an ASL interpreter. In the afternoon he/she may take a training 

course through Sprint’s i-learn curriculum and the content will be captioned. Total 
47 

inclusion and accessibility is available, breaking down barriers to create a very productive work experience at Sprint. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act provides equal employment opportunities for 

those individuals with a disability who can, either with or without a reasonable accommodation, perform the essential functions of a position they have or are seeking. 

The law provides for an interactive process between the employer and the employee 

or applicant to determine what an effective and reasonable accommodation might 

be. Many individuals with disabilities require no accommodation to perform the positions they hold, but they may need an accommodation for a different position. 

In addition to a flexible work environment that includes a number of technology 

and mobility tools, Sprint provides employees with access to a robust process to address their needs for an accommodation to ensure their productivity. This not only 

ensures that we are fully compliant with regulations but can positively impact a 

temporary disability, ongoing need or an employee’s return to work after a health 

event. The company grants over 1,000 formal accommodations every year. 

The confidential accommodation process is an interactive one between an employee and his/her manager. The process provides resources to employees and their 

managers regarding their role in the process. Additionally, Employee Experience 

Managers are available to consult with both employees and management as necessary. 

Finally, Sprint acknowledges that providing our employees with disabilities’ reasonable accommodations is an integral part of who we are as a company. The general predisposition under our reasonable accommodation process is to provide an appropriate and effective accommodation if at all possible when an employee presents 

their request. Our main goal is for Sprint employees to be productive and highperforming thus enabling them to provide the best possible service to our customers. 

HIGHER EDUCATION’S ROLE

Higher education institutions can help educate corporations, both big and small, 

by reaching out and inviting corporations to participate in paid internship placements, job mentoring programs and transitional support programs. As part of these 

career placement programs, higher education institutions could offer the corporations consultative and training programs on how to provide reasonable accommodation to current and prospective employees who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. This consultation and training support should help employers address the types of environmental, communicative and attitudinal barriers that can be common in the workplace. Helping companies overcome and address these attitudinal barriers about 

deafness and disabilities in general is a critical step towards inclusion. In the deaf 

community, leaders such as I. King Jordan, have long emphasized that ‘‘deaf people 

can do anything but hear.’’ This is so true and can only be fully understood if deaf 

and hard-of-hearing prospective employees are given a chance to prove it. Higher 

education institutions can work with corporations to address attitudes that people 

with disabilities ‘‘can’t’’ just because they are different from the non-disabled. 

Additionally, higher education programs can help further prepare deaf or hardof-hearing students by enabling them to become self-advocates. This can be done by 

providing students with information regarding reasonable accommodations available 

to them under Title I of The Americans with Disabilities Act. Based on my experience, graduates would benefit from more training and experience to effectively and 

continuously advocate for themselves. They need more training and support on this 

critical success factor if they are to achieve sustainability in an increasingly competitive world of work. Students should engage the employer prior to entering the 

interview process, discuss any accommodations that have proven successful in the 

past and utilize the accommodation process the employer has provided understanding that each employer is unique and must evaluate the situation on a caseby-case basis. This facilitates the employer being prepared for the needs of the applicant and will improve the student’s chances of successfully finding not just a job 

but a career. 

An expansion of the current Postsecondary Education Programs Network 

(PEPNet) to focus on transition from higher education to the world of employment 

would also be beneficial. The PEPnet Regional Centers are currently supported by 

contracts with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, and Office of Special Education Programs. PEPNet’s ‘‘Getting a Job! Tools, Techniques, and Trainings’’ Web site was developed and designed 

for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and transitioning to work as well as 

for the professionals who work with them. The Web site offers a series of topical 

videos accompanied by supporting documents and related materials, educator’s 
48 

guides and role model videos. For more information, go to: http://www.pepnet.org/ 

getajob/. 

In sum, higher education should work in cooperation with the Rehabilitation Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education, to maximize resources, centralize funding and stimulate better preparation 

programs for prospective employees who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. 

CONCLUSION

My personal experience as someone who lives with a disability and overcomes the 

challenges of hearing loss along with my involvement in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and my corporate experience developing services for this community 

has led me to believe it will take a strong partnership between higher education institutions, corporations and Congress to achieve more favorable employment outcomes for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you. 

Next, Leila Hanaumi, please. 

STATEMENT OF LEILA HANAUMI, STUDENT, GALLAUDET 

UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, DC 

Ms. HANAUMI. [The following testimony was delivered through 

an interpreter.] Good afternoon and welcome, Chairman Harkin, 

Senator Enzi, and members of the committee. 

Thank you very much for the opportunity to be here with you. 

Your investment of time and resources to this university means so 

much to us. 

I am honored to be here representing the student body to testify 

before this committee, to share our experiences here at Gallaudet 

University as students. 

I have to say I don’t know where I would be today if it weren’t 

for Gallaudet University. Gallaudet provides me a unique experience for just myself and other students out there, students who are 

both deaf and hard-of-hearing. 

Gallaudet establishes high expectations for its students, and 

there are so many opportunities that we experience right and left. 

Students have these opportunities that they can jump into and 

really grasp. There are resources available for us, and one of those 

resources I wanted to mention is the career center. I know it has 

been talked about today. 

Thanks to the career center, I have actually had the opportunity 

to get my first internship working with Deaf Olympics. I was a reporter. I worked in Taipei, in Taiwan at the 2009 Summer Olympics as a reporter. 

I was there for 3 weeks. Actually, it was a 10-week internship, 

but 3 weeks was onsite. And I have to say that was one of the best 

experiences of my life. I grew so much through my work. Every day 

I had to go to a couple of different sporting events and then write 

a complete article just a few hours afterwards. 

And it wasn’t just that, but with interactions with people all 

around the world allowed me to learn how to communicate through 

gestures, through interpreters, through everyday opportunities. 

And let me tell you, the stress of the day was nonstop. But from 

that experience, I have learned how better to interact with people 

and gained lots more skills. 

If it weren’t for that internship, I don’t know what I would have 

done. It was through Gallaudet that I got that internship. Nowhere 

else would I have heard about that until I was able to learn from 
49 

one of my professors here that it was available. And this is just one 

example of the many opportunities that Gallaudet affords its students. 

I am now in my second internship, and this is working with people who are bilingual, working with producing bilingual, multicultural products that would best help deaf people learn in the bilingual environment. It has been a wonderful experience for me. I 

have really gained a lot from it. 

Also a couple of times a year, we have job and career fairs on 

campus. Today is a good example of that. We have a job fair happening right now on campus. And through those career fairs, lots 

of students are able to get internships. You get job opportunities. 

In fact, two of my friends both graduated from Gallaudet last 

year, and one 2 years ago was actually able to get an internship 

with Volkswagen just as a result of going to the career fair, job 

fair, talking with people, getting an internship, and then actually 

was hired, and today is working full time at Volkswagen. 

I mean, she just graduated this last May and has an amazing job 

so soon after graduation. Once again, just another example of what 

Gallaudet provides for this career fair. 

Another one of my friends was working through the recruitment 

program—the Workforce Recruitment Program, that is—and they 

were able to get a job. He graduated and immediately was employed through the Workforce Recruitment Program and has been 

there a couple of years now. And again, both of these examples 

show how successful students can be in getting jobs right after 

graduation. 

I also want to recognize the support I have been given by Vocational Rehabilitation. Often, schools for the deaf have VR services 

available to students who graduate to help them decide where they 

want to go to college and provide some financial support. I attended the California School for the deaf in Fremont, and I was fortunate enough to have a VR office right there on our campus. 

As I was nearing graduation, just a short walk to the building 

nearby, I was able to get some assistance from the VR counselor 

to learn about Gallaudet. And there is no way I could afford to 

come here if it weren’t for the support of Vocational Rehabilitation. 

Gallaudet is often considered a Mecca for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. And not just students here in America, but students 

throughout the world. Everyone dreams of coming to Gallaudet because we all know that coming here means we have complete access, as deaf persons, to everything that happens around us. 

One wonderful thing about that access is it is direct communication that we can have with our teachers, with our colleagues, with 

faculty members, with our peers, everywhere we go. I mean, even 

the cafeteria workers can communicate with us in sign language, 

our own indigenous language. So it has really afforded me a lot of 

personal growth here. 

Of course, we face the changing demographics of our student 

body. New signers are coming to campus more and more these 

days, and we do offer accommodating services for them, and technology is available today for them. So many things are now more 

available and accessible that allows us more opportunities. 
50 

We provide real-time captioning and interpreting services, as 

well as note-taking services in classes. There are ASL classes and 

tutoring afforded to students, many opportunities ensuring that all 

students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing can be successful. Regardless of their communication background, regardless of whether 

they can sign or not, they will find this campus fully accessible to 

them. 

This is a place where we are really encouraged to grow as much 

as we can, and I can personally vouch for that. My dream, when 

I was growing up, was always to be an editor of a magazine. But 

honestly, I never thought I would be able to do it. 

And the biggest reason for that was because of the issues with 

communication. I mean, I always wanted to dream big, but in my 

heart, I always wondered how will I be able to communicate with 

my colleagues and my coworkers? I never thought it was honestly 

possible until I came to Gallaudet and I saw all that I could do. 

I became the fundraiser for my class, kind of starting small. And 

then from there, I moved up the ranks and became a writer for the 

Buff and Blue, and then a copy editor. And there I became manager and assistant editor, and before I knew it, I was editor of the 

Buff and Blue last year. 

I didn’t come to Gallaudet expecting that I would be able to do 

all these things. I never imagined it. But in fact, here I was in this 

position now to encourage others to grow and to dream big because 

that is how I experienced it. 

There are so many little things and job experiences that have 

helped me along the way. I was a peer leader for the freshman 

class, for freshman seminar classes. When I was offered the position, I went for it, as I have for many other experiences, and I have 

grown personally so much. I have learned about myself and learned 

to believe in myself. 

I will be graduating soon, this December. And it is probably even 

one of my busiest semesters because I have been so involved in so 

many organizations. I am senator for the student body government. 

I am on student congress. 

I am on Bison TV. I am on the Bison TV show. These are fun 

projects, but I have to say they are great growth experiences for 

me. Through them, I have learned how to sign on television programs, to communicate better, and these are skills that I will be 

applying to my future employment opportunities. 

I am the Homecoming Bash co-chairperson. Homecoming is next 

Saturday. Students, this is a plug for you. You better be there. 

[Laughter.] 

But also I am involved in many, many areas of life on campus. 

All of these experiences have made me realize that I am an intelligent, hard-working woman, and I am capable of achieving anything that I dream. Any company would be lucky to hire me. 

And if it weren’t for this experience at Gallaudet University, if 

it weren’t for this institution, I wouldn’t have that dream. This is 

the ultimate place for deaf and hard-of-hearing students to come. 

With that, I thank you very much and ask you to believe in us. 

[Applause.] 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Hanaumi follows:] 
51 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF LEILA HANAUMI

Welcome, Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Enzi, and distinguished members 

of the committee! I am honored to be able to testify today on how Gallaudet University provides the resources and opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing students’ 

future employment. Without this university, I don’t know where I’d be today, and 

I know many of my colleagues could say the same. Thank you for being here and 

continuing the fight to promote the rights of people with disabilities. Your investment and support mean a tremendous amount to the deaf community. 

Gallaudet University provides a unique experience for deaf people like me. This 

university has high expectations for its students and opportunities are always appearing for us. We have a wonderful resource available right here on campus: Career Center. The advisors there are always notifying us of internship and work opportunities in DC and internationally. They are available to meet with us anytime 

we need guidance, and I have worked with Career Center in the past myself. It was 

here at Gallaudet that I first heard of the position of reporter for the Deaflympics, 

hosted at Taipei, Taiwan in 2009. I would likely not have heard or applied for the 

position had I been anywhere else other than at Gallaudet, and because one of my 

professors strongly encouraged me to apply, I got the job. 

It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. For 3 weeks, I had to 

work under pressure every single day at Taipei, going to two sporting events a day 

and then typing a complete report within a few hours after the games. The job required me to interview various people everyday, including coaches, players, and fans 

from other countries. I learned to communicate with all kinds of people, using whatever means necessary. On the flight back to America, I felt like I had grown to be 

a much more independent, interactive, and capable person in such a short time. 

It was through Career Center that I was able to afford and complete my first internship. Career Center will help pay for one international and one domestic internship per student. I am currently on my second internship with a former professor 

of mine. This school is a great networking base, and I have often received opportunities in many different areas through the people that I have worked with. She is 

starting a new company that develops multimedia products that promotes bi- and 

even multilingualism within literacy. I am the Project Manager and I take care of 

various tasks, such as creating a Press Kit and organizing a retreat. It has been 

a wonderful experience to be able to witness and be a part of building a company 

from scratch. 

Also, there are Career Fairs on campus several times a year. Employers from different companies come with their booths to meet students and potential employees. 

This has proven to be successful, as one of my friends got an internship with Volkswagen by talking to a representative at the Fair. Volkswagen and Gallaudet had 

an agreement to have two students work at Volkswagen as a part of ‘‘giving back 

to the local community’’ plan. My friend was one of the students that got the internship, and Gallaudet ensured that he would have a positive work experience by providing interpreters when needed. 

I have another friend who is also a Gallaudet alumni success story. He landed 

an internship with Central Information of Technology under National Institute of 

Technology through the Work Recruitment Program that Gallaudet provides. That 

internship turned into a full-time job, and he has been working there for nearly a 

year and half now. 

I also need to recognize the support I receive from Vocal Rehabilitation. I was fortunate to go to California School for the Deaf, Fremont, where there was a VR office 

on campus. High school students could simply walk to the next building to meet 

with their VR counselor, and that’s what I did my senior year. VR is paying for my 

undergraduate tuition, which also includes books and supplies. I don’t know how 

else I would have been able to afford coming here. 

Gallaudet is considered a Mecca for deaf people all over the world. Here, we receive equal communication access, which allows us to enhance our university experience by being able to have direct communication anywhere on campus with anyone. 

However, we do have many new signers, and for those students, Gallaudet provides 

interpreters, Real Time Captioning in classrooms, and the option to have a note 

taker. This greatly helps new signer students to transit to an all-signing community. 

The technology that we have nowadays truly does contribute to equal access for 

deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Not only does it help new signers adapt into a signing environment, it does the opposite as well. I am able to make calls from everyday 

purposes to professional ones through Video Relay Services. That technology has advanced to the point I can be doing my homework on my laptop with the Internet 

on one side of the screen while on hold with a video call on another side of the 
52 

screen. This kind of access helps me be a more independent individual, capable of 

multitasking and depending on myself to do all kinds of business. 

As the ultimate center for deaf people, students often blossom throughout their 

years at Gallaudet. I can vouch for that. I have been given so many opportunities 

to experience various activities that I have become such an all-around, multitasking, 

and capable person. My experiences here have included: being Fundraising Chairperson for two different organizations; writing and editing for the school newspaper, 

the Buff and Blue, and then getting promoted to Managing Editor and eventually, 

Editor-in-Chief; working as Peer Leader for a Freshman Year Seminar course; acting in the student television production, Bison TV; becoming Senator for Student 

Body Government’s Student Congress; becoming a member of my sorority; being the 

co-chair of this year’s Homecoming Bash; and many more. It has always been a 

dream of mine to be an editor of a magazine company, but I honestly never quite 

believed that I could do it until now. Witnessing my growth and ability to pull off 

difficult responsibilities and tasks has helped me realize that I am capable of so 

much more than I thought. Gallaudet has given me the confidence to pursue my 

passion in media, which includes the areas of advertising, journalism, and literature. Because of my experiences here, I now know what I want to do. I plan on 

applying to San Diego State University for graduate school in Mass Communication 

and Media Studies. I know that I am an intelligent and hard worker that any employer would be lucky to have, and I plan on carrying that confidence with me for 

the rest of my life. 

The CHAIRMAN. Wow. Told you we saved the best for last. 

That was quite remarkable. Thank you very, very much. 

I have some questions, just a couple, three things here. Members 

who are here are on the NTID National Advisory Group and the 

Gallaudet Board of Trustees, I would like to recognize them, ask 

them to stand. And if you will give them your thanks for their 

work? 

James Macfadden is here. James Macfadden. Claudia Gordon? 

Claudia Gordon. And also Andrew Brenneman. Andrew Brenneman right here. 

Thank you very much for your service. Thank you. 

And also, we have Alexa Posny, who is President Obama’s Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 

Services, is also, I am told, in the audience. Alexa Posny here. 

Thank you for being here. 

Well, it is hard to start right here, but I guess the two of you 

who are involved in the private sector in business—every once in 

a while we run across companies, I have just heard of two here 

now, that have really taken the extra steps necessary to hire people with disabilities. 

How can we encourage more companies to hire individuals, especially as we are here now talking about individuals who are deaf 

or hard-of-hearing? Is it internships? Is that the key to it? Having 

them come to the college fairs? Just give me an idea. How do we 

get more companies to really take that extra step? 

Mr. Ellis. 

Mr. ELLIS. I think you have to begin with the concept of evaluating that company’s supervisory services to see whether or not 

that company is what we might say is ‘‘deaf friendly’’ in terms of 

how they provide service. And if we should bring in deaf employees, 

do they have necessary means to make their workplace accessible? 

For example, if you just look at car insurance. It is changing rapidly, and Sprint is working with a variety of different industries 

here to see if they are making cars more deaf friendly. You know, 

if you are driving with one of those GPS screens or some kind of 

a navigator, it would be great to have the captioning provided there 
53 

so that deaf drivers are able to access that auditory information, 

and we can then use cars just like anyone else would. 

Should that be available, people would be in line to buy those 

cars. Making those products accessible and making sure that their 

workplaces are deaf friendly and accessible. That would be the first 

step. 

Mr. BRAVIN. I agree with you, Mike. I think it is important for 

us to show the company that hiring people with disabilities, including hard-of-hearing or deaf, that it is a competitive edge. It is not 

only doing the right thing or the right thing to do, employees 

should compare the marketplace and consumers. 

A good quote from John Kemp, who is now the CEO of Abilities, 

a former executive director of USDBLN, said that our employees 

should look like our consumers and look like our suppliers and look 

like our shareholders. And he said that, and I think that is very, 

very true. 

Mr. ELLIS. I wanted to add as well, just to followup, one of the 

challenges is always this issue of cost and the cost of providing accommodations to businesses so that you can support accessibility 

needs for people with disabilities. Encouraging companies to realize 

that that cost, let us say, of providing interpreters or captions is 

really a great return on investment when you see the end product. 

I mean, you see the wonderful services and work ethic of deaf 

and hard-of-hearing people, really you are buying power. And once 

people realize that, they are much more willing to open up their 

minds and change their attitudes in terms of how they can provide 

services and bring in more people who are able to help them be 

more productive. Really, it adds buying power to the company. 

The CHAIRMAN. I might just add, that one of the things we see 

so often is that a company that provides support services for a person with a disability finds they have a more loyal worker, more 

productive worker, people who show up on time, do their jobs. I 

just see this and hear this time and time and time again. 

So you are right, Mr. Ellis. The small amount of investment in 

making an accommodation gives them a great payback in their employees. I just see that a lot. 

The problem is always then, getting them to take the first step. 

And what I think I am seeing happen out there, where now some 

companies are mentoring other companies, smaller companies that 

may be their suppliers—they may not own that company, but that 

company does some business with them, and they are now kind of 

acting as a mentor to them to show them what they can do. And 

I hope to see that done more often around the country. 

By the way, Ms. Hanaumi, I think there is going to be a competition here on who becomes the first Senator. 

[Laughter.] 

But obviously, you are exceptionally bright, very eloquent, have 

a lot of poise, and you have a great future. You said that VR helped 

you. 

Ms. HANAUMI. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. VR, voc rehab. Voc rehab was helpful here with 

tuition and everything here. But now you are going to go to graduate school. Will they continue to help? Will they support graduate 
54 

school or transition to the workforce? Do you have any idea of this? 

Because I don’t know. 

Ms. HANAUMI. Actually, I don’t know about other States because 

it does vary according to the State. But I can speak at least for 

California, and I do know that my VR counselor—and again, California is a big State. I have friends from California who may have 

different experiences and they received different information from 

their VR counselors. 

But my counselor was very clear with me that if I was interested 

in pursuing graduate education that I would be able to do so, and 

they said even if I took a year off they would pay for my graduate 

education. Now I am not sure about transitioning after graduate 

school to work, I am not sure what kind of support they provide. 

But I know that VR does continue to provide support for my 

studies. And I think it depends upon your major, and some majors 

are not so much supported by VR. So there is variance. 

The CHAIRMAN. It varies by State, the VR support? 

Ms. HANAUMI. That is right. That is correct. 

The CHAIRMAN. Find out the answer to my question, would you? 

What States do that? My question is what States do provide that 

ongoing help for graduate education, professional education beyond 

a bachelor’s degree? I would like to know the answer to that question. 

You mentioned something else about—I just want to focus just 

slightly on this—internships. You had an internship. The two of 

you talked about internships. For all three of you, are there any 

changes—if you could snap your fingers and just make whatever 

changes so you could get more young people who are deaf into internships, what would you do? 

From your own experiences, what would make it better, easier 

for these young people to get these internships? 

Mr. BRAVIN. If I may look back to my first internship with 

Verizon in New York, this was after my first year at Gallaudet. I 

was still a kid, so to speak. I was so excited, my new suit on and 

everything, the first day of work, and I met with my boss. I had 

a hard time communicating with my boss. 

Verizon is a wonderful company. There is no question. I want everyone to understand that. But for that specific office, it was a new 

experience for them. They had good intentions, but no support 

services in place for people with disabilities. 

I think from that experience, what can change—the second summer actually was a wonderful experience with Verizon. NTID and 

Gallaudet had already done this and been proactive in educating 

other companies. But prepare students to allow—especially an internship opportunity, where you only have a couple of months to 

just jump right in and I think that would make a big difference so 

that the students are prepared when they get there to face that. 

Mr. ELLIS. Through many years I have had a variety of different 

interns. Some of them actually became full-time employees at 

Sprint. That was a great experience. 

As I reflect, I think what might I do differently? Perhaps having 

more time. I mean, usually we only have 10 weeks as part of the 

university’s agreement. Ten weeks is simply not sufficient. It is 

barely enough time for them to get their feet wet. You know, they 
55 

really don’t get that full-fledged experience of what it is like to be 

in a corporate world. 

Maybe an internship that lasted 2 or 3 months? Those sorts of 

placements might be better, and maybe work closely with the university to make that happen. 

The CHAIRMAN. Longer time. 

Mr. BRAVIN. Yes, just a bit more time. 

The CHAIRMAN. You had a long-time internship? 

Ms. HANAUMI. Right. Exactly. Both of my internships were with 

deaf employers. I didn’t have a lot that I would want to change 

about it, but I do agree with what has been said. Ten weeks is simply not enough. It is a minimum requirement here. 

In my current internship, I have been with the same employer 

since May. So that is an option. 

Yes, I guess I don’t have anything else to say about that question. 

The CHAIRMAN. Longer-term internships. OK. Thank you. 

I will turn to Senator Enzi. 

Senator ENZI. I will start with Ms. Hanaumi. What kind of challenges do you anticipate that you will have as you begin classes at 

San Diego State? What types of accommodations has San Diego 

State discussed with you or not discussed with you? 

Ms. HANAUMI. Well, I will apply. I have yet to be accepted. So 

I can’t say that I will start classes there this fall, but that is my 

intention. But, yes, I am a bit nervous about this, I have to say. 

Gallaudet is my second institution. My first was a school for the 

deaf in the Fremont, and here is my second educational setting. Accessible communication has just always been something I have 

done with my faculty and classmates. Wherever I end up in graduate school, San Diego or wherever it might be, being in a hearing 

classroom with an interpreter will be a new experience, and I am 

a bit anxious about that. 

Yet at the same time, I know that I have mentally prepared myself. I have talked to many of my friends who have gone through 

that same kind of experience in grad school, and I have talked with 

my friends who are at San Diego State University themselves currently. 

They are willing to make accommodations, and they do that even 

before you begin classes there, making sure that interpreters are 

available. I am very fortunate that San Diego State has one of the 

best interpreter referral agencies in the country. I am very hopeful 

that I will have a positive experience. 

But at the same time, I am preparing myself for the challenges 

that I will face of not being able to participate fully in the classroom discussions, as I have been able to do thus far, and maybe 

get a bit of extra time added to when I get information. There will 

be a bit of a delay and maybe not having that ease of communications with my peers and my professors as I do now. 

But I will deal with it as I go. 

Senator ENZI. I bet you will deal with it well. I am very impressed. 

Mr. Ellis and Mr. Bravin, what is the typical career track for an 

employee at each of your companies who is deaf or hard-of-hearing? 
56 

Mr. BRAVIN. The nice thing about IBM, it is a global company, 

and we have a long history of hiring individuals with disability, 

deaf or hard-of-hearing. My father used to work with IBM for about 

25 years, and he was in software development, marketing, and engineering. And I am more on the strategic side. 

We have a lot of IT, software development areas, and the amazing thing is I think we already talked about the innovative design 

for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. However, they have been 

integrated. A couple of deaf and hard-of-hearing employees have 

worked in our HR portal to allow for individuals to ask for captioning and accommodations and interpreting requests through 

that portal. 

Other situational disabilities who are not disabled, but perhaps 

have a broken arm, also use that tool. In fact, we are working with 

one company in the healthcare industry to sell that solution. We 

are presenting that to the marketplace, and it all started from an 

internal arena with our own employees that have disabilities. 

Senator ENZI. Mr. Ellis. 

Mr. ELLIS. From a career track perspective, really the sky is the 

limit. We have deaf and hard-of-hearing people who are working 

with marketing, sales, product development, legislative affairs, 

Government affairs, technologies. I mean, it just runs the gamut. 

You name it. There are no barriers in terms of what employees can 

do based on their areas of interest and their background. Support 

services are available to them. 

It is designed as really empowering the individuals who are employed to design their own career path. It is a very open, accessible 

attitude and environment. 

Senator ENZI. What types of professional development and onthe-job training do each of the companies offer to the employees 

who are deaf and hard-of-hearing? 

Mr. ELLIS. Exactly the same kinds of opportunities that a person 

who is able to hear would be able to access in terms of professional 

development, opportunities to get involved with management and 

leadership training. Every employee has what is called an individualized development plan, and that IDP is something that gives 

them the opportunity to sit down with their supervisors and just 

talk through what it is that they want to do, what they want to 

become, you might say, when they grow up in the next 5 or 10 

years, and work toward a plan to achieve that goal. 

We are very active in terms of the management getting involved 

and employees taking responsibilities to enroll in classes and pursue learning and growth on their own. 

Senator ENZI. Ms. Hanaumi, can you tell me a little bit about— 

I assume that you have gone to some of these on-campus career 

fairs. And so what kind of challenges do you find with those and 

what kind of opportunities? How do they work? 

Ms. HANAUMI. Well, typically, they have a variety of booths set 

up, and it is maybe at the conference center or someplace like that. 

And there are booths that provide information, and employers are 

stationing these booths, and we always have someone there providing interpreting services. 

Or students are able just to read the material and request an interpreter to come with them if they have any questions of the em-
57 

ployers. Or they can just take business cards and get in touch with 

folks later through email or followup with other questions they 

might have. 

I mean, of course, the only challenge is going to be being able to 

use my own communication directly to the employer and not have 

to go through a third party, through an interpreter. Sometimes 

that adds a little bit of a delay. Employers may not have experience working with an interpreter before, and so they may do things 

like looking at the interpreter instead of looking at the student who 

is asking the question. 

It gets a little confusing about who is talking and who is actually 

the one generating the conversation. But once we work that out 

and interpreters here at Gallaudet are probably some of the best 

I have ever seen, and with that, interpreters really help to make 

the situation a lot more accessible and accommodating for us. 

It is not too much of a challenge. It is just a little bit of a different experience. 

Senator ENZI. I have got to say all of this has been very eyeopening. Sometimes we live in a little bit different world. We don’t 

think about these things. So it is very helpful. And again, I have 

some more of a technical nature questions that I will provide in 

writing. 

You have been tremendously helpful. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you very much. 

Is there a question we didn’t ask that you said, ‘‘Boy, I sure hope 

they ask me this question.’’ Anything else that you would like to 

have us know before we dismiss you? 

Mr. ELLIS. I just want to recognize and thank you both for realizing how important this is and what a wonderful opportunity it is 

to see how talented deaf and hard-of-hearing people in America can 

be afforded opportunities to be successful. I hope you can help us 

open doors. 

Mr. BRAVIN. And working for IBM within the global company, 

there are a lot of issues here. And we take for granted—a lot of 

countries, India and China, have very little exposure with deaf and 

hard-of-hearing employees or are not as fortunate as we are. We 

should be a model for other countries as well. 

The CHAIRMAN. That is very true. 

Ms. Hanaumi. 

Ms. HANAUMI. I don’t want to be repetitive, but I guess for me 

the bottom line is, is what is so special about Gallaudet to me is 

that our students here have the opportunity to be on equal playing 

ground. I mean, we are equal humans. It is not like we are deaf 

or disabled people here. We are just humans here, and that is a 

great starting point for us. 

That helps us really build the foundation we need to go into the 

workforce, and I think really that is a great mentality to take with 

us. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you all very much again for this very historic hearing. 

This will go down as the first-ever hearing in which every witness was deaf. Never happened before. And so, I am very proud of 

both Senator Enzi and I, both of whom have had deafness in our 

family, and this is very important to us. 
58 

And I just say for the record, why shouldn’t more people with 

deafness testify, as well as people with other kinds of disabilities 

that we have all over our society, you know? I hope this sort of sets 

a kind of a standard for the future in our hearings. 

Not that we always want to come back to Gallaudet. We may not 

be able to do that, but you can come down to the Hill and testify. 

I noticed, Dr. Hurwitz, in your written testimony you mentioned 

some successful people who have gone on. You mentioned Greg 

Hlibok, who graduated in 1989, as the chief of the Disability Rights 

Office for the Federal Communications Commission. That was the 

young man that led the Deaf President Now movement. 

Mr. HURWITZ. Yes, that is correct. 

The CHAIRMAN. Oh, he is here? Oh, Greg is here. 

Mr. HLIBOK. [through interpreter] Hi, Senator Harkin. Hello. 

The CHAIRMAN. I knew him when he was a kid. 

[Laughter.] 

Mr. HLIBOK. I am still a kid. I am still young. 

The CHAIRMAN. I was so proud of him when he led that movement in 1988? 

Mr. HLIBOK. That is correct. Yes, 1988. 

The CHAIRMAN. Wow. It was wonderful. They came down to the 

Capitol. They plugged up the traffic. 

[Laughter.] 

It was just wonderful to see students demanding their rights. It 

was an exhilarating moment I know for Gallaudet and for the 

young people. But for those of us who had worked a lot in disability 

rights and things, it was—and that was before the ADA. That was 

before ADA passed. 

And quite frankly, I said a lot of times, that kind of gave us the 

impetus, a lot of impetus because a lot of the Nation saw this and 

began to ask, you are right. Why shouldn’t Gallaudet, the premier 

school for educating students with deafness, why shouldn’t they 

have a deaf president? 

And it just changed. Everything changed. It was a wonderful moment in history, and I am delighted to see Greg. I didn’t know he 

was here. I just read that here. But congratulations on your new 

position, too. 

Mr. HLIBOK. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. That is quite an accomplishment and did a lot 

to change the school here. 

I am going to use my final comment as Dr. Hurwitz’s. He didn’t 

give it all. So I am going to give it all. 

You said, 

‘‘In many ways, today’s Gallaudet students possess greater 

awareness and confidence in succeeding in the world of work, 

as compared to past generations of students.’’ 

That is true. 

‘‘When I stand on the stage in May 2012 performing what is, 

indeed, the greatest joy of any university president, the conferring of degrees, I will be handing degrees to many undergraduate students who were born after the passage of the 

greatest civil rights legislation for people with disabilities in 

the history of our Nation. 
59 

‘‘These students have grown up in a world where the paradigm of having a disability is not an abnormality to be 

ashamed of, but a difference to be embraced and valued. They 

are what I call ‘the ADA generation.’ This ADA generation is 

not reserved exclusively to those who are considered disabled 

by others. It is a generation’’—and this is important. ‘‘It is a 

generation of all young Americans who share the same hopes 

and desires to achieve the American dream.’’ 

I don’t think it could ever be said better than that. The record 

will stay open for 10 days for any other submissions or questions. 

Before we close, I want to introduce two people. A lot of times 

we Senators, we get plaudits and applause for doing things. But we 

know that it is the staff who does the work. I am blessed with two 

great staff people who do all of my disability work, Lee Perselay, 

who is here. Please stand up. 

[Applause.] 

And Andy Imparato. 

[Applause.] 

Thank you all very, very much. Thank you again, Gallaudet, for 

hosting us here. To all the students, study hard, do well. We are 

going to be proud of you. 

Thank you. The hearing will stand adjourned. 

[Additional material follows.] 
60 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF MAYA ARIEL

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, thank you for taking the time to 

talk about how important education is to employment opportunities for people who 

are deaf or hard of hearing. It is my honor to provide written testimony. 

I am the only deaf person in my family. I was born hearing but was deafened by 

spinal meningitis at 7 months old. I am a student at the Rochester Institute of 

Technology (RIT) College of Business and was admitted through the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). My major is Business Administration-Management. I strongly believe that Gallaudet University and RIT/NTID offer a tremendous amount of resources and support to deaf and hard-of-hearing students that 

would not otherwise be available. Both institutions help prepare deaf and hard-ofhearing students to enter the workplace and pursue their dreams. 

RIT/NTID offers an equal-opportunity learning environment to its deaf and hardof-hearing students, providing diverse communication and study aid so that the deaf 

and hard-of-hearing population can best take advantage of the education and college 

life. The institute offers a lot of options and resources to prepare you to be a productive member of society. It’s so important to be in an educational environment that 

recognizes and addresses our needs so that we can develop our skills and our goals, 

and look forward to being productive members of the workforce and of our society. 

I have had so many productive experiences at NTID that I feel will help me be 

successful after I graduate. I became extremely involved in the theatre community 

at NTID, acting in many plays and working as a stage crew member and a scene 

shop employee. I have been involved in sorority life and also participated in a Habitat for Humanity trip to South Carolina. I am a resident advisor and work in the 

NTID admissions office. I also had the wonderful opportunity of participating in a 

full immersion program in Italy for 6 weeks one summer. All these opportunities 

and experiences have been made possible because RIT/NTID offers a supportive, 

equal-opportunity environment where we, who are deaf and hard of hearing, can 

participate in the academic environment and campus social and work opportunities 

just as our hearing peers do. There are no boundaries. 

(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJcAymTu-CE) 

Along with fellow student, Hannah Worek, last spring, I was involved in the show 

‘‘What Would You Do?’’ on ABC. The show was set in a coffee shop, and simulated 

a situation where a manager denied Hannah and I the ability to apply for an available job in the shop because we were deaf. The point of the show was to highlight 

how members of the public responded to this discrimination. To my surprise, even 

though we were in that shop 6 hours straight, only a few people stood up for us 

and told the employer that he was discriminating. The impact that made on all of 

us involved in the show was how much people need to be educated about diversity 

and discrimination. RIT/NTID teaches us that it is about our abilities in the workplace, not our disabilities, and provides us those skills that enable us to enter the 

workplace as equals. 

Although I was surprised at the lack of support from the public at the coffee shop, 

I am not surprised that there is a barrier that stands between deaf and hard-ofhearing people and gainful employment. It is really important to the deaf and hardof-hearing population that there are schools such as RIT/NTID to attend. 

One of the benefits of attending NTID is the NTID Center on Employment (NCE) 

that helps with resumes ́, cover letters, job interviews and job searches. The two 

main goals of NCE are to help deaf and hard-of-hearing RIT/NTID students and 

graduates with the job search and to provide employers with well-trained, highly 

qualified deaf and hard-of-hearing employees as well as to provide guidance integrating employees with hearing loss into the workforce. We also have a Workplace 

Recruitment Program just like Gallaudet that invites employers to come to our 

school to help students obtain either co-ops or full-time jobs. 

One of the things I really love about RIT/NTID is that before we graduate with 

a bachelor’s degree, we are required to have co-ops. This summer, I was placed in 

a co-op through the American Association for People with Disabilities (AAPD) at the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its Agriculture Marketing Services department in Washington, DC. The USDA wanted to integrate workers who have 

special needs into its workforce, but had little experience with co-ops. The first thing 

that my boss at USDA asked me was how the Department could accommodate me 

so that I might be on equal footing with the other employees and be successful on 

the job. What we decided was that, when I had one-on-one meetings, I did not need 

an interpreter as long as my boss and my co-workers have the patience to repeat, 

or to speak slowly, if I initially had trouble understanding what was being said. 
61 

With a group of people, I definitely needed an interpreter to understand each speaker and to be as involved as the other people. We also agreed that an interpreter 

would be available to me the first few days on the job until I was introduced to my 

co-workers and we established comfortable ways to communicate. This anticipation 

of, and preparation for, my needs made my transition into the job smooth. It was 

good for me and for my co-workers as well. 

As the weeks went by, my co-workers realized that I was just like them with the 

exception of my hearing loss. I worked just as diligently; was interested in the dayto-day workings of the office; and in them as colleagues. I feel that, by the end of 

my co-op experience, my colleagues judged me based on my abilities and not my disability. We also grew to appreciate one another’s differences. Several of my co-workers became quite interested in sign language, and I was able to teach an introductory sign language class to interested colleagues during work one day. I’m sure I 

could have taught a series of such classes had time permitted. 

The work environment at USDA was also important. There was a feeling of camaraderie and inclusiveness. We had jobs to do, but it was important that everyone 

felt that their contribution was important, and that their voice could be heard, in 

whatever form that takes. The attitude displayed by the USDA as an employer is 

really necessary for deaf and hard-of-hearing workers to be successful in the workplace. 

I will be experiencing my second co-op this upcoming spring quarter when I will 

be working for the Dow Chemical Company in Indiana. I am currently looking for 

a full-time job upon graduation. I do not give up even though we face frustrations, 

barriers, and communication challenges. 

Regarding Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), the support provided by States varies. 

My home State is New Jersey, and due to economic issues, the support that I receive from the VR is declining. Not all deaf and hard-of-hearing people receive VR 

support. Some people receive nothing. From what I understand, this is because of 

State budget cuts. Of course, this affects the ability of some deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to go to college. 

Unfortunately, even though I am having a successful experience at RIT/NTID, I 

will always face challenges outside of college with the communication issues and the 

way our society reacts to people who are different in some way from the mainstream. I believe that as long as the Federal Government supports institutions like 

RIT/NTID and supports equal opportunity at the workplace, we will have a chance 

to make an impact in the workplace and in society. Progress has been made. But 

we need the government’s continued support to continue to make progress. 

If there is one thing I could change in American society, it would be for people 

to not look at us differently and greet us the same way they would any other person. 

In my opinion, I think it would be a great opportunity to require all industries and 

agencies to support a diversity workshop and to be open to the potential of accommodating people who have special needs. 

The value of education at RIT/NTID, especially with the support of the Federal 

Government, is a big plus for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. If that is taken 

away from us, so many able students will suffer, and so much richness will be lost. 

There are many talented deaf and hard-of-hearing people who deserve the opportunity to get involved in the workforce. 

Thank you. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF HANNAH WOREK

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to 

submit this written testimony regarding the topic of ‘‘Leveraging Higher Education 

to Improve Employment Outcomes for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.’’ 

HISTORY

I am hard of hearing. I grew up mainstreamed and attended school in the Brighton school district in upstate New York. I was quite fortunate to have had such a 

wonderful mother who always fought for my rights, made possible by the ADA. It 

was because of her that I was given the chance to excel in school. 

Education is so important, and it is equally important that people receive equal 

access to that education as early as possible. 

My older deaf sister, Abigail, was mainstreamed on and off throughout her life. 

At one point in her mainstreamed education, the interpreter she started the school 

year with was not able to finish the year. The Board of Cooperative Educational 

Services (BOCES) placed a substitute interpreter with Abigail. 

She continuously complained about the quality of the interpreter and how she felt 

uncomfortable with the interpreter. The response from BOCES was to ‘‘stick it out.’’ 
62 

After a while, Abigail had had enough of ‘‘sticking it out’’ and decided she did not 

want to attend school if the same interpreter was assigned to her. As much as my 

mother tried to get her to go to school, Abigail refused. My mother also tried to 

reach out to BOCES to get them to change the interpreter assignment, but they 

both came to a standstill. 

This lasted for almost a month, and the authorities had to get involved. Finally, 

Abigail ended up attending Rochester School for the Deaf. The interpreter situation 

was never addressed or resolved. 

Though this may have been an extreme case, it is not uncommon for parents to 

have to continuously fight for their deaf/hard-of-hearing children’s rights. I recently 

babysat a deaf girl who was mainstreamed, but expressed interest in attending 

Rochester School for the Deaf. Her parents had to go through an arduous petitioning 

process during the spring and summer just so she could switch schools for the next 

school year. 

BACKGROUND

Growing up mainstreamed, I never quite felt like I fit in completely with my 

peers. I cannot really complain though; I received one of the best educations possible. I received equal access to this education because I had qualified interpreters 

and note takers present in all of my classes. 

Another huge factor was that I wore hearing aids to school. Fortunately, I had 

one of the best hearing aids available at the time. I needed two, and the hearing 

aids were between $1,000 and $2,000 each. My parents had to pay this expense out 

of their own pockets; their insurance would not cover the hearing aids. Ironically, 

the same insurance plan would have covered the $30,000–$40,000 expense of getting 

a cochlear implant. 

I did not and still do not feel comfortable with the idea of getting a cochlear implant. In terms of cost, it should not cost me less to get surgery than to get two 

external devices. My mother wrote a letter to the insurance company objecting to 

this, and they agreed to cover only half the cost of the hearing aids. Any help was 

better than no help. 

BEING A STUDENT AT THE ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

I am currently a third-year Criminal Justice student. I have not regretted a single 

moment that I have spent here at RIT. It is so nice to be surrounded by both deaf 

and hearing people every day. I have the liberty of making the choice of who I want 

to surround myself with. 

My friends are mostly deaf, but I decided to join a hearing sorority on campus. 

The majority of my hearing Sisters either have taken or will take ASL as a class 

on campus. RIT makes it so easy for this collaboration to happen. The impact of 

NTID at RIT is far-reaching. Some of my Sisters who graduated have texted me, 

telling me about how they have used ASL to communicate with deaf customers in 

their new jobs. 

Though I am only a third year, I already feel prepared for the workforce. I did 

an internship at a real estate company over the past summer, and I could not think 

of any way I could have been better prepared to work there. RIT taught me how 

to effectively work with other people on projects, about the importance of deadlines, 

and so much more. 

I will not dedicate much time to talking about RIT because I think it is a great 

investment of the government’s money. There is nothing that I think needs to be 

changed here at RIT, so I will dedicate my energy to more pressing issues. 

MY EXPERIENCE ON ABC’S TV SHOW ‘‘WHAT WOULD YOU DO?’’ 

Maya Ariel and I appeared on an episode of ABC’s ‘‘What Would You Do?’’ as a 

job applicant in a coffee shop. The manager, who was an actor, openly discriminated 

against Maya and me, in the hopes that it would evoke reactions among customers. 

We filmed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. as customers were constantly streaming in and out. 

By my count, only three people said something to help us. 

The episode has also been posted on YouTube. Though the episode has educated 

millions, many still remain ignorant. A comment on the YouTube video said, ‘‘Can 

we please stop pretending that being deaf isn’t a potential detriment to job performance? Is anyone pretending they’d hire a deaf person over someone who can hear?’’ 

This is precisely the attitude that needs to be changed. 

A glass ceiling definitely exists for deaf people. According to Forbes, in 2010, 

women accounted for only 3 percent of CEOs of the 500 biggest U.S. companies. 

Though 3 percent is small, 0 percent is even smaller. None of the 500 CEOs identify 

themselves as deaf. 
63 

1 Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey. 

It is not that there are no deaf people qualified to be CEOs; it is the general attitude of the hearing public that deaf people cannot hold executive positions. 

POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION

I am aspiring to go to law school. From what I know, most people in New York 

who want to go to graduate school are often not financially supported by their Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors. 

Cost is a huge limitation for me when I decide to apply to law schools, as it is 

for most people in general. Unfortunately, this is not my only limitation. I have 

talked to numerous deaf people about attending law school and they have recommended certain schools merely because those schools will provide adequate support services. This is not guaranteed at most schools. 

It is incredibly frustrating that accessibility may become an issue in my postgraduate education. I now am limited to schools that will provide interpreters and 

note takers without much trouble. It is my hope that with future policy, there will 

be no more limitations. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF (NAD) 

Dear Chairman Harkin, Ranking Member Enzi, and distinguished members of the 

committee, The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) applauds the committee for 

hosting the historic hearing on Leveraging Higher Education to Improve Employment Outcomes for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing where all the panelists 

were deaf or hard of hearing. We are very much looking forward to continuing these 

important discussions and submit the following comments on this issue. 

The NAD wishes to encourage the committee to look at some options to improve 

employment opportunities for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These suggested options go beyond the realm of higher education, and focus on overcoming 

barriers that complicate hiring chances for this population. 

During the hearing, one of the stated statistics was that only 48 percent of people 

who are deaf and hard of hearing and aged between 18–64 years have jobs.1 It is 

our belief that the main obstacle contributing to this terrible statistic is the way 

employers perceive and handle the cost of ongoing accommodations. Sign language 

interpreters are one form of an ongoing accommodation necessary in some circumstances for many individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Employers too 

often worry more about the cost of such ongoing accommodations than the abilities 

or skills of deaf and hard-of-hearing job applicants and employees. 

To move past this misperception among hiring entities, we recommend new approaches to how such ongoing accommodations are handled, in both the public and 

private sectors. A few such approaches are listed here: 

1. Encourage more businesses to adopt a Cost Recovery program similar to IBM’s. 

This program removes the accommodations for employees with disabilities from the 

individual manager’s budget to ensure that hiring and promotion decisions are 

based on skill and talent. In short, it removes the cost calculation from decisions 

about hiring people with disabilities. 

2. To lower or remove the cost barrier of providing accommodations, we encourage 

Congress to greatly increase the Disabled Access Tax Credit. Currently, the tax 

credit is only available for small businesses with previous tax year revenue of 

$1,000,000 or less (or 30 or fewer full-time workers.) A small business may only take 

a tax credit for 50 percent of their costs beyond the first $250 of expenses, up to 

a maximum expenditure of $10,250 (the first $250 does not count.) We believe that 

to truly lower or remove the barrier, the tax credit should be 100 percent and should 

be greatly expanded to cover much larger employers. Further, this tax credit will 

be offset by taxes paid by an increase in working deaf and hard-of-hearing people 

and less reliance on Social Security payments. 

3. Government could promote a policy that encourages all employers to participate 

in a large centralized fund to provide for all accommodations. In short, this would 

allow for costs to be evenly spread out among all employers. Such a centralized fund 

could be funded through some sort of tax on employers, or possibly use money from 

Social Security in cases where a beneficiary transfers from disability benefits to employment. 

4. Encourage the Department of Labor’s one-stop centers to focus on helping people with disabilities find employment. Many people with disabilities do not need rehabilitation but simply need job placement assistance. The DOL should require 
64 

these centers to become accessible and require them to hire Business Service Representatives who are focused on the hiring of people with disabilities. 

5. Amend the Rehabilitation Act to ensure that Vocational Rehabilitation programs throughout the country not only provide employment placement services but 

also are mandated and credited for employment retention services. 

6. The Rehabilitation Act should also be amended to support the National Employment Team (NET) concept promoted by the Council of State Administrators of 

Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR). 

7. Create or fund a center (including but not limited to the NET proposed in paragraph 6) that is prepared to support employers with new or developing communication technologies that can support employment opportunities of individuals who are 

deaf and hard of hearing. 

These preliminary ideas are meant to start the dialogue on ensuring that people 

who are deaf and hard of hearing are given a chance to secure jobs as well as move 

upwards within their workplace. This population needs the opportunity to work and 

not be seen as a burden by prospective employers, and the current economic model 

under the Americans with Disabilities Act does the opposite by making reasonable 

accommodations an economic disincentive. 

This economic disincentive can be reversed by removing the cost of ongoing accommodations from the hiring equation and placing it elsewhere. 

Changing the way hiring decisions are made is just as important as making sure 

that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing receive adequate training from 

their colleges and universities. It is also important to note the importance of elementary and secondary education for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. 

There are many States that are currently looking at ways to cut costs in such elementary and secondary education, particularly with State schools that are often the 

only means of direct education available to young deaf and hard-of-hearing children. 

Such schools are a critical means of preparing such young students for a lifetime 

of quality employment, and these schools must be preserved. 

Sincerely, 

HOWARD A. ROSENBLUM, 

Chief Executive Officer, 

National Association of the Deaf. 

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS OF SENATOR ENZI BY T. ALAN HURWITZ

Question 1. I want to ask about low expectations that are too often established 

for students with disabilities. They become self-fulfilling prophecies. What can be 

done to change this situation and what is Gallaudet doing to change this situation? 

Answer 1. Low expectations are indeed a destructive force in the education and 

employment of deaf people. When people are not expected to succeed, they often do 

not believe in themselves, and then they do not achieve all that they could if the 

best had been required and expected of them. 

One of the ways Gallaudet is addressing this problem of low expectations is by 

creating four new pre-programs that will prepare students to enter demanding professional careers: Pre-law, pre-medicine, pre-architecture and pre-MBA. These four 

programs will train deaf students in these fields, preparing them to go on to higher 

education and thrive in those four professions. Lawyers, doctors, architects and 

business people are some of the highest achieving and most demanding professions 

in the United States. Offering these programs shows that we believe in students 

and they can dream and achieve whatever career they desire. The deaf youth of 

America will know that Gallaudet expects them to be highly successful, and that 

includes becoming doctors, lawyers, architects and business people. We will provide 

them the support, tools, and confidence to achieve. 

Furthermore, Gallaudet admission standards have increased. For example in 

2006, 31 percent of students had English levels that required them to be placed in 

‘‘conditional’’ status. In 2011, that number was only 16 percent. Also, in 2006, the 

average ACT English, math and reading scores were 14.0, 16.9 and 16.8 respectively. In 2011, those scores were 17.6, 17.9 and 19.7. Additionally, as Gallaudet has 

seen increased standards among those students admitted to the University, graduation rates have improved, as has persistence. Increasing our standards has not led 

to decreasing enrollment. We believe that if we have high expectations for prospective students, deaf and hard-of-hearing youth and the schools that serve them will 

meet those expectations. 

Question 2. Can you please talk about technology and other change moving from 

the deaf community into the mainstream? 
65 

1From http://www.realtimetext.org/index.php?pagina=27. 

Answer 2. Many technologies primarily used by the deaf community have moved 

into the mainstream and gained larger use and acceptance. Captioning for television 

and movies was originally done to grant access to deaf and hard-of-hearing people, 

but now can be found in noisy environments, such as bars and airports, disseminating information to all watching. Videophone technology used by deaf people is 

more reliable than the video technology available to the general public today, such 

as internet-based systems like Skype. The interoperability also allows different 

types of videophones to call each other, and they may serve as the example for 

mainstream video technology. 

Furthermore, real-time text technology, originally used by deaf people who used 

TTY’s (Teletypewriters) in the latter half of the 20th century to communicate, while 

fairly obsolete technology now, could come back in popularity. This technology allows words to be seen in real time, as they are written, and the Real-Time Text task 

force believes mainstream users will utilize it as well.1 Also, volume control on telephones that was beneficial for hard-of-hearing users is now available on general 

phones and visual alert systems, like flashers for phones, can be purchased in mainstream electronic stores. All of these are examples where technology that was originally intended for the deaf community has reached and benefitted a larger audience. 

Question 3. Everyone needs preparation to take his/her place in the workforce. 

Perhaps those who are deaf or hard of hearing need additional preparation because 

they have not had the opportunity to learn about the workplace while growing up. 

What can be done about this and what is Gallaudet doing to overcome these problems? 

Answer 3. One way that Gallaudet fulfills the need to train our students about 

the workforce is through internships. Gallaudet has a high rate of internship placement—80 percent of graduating seniors complete at least one internship prior to 

graduation, a percentage much higher than the national average of 52 percent. Internships give students practical, hands on experience in the workforce, allowing 

them to acquire the requisite skills for future employment. This also exposes deaf 

and hard-of-hearing interns to employers who get to see firsthand the benefits of 

hiring individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

Furthermore, students also have the opportunity to work on campus. Multiple 

venues, such as the library, archives, on-campus restaurant, and various academic 

and administrative departments hire students. This gives our students the opportunity to work, earn money, and participate in employment, providing them knowledge and skills about working. Also, multiple services are offered by the Gallaudet 

Career Center that prepares students for their careers. These are discussed in question #4. 

Question 4. What types of on-campus career services does Gallaudet provide for 

students? 

Answer 4. Gallaudet University has a Career Center that provides a variety of 

resources for students to aid them in finding employment. Some of these are: 

• Career Consultation: Students can make appointments and receive assistance 

with resume ́s and cover letters, preparation for internships and jobs, as well as assessments of their interests. • Internship program: Internships provide students with valuable experience in 

entering the workforce and preparing them for employment. Students are allowed 

the option of receiving academic credit for these internships. • Career Development Course: This seminar, which is required for graduation, 

teaches students how to write resume ́s, network, and prepare for interviews. • Internship and Job Fairs: Twice a year, in the fall and the spring, the Career 

Center hosts Internship and Job fairs, attended by approximately 40–50 employers. 

Students are able to meet and interact with potential employers, and network at 

these events. • Career Library: The career library has in its collection graduate school information, as well as materials for students to use that will assist them in their job 

search. 

• Bison Career Link: This Web site is an online recruitment and internship/job 

search site that links to hundreds of employers. It also provides people looking for 

jobs access to daily updated listings of on-campus jobs, internship opportunities, as 

well as part-time and full-time employment openings. 

• On-Campus Recruitment Program: Employers come to Gallaudet to recruit students for internships, summer jobs, and permanent employment. They host information sessions, on-campus interviews and mock interviews. 
66 

• Workforce Recruitment Program: The Gallaudet Career Center is involved with 

the Workforce Recruitment Program. This program is run by the Office of Disability 

Employment Policy and the Department of Defense. It connects Federal and private 

sector employers with students who are searching for summer and permanent employment and also keeps a database that details the qualifications of each student. 

Question 5. Has Gallaudet formed partnerships with other institutions of higher 

education to assist non-Gallaudet deaf and hard-of-hearing students with their job 

searches? Please describe these arrangements? 

Answer 5. Gallaudet has a system of regional centers throughout the United 

States, called Gallaudet University Regional Centers. These centers are provided in 

partnership with local colleges to assist deaf people throughout the country. The six 

regional centers are: 

1. Northeast: Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, MA 

2. Southeast: Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 

3. Midwest: John A. Logan College, Carterville, IL 

4. Southwest: Austin Community College, Austin, TX 

5. West: Ohlone College, Fremont, CA 

6. Pacific: Kapi’olani Community College, Honolulu, HI 

The Gallaudet University Regional Centers provide a variety of resources to deaf 

people throughout the United States. They have extension courses, for deaf and 

hard-of-hearing people and their families, as well as professionals who work with 

deaf people. They also offer training workshops, which discuss literacy, family involvement and the transition from school to postsecondary education and employment, as well as other topics. These centers, where Gallaudet partners with other 

institutions of higher education, assist deaf people in a myriad of ways, including 

with the transition to employment. 

Also, Gallaudet is engaged in the ‘‘Task Force on Health Care Careers for the 

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community’’ in partnership with the National Technical 

Institute for the Deaf, the Rochester General Health System, and the University of 

Rochester Medical System. This group, established in June 2010, is described as follows in their June 2011 interim report. 

‘‘The Task Force mission is to provide recommendations that will increase career opportunities for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in health care professions. Such professions include those positions typically requiring associate 

degree level training through those requiring graduate and professional education in a variety of health care fields (including medical and pharmacological 

technologies, clinical care, research, administrative and IT support). The Task 

Force was created in response to a national demand for more skilled health care 

professionals, a need to improve the quality of health care services for under-
67 

2 ‘‘Building Pathways to Health Care Careers for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community,’’ 

unpublished Interim Report, Short-Term Recommendations, Task Force on Health Care Careers 

for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community, June 2011. 

served citizens who are D/HH, and an acknowledgment of the significant employment barriers that exist for qualified D/HH individuals in the health care 

industry. The Task Force also supports and furthers current Department of 

Labor goals that focus on increasing employment and career advancement opportunities for all workers and professionals with disabilities.’’ 2

This task force is an additional way Gallaudet is teaming up with other institutions in order to improve employment outcomes for those who are deaf or hard of 

hearing. 

Question 6. What challenges do you still encounter in your efforts to place Gallaudet students in the workforce? 

Answer 6. One of the primary challenges faced as Gallaudet strives to place students in the workforce is a lack of understanding of the abilities of deaf people by 

employers. Negative stereotypes are held about the capabilities of our students, and 

this hinders our ability to place them in positions. Better education of employers 

is needed to show that our students are capable, competent workers. This is one of 

the added benefits of our high placement of students in internships. In addition to 

teaching students the necessary skills to thrive in their careers, it also shows employers what deaf people can achieve. 

Furthermore, another barrier to placement of our students is the cost and/or perceived cost of interpreting services and other accommodations. Employers may be 

wary of the added costs, and thus hesitate to hire a deaf person. They may also have 

erroneous ideas about interpreters and what that entails, and that hinders their 

willingness to try hiring a deaf person. 

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS OF SENATOR ENZI BY GERARD J. BUCKLEY, PH.D. 

Question 1. It is my understanding that NTID has conducted research to measure 

your graduates’ participation in programs such as Supplemental Security Income 

(SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Would you please discuss the 

findings of these studies? 

Answer 1. In the late 1970s, it became increasingly clear to NTID that selfreported questionnaires completed by graduates were inadequate for assessing the 

impact of an NTID education on employment outcomes. As a result, we forged institutional partnerships over time with the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, and disability employment and public policy experts at the 

School of Ecology at Cornell University. NTID has developed not only memoranda 

of agreement with these Federal agencies, but also data-sharing agreements that 

ensure complete confidentiality of exchanged information. The resulting program of 

research generated and supported by these partnerships and agreements is described as ‘‘unique throughout higher education and rehabilitation services’’ by Dr. 

Richard Burkhauser, who is an internationally recognized public policy expert at 

Cornell University. 

By providing the social security numbers (serving as individually unique identifiers) of its graduates to appropriate Federal agencies, NTID has obtained aggregate 

statistics on yearly earnings, employment participation, and participation in Federal 

assistance programs such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Analyses of these aggregate data have demonstrated the return on Federal investment in students who attend RIT/NTID. For 

example, deaf and hard-of-hearing bachelor degree graduates return to the Federal 

treasury an average of $6,632 per year in Federal taxes during their first 25 years 

of employment. This annual figure exceeds, by $2,063, the annuitized amount of 

$4,569 required to pay back the Federal investment for their education (Clarcq, J.R. 

& Walter, G.G., 1998; Schley et al, 2011). 

Additionally, research conducted in 2006 compared a group of NTID deaf and 

hard-of-hearing graduates with three other groups: those students who were denied 

admission, those who were accepted but chose not to attend, and those who enrolled 

but did not persist to graduation. In each of these cases, it was clear that graduating as an NTID-supported student at RIT meant, on average, a significant increase in earnings. Further observations include the decreased dependency on Federal assistance programs such as SSI and SSDI for those individuals who graduate 

from RIT/NTID, as compared to those who do not. By age 50, 1 percent of graduates 

collected SSI, while, on average, 19 percent of individuals who withdrew or have 

been rejected for admission continue to participate in the program. This reduction 
68 

is especially noteworthy when one considers that 77.6 percent of students were receiving SSI benefits at age 19. While virtually no one participated in the SSDI program when they were students, by age 50 about 22 percent of graduates with a 

bachelor’s and 26.8 percent of grads with an associate’s degree were receiving SSDI 

benefits. These rates compare favorably to 34 percent for non-graduates. 

In short, deaf and hard-of-hearing graduates from RIT/NTID have higher employment rates, higher earnings, and a lower draw of Federal funds than deaf and hardof-hearing students not graduating from RIT/NTID. By age 50, deaf and hard-ofhearing bachelor degree graduates from RIT/NTID earn on average $6,021 more 

than those with associate degrees; who in turn earn $3,996 more on average than 

those who withdraw; who themselves earn $4,329 more than those who are not admitted. 

Question 2. Given that NTID operates within the Rochester Institute of Technology, would you discuss how much integration there is between NTID and the rest 

of RIT? What types of interactions and commonalities are there between NTID students and the larger RIT student body? 

Answer 2. RIT’s total enrollment this fall is 17,652 students, including NTID’s 

contribution of 1,547 students. All RIT students are represented by RIT Student 

Government, whose president for the last 2 years has been Greg Pollock, a former 

NTID Student Congress President and deaf student pursuing his bachelor’s degree 

in Professional and Technical Communication. This year and last year, Greg was 

the only student to give a speech at the RIT Convocation for New Students and 

Families, which he did in American Sign Language or ASL (with voicing and captioning provided by NTID Access Services staff). Greg’s vice president for 2 years, 

Phil Amsler, is a hearing student who signs fluently, though he learned ASL only 

after arriving at RIT. 

Like Phil, many RIT students become interested in ASL as a result of NTID. The 

number of students taking ASL has more than tripled at RIT over the past 4 

years—this year, 2,193 students enrolled in ASL classes in just the fall, winter and 

spring quarters. RIT students organize the No Voice Zone, where they meet regularly (often in late evening) to teach, laugh and learn about deaf culture. Another 

example of the integration of NTID within RIT is the opening of the RIT American 

Sign Language and Deaf Culture Community Center last year, right in the center 

of campus at RIT’s Student Alumni Union. 

NTID-supported students can take full advantage of all RIT resources and programs. For example, one of the students chosen to participate in RIT’s Global Leadership Certificate Program from the 75 who applied is deaf. At the first meeting of 

that program, a hearing RIT student from Brazil shared how he joined a primarily 

deaf and hard-of-hearing fraternity on campus since ‘‘most of my friends are deaf.’’ 

In addition to diversity programs such as this, NTID students can also participate 

in study abroad programs. Maya Ariel, who attended the Senate HELP hearing on 

October 11, was able to spend 10 weeks in Italy on one of RIT’s study abroad programs. 

NTID provides services that maximize access and success of deaf and hard-ofhearing students engaged in wellness courses, intercollegiate athletics, and intramural and recreation programs. In fiscal year 2010, NTID had 15 student athletes 

competing in basketball, lacrosse, soccer, cross-country, track and wrestling. A new 

feature-length film, The Hammer, dramatizes the true story of one of RIT/NTID’s 

student athletes, Matt Hamill. After transferring to RIT/NTID from Purdue University, Matt went on to graduate from NTID and become a three-time NCAA Wrestling Division III National Champion, the first deaf wrestler to win a national collegiate championship. 

NTID’s Performing Arts department brings together deaf, hard-of-hearing and 

hearing students, faculty/staff and members of the Rochester community as actors, 

dancers, theater technicians and front-of-house staff (box office and ushers). Actors 

who are deaf or hard-of-hearing perform their lines using ASL, while hearing actors 

on stage simultaneously speak the lines. In fiscal year 2010, more than 490 individuals participated in six performances. 

Regardless of degree program, deaf and hard-of-hearing students are able to take 

advantage of myriad access services designed specifically for them. In fiscal year 

2010, 42 percent of NTID’s 1,332 deaf and hard-of-hearing students were pursuing 

baccalaureate or graduate degrees alongside hearing students at RIT. There are faculty tutors, advisors, notetakers, and captionists, as well as the largest staff of fulltime interpreters of any college in the world. On-site audiologists provide services 

related to hearing and hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems. Speech-language pathologists offer a broad range of speech and language services. NTID also 
69 

works with each of RIT’s colleges to provide the support needed to implement strategies for maximizing access to campus services for deaf students. 

Question 3. What types of on-campus career services does NTID provide for students? 

Answer 3. Prior to students’ cooperative work experiences (usually off-campus), 

NTID’s Center on Employment (NCE) offers a Job Search Process course to support 

student learning about how to organize and conduct job search activities. In fiscal 

year 2010, 141 NTID students enrolled in this course. NCE staff also offer specific 

sessions on resume ́s and career development workshops, with 82 NTID students 

participating in such workshops in fiscal year 2010. 

Students utilize the extensive NCE Web site and print resources to research prospective employers, identify appropriate employment opportunities and obtain information about applying for a job and working. During the academic year, employment advisors meet with students at different locations on campus and reach out 

to students at different NTID events. NCE advisors also provide job-seeking advice 

to students and graduates through e-mail, instant messaging and videophone. In fiscal year 2010, NCE staff provided more than 3,000 hours of student and graduate 

employment advising. 

Every fall quarter, NCE also hosts its annual job fair. In October 2011, the NTID 

Job Fair hosted over 40 employers with almost 400 students and alumni participating. During this fair, six employers participated in a panel discussion, explaining 

the job search process from their company’s perspective and answering questions 

from student attendees. 

Also, NTID’s counseling services department manages a full-service Career Resource and Testing Center that provides a number of career assessment tools and 

resources, including an interactive, computer-based career information system that 

helps students assess their interests, learning styles and values, and explore a wide 

range of career and educational options. Last year, this department provided more 

than 11,500 hours of career and personal counseling as well as academic advising 

for students. 

Question 4. Has NTID formed partnerships with other institutions of higher education to assist non-NTID deaf and hard-of-hearing students with their job 

searches? Please describe these arrangements? 

Answer 4. As Gallaudet University President Alan Hurwitz mentioned, NTID has 

joined with Gallaudet, the National Center on Deaf Health Research at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and the Rochester General Health System to form 

a Task Force on Health Care Careers for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community. 

This task force will address the limited opportunities for qualified deaf and hardof-hearing individuals in this country to pursue careers in health care. Through the 

unique partnership of these institutions and organizations, the task force aims to 

expand opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals within health care 

professions through increased accessibility strategies and options, the coordination 

and development of educational programs and enabling policy. The task force will 

issue its recommendations in March 2012. 

Another recent partnership between NTID and other institutions of higher education to assist non-NTID deaf and hard-of-hearing students with employment is 

DeafTEC. The National Science Foundation has awarded more than $4.45 million 

over 4 years to RIT/NTID to establish DeafTEC: Technological Education Center for 

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students, an Advanced Technological Education (ATE) 

National Center of Excellence. There are approximately 40 ATE centers across the 

country, and DeafTEC will be the first ever established to serve individuals who are 

deaf or hard of hearing. 

DeafTEC will establish a model within targeted regions of the country—California, Texas and Florida—that will create partnerships among high schools, community colleges, and industry to improve access to technological education and employment for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The initial regional DeafTEC partners are: 

California 

California School for the Deaf, Riverside 

Pierce College, Woodland Hills 

Cisco Systems Inc., San Jose 

Solar Turbines Incorporated, San Diego 

The Dow Chemical Company, Hayward and La Mirada 

Florida 

Florida School for the Deaf & the Blind, St. Augustine 
70 

St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg 

ConMed Linvatec Corporation, Largo 

BioDerm, Inc., North Largo 

Bovie Medical Corporation, Clearwater 

Texas 

Texas School for the Deaf, Austin 

Austin Community College, Austin 

The Dow Chemical Company, Houston, Bay Port, Texas City, Deer Park/LaPorte, 

Freeport and Seadrift 

DeafTEC will serve as a resource for high schools and community colleges across 

the country that educate deaf and hard-of-hearing students in science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related programs and for employers hiring 

deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Through its comprehensive Web site, DeafTEC 

will serve as a clearinghouse for information related to technical education and technician careers for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, including career awareness 

materials, teaching strategies for improving student access to learning, developmental math and English curricula, and information for employers to help them 

provide a more accessible workplace. 

The goal of this national center is to successfully integrate more deaf and hardof-hearing individuals into the workplace, especially in highly skilled technician jobs 

where deaf and hard-of-hearing workers are currently underrepresented and underutilized. DeafTEC will provide them, as well as their teachers, counselors, employers 

and co-workers with the resources that will help them succeed, both in the classroom and on the job. 

NTID has also been awarded a $1.6 million 5-year grant from the National 

Science Foundation’s Research in Disability Education program to establish a virtual academic community for non-NTID college students who are deaf or hard of 

hearing and majoring in the STEM fields. Cornell University and Camden County 

(NJ) College will be NTID’s initial partners on the project. 

The program is designed to increase graduation rates of deaf and hard-of-hearing 

STEM majors in postsecondary education in the long term. The grant team members will create a model that will provide remote tutoring and mentoring support 

and captioning and interpreting access services, via the cyber infrastructure, for the 

more than 30,000 deaf and hard-of-hearing students studying in mainstream colleges across the country. Although being piloted in the Northeast, the project seeks 

to implement a model that will be shared throughout the country. 

Question 5. What challenges do you still encounter in your efforts to place NTID 

students in the workforce? 

Answer 5. NTID has been fortunate to build outstanding and productive relationships with employers across the country that understand and value the talents that 

our graduates bring to the table. These employers also understand that, just as 

these students repay the Federal investment in their education at RIT/NTID, their 

productivity also repays employer investment in their accommodations many times 

over. 

But these are the lucky employers, the ones who are already taking advantage 

of a deep talent base of educated deaf and hard-of-hearing professionals. Despite all 

the outreach that we and other entities conduct with employers, and despite the 

many laws and regulations mandating equal opportunity in hiring and accessibility 

in employment, there continues to be prejudice and ignorance about hiring and 

working with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. 

As an example, earlier this year, ABC’s television show What Would You Do? featured NTID students Hannah Worek and Maya Ariel, who both attended the Senate 

hearing, acting as job applicants at a coffee shop. An actor portraying the shop’s 

manager told the young women that they would not be hired simply because they 

are deaf. Sadly, in this instance, only a few individuals spoke out against this discrimination. What is worse, several customers who identified themselves as HR professionals advised the manager on how to ‘‘legally’’ discriminate in ways that could 

not be easily detected or proven. NTID is using the show as another positive launching pad for providing outreach and education to human resource professionals and 

employers. 

Another challenge continues to be ensuring that NTID students, like their hearing 

counterparts, keep pace with the changing job market and technical skills needed 

in the workplace. RIT and NTID work to address those challenges by creating new 

academic programs in ‘‘hot job’’ categories, using employer feedback to tweak existing academic programs, and making sure equipment and facilities continue to be 

state-of-the-art. 
71 

Appropriate academic preparation for college is another challenge for some deaf 

and hard-of-hearing students. NTID tries to improve that preparation through its 

outreach programs that connect with middle and high school students and alert 

them to what they need to do to prepare for college and career success. 

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS OF SENATOR ENZI BY IBM 

Question 1. Besides working with Gallaudet and NTID, what other work is IBM 

doing to employ people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing? 

Answer 1. IBM has several ways of recruiting deaf or hard-of hearing candidates. 

• IBM maintains relationships with many recruiting agencies/vendors which specialize in diverse candidates, among them the National Disability Business Council 

and Getting Hired. • Working with programs like Entry Point, a program developed between the 

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), IBM and NASA, and 

IBM’s Project View, a diversity recruitment program offering students the opportunity to explore IBM’s national career options. Project View has been an especially 

successful path into IBM for many people with disabilities. • IBM hosts an annual technology camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing high school 

students to help build a pipeline of future scientists and engineers and encourage 

them to pursue careers in math, science and engineering. • IBM enlists employees, like Seth Bravin, to help recruit potential candidates by 

participating in conferences, forums and seminars that showcase their careers and 

work. By making the case for an inclusive workplace and modeling best practices, 

other companies are also encouraged to employ people with disabilities. IBM is 

proud of its diverse employment history and our employees take every opportunity 

to share our story. For example, Seth has recently presented at the National Association of the Deaf conference, Hearing Loss Association of America conference, Deaf 

& Hard of Hearing in Government conference, and the Work RERC (Rehabilitation 

Engineering Research Center on Workplace Accommodations) Conference. 

Question 2. What can be done to encourage more partnerships between industry 

and higher education that will promote employment opportunities for people who 

are deaf and hard-of-hearing? 

Answer 2. We have found the best way for IBM to encourage more industry partnerships is to share our best practices and our success stories as well as be a recruitment and hiring model for our suppliers and partners. In Seth’s testimony he 

discussed this in the section entitled, A Shared Responsibility: Build the employment candidate pipeline. 

Other ideas for promoting partnerships: 

• Government using recognition and awards to highlight companies, practices, or 

people that are leading the way in hiring. 

• Promoting the return on investment and making a business case for hiring people with disabilities. Askearn.org is an excellent resource for this information, a collaborative project between USBLN and DOL/ODEP. 

• College and school boards or advisory committees including business executives 

as an important part of their mission. 

• Emphasizing in government education and research grants corporate collaboration with higher education on projects—e.g. intellectual property development. 

For example, IBM collaborated with leaders from higher education to develop the 

IBM Education Cloud. This cloud computing initiative provides computing platforms 

as a service (PaaS), software as a service (SaaS), advanced analytics, and virtualized 

desktops featuring open source technologies. A companion Cloud Academy initiative 

composed of partners from education institutions helped shape IBM’s Education 

Cloud into a robust and productive educational environment. The Education Cloud 

is both a platform for daily classroom services and for future innovations; as such, 

the services and functions it provides were developed to be accessible to users of 

various ages and capabilities. 

Question 3. What challenges have you encountered in your efforts to hire individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing? 

Answer 3. We continue to seek qualified candidates ready to step into the complexities of a global environment, and are eager to hire as needed and as appropriate. The challenge remains, to work for IBM a candidate must be strong in a 

STEM field, with an excellent scholastic record and skill development. This is true 

for all our employees. Candidates with the correct skill set are at times difficult to 

find. In Seth’s testimony he also highlighted the transportation and available assistive technology as barriers. 
72 

Question 4. Both you and Mr. Ellis have spoken very highly of the other’s efforts 

to hire individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. With this in mind, what types 

of things are you doing to encourage other companies to also develop relationships 

with Gallaudet and NTID, and to hire individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing? 

Answer 4. Again, IBM feels that the best way to encourage companies to hire people with disabilities or to work with academic institutions is to model our best practices and put IBM professionals in visible roles. By having deaf and hard-of hearing 

employees in our key functions such as research, software development, and technology services, we are able to leverage their talent and insight to develop innovative solutions that are unique and differentiated. 

In addition, we work with IBM business partners and advocacy organizations including USBLN, the American Association of People with Disabilities, and the Hearing Loss Association of America to actively market and sell accessible workplace solutions. We model a diverse workforce and provide a roadmap for the successful hiring and accommodation of individuals with disabilities, including those who are deaf 

and hard-of-hearing. 

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS OF SENATOR ENZI BY MICHAEL J. ELLIS

Question 1. Besides working with Gallaudet and NTID, what other work is Sprint 

doing to employ people who are Deaf or hard of hearing? 

Answer 1. Sprint is an Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes employing 

individuals with disabilities. We enthusiastically embrace a diverse and inclusive 

workforce. We provide a variety of accommodations throughout the job application 

process as needed, and prospective employees may utilize the very same process 

available to employees regarding appropriate accommodations. 

Sprint is committed to offering products and services that are accessible for the 

Deaf and hard-of-hearing. Through this commitment, we have learned that if these 

communities know that the people behind our products and services are also Deaf 

or hard of hearing, our offerings are better received. When we’re representative of 

the 53 million customers we serve, we’re better at meeting their expectations. We 

understand them and know their needs. Common sense and commitment to quality 

have become the driving force behind our success. When a corporation’s programs, 

products and services are conceptualized, designed, and provided by people with 

similar disabilities, the consumer community knows and trusts the output to be exactly what they need and want. 

Sprint Relay employees are actively involved in various national and State associations for the Deaf and hard of hearing, including the National Association of the 

Deaf (NAD), Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), Association of Late Deafened Adults (ALDA) and many State associations of the Deaf. We also market our 

accessible products and services at national conventions, such as the American Association of Retired People (AARP), Abilities Expo and Deaf Nation regional conferences. It is through these associations and events that we are able to show the 

community and other businesses our commitment to hiring people with disabilities. 

We also share job openings with these associations and other Deaf and hard-of-hearing news Web sites such as www.deafdigest.net. 

Question 2. What can be done to encourage more partnerships between industry 

and higher education that will promote employment opportunities for people who 

are Deaf and hard of hearing? 

Answer 2. Higher education institutions can educate the corporate community by 

inviting companies to participate in paid internship placements, job mentoring and 

transitional support programs. As part of these career placement programs, higher 

education institutions should also offer consultative and training programs to businesses on how to provide reasonable accommodation to prospective employees who 

are Deaf or hard of hearing. This consultation and training support should help employers address the types of environmental (visual), communicative (American Sign 

Language) and attitudinal barriers (‘‘Deaf people can’t . . . ’’) that may be present 

in the workplace. 

Higher education programs can also prepare students to become self-advocates by 

providing them with knowledge regarding reasonable accommodations available to 

them under Title 1 of The Americans with Disabilities Act. 

One of the biggest challenges many businesses have in hiring the Deaf and hard 

of hearing is understanding and budgeting for compensation pertaining to costs related to communication access, i.e., American Sign Language interpreters. Without 

this type of accommodation, a Deaf applicant may never be considered for a job 

opening or, once hired, not be able to participate in certain work-related activities 
73 

and programs. While the advent of text- and video-based technology has certainly 

made this communication barrier less of an obstacle, it does not replace the need 

for translation between American Sign Language and English. 

Question 3. What challenges have you encountered in your efforts to hire individuals who are Deaf or hard of hearing? 

Answer 3. Because Sprint sets such a high value on inclusion and diversity and 

the value it brings to making our products and services best in class, we don’t really 

have any challenges in hiring the Deaf and hard of hearing at Sprint. Active memberships and leadership roles in the community help Sprint remain involved and 

connected with the very best pool of potential applicants for job openings as they 

become available. 

However, based on my experience, some recent graduates could benefit from additional training on how to effectively and continuously advocate for themselves. Such 

training and support may determine whether they succeed in an increasingly competitive workforce. Specifically, Sprint and most employers are very supportive of 

providing applicants with the necessary accommodations to level the playing field 

with other applicants; however, students should engage the employer prior to entering the process, discuss any accommodations that have proven successful for them 

in the past and utilize the accommodation process provided, understanding that 

each employer is unique and must evaluate the situation on a case-by-case basis. 

This facilitates the employer being prepared for the needs of the applicant and will 

improve the student’s chances of successfully finding a position. 

Question 4. Both you and Mr. Bravin have spoken very highly of the other’s efforts to hire individuals who are Deaf and hard of hearing. With this in mind, what 

types of things are you doing to encourage other companies to also develop relationships with Gallaudet and NTID, and to hire individuals who are Deaf and hard of 

hearing? 

Answer 4. Sprint leads by example. Our goal for more than 20 years has been 

to offer the latest technology and service to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. We do business and buy services from companies that specifically employ the 

Deaf and hard of hearing, are owned by the Deaf or hard of hearing, or provide services to those communities. This investment serves as a catalyst for those businesses 

to continue to hire employees who are also Deaf and hard of hearing. 

Sprint works with more than 100 businesses and agencies that focus solely on the 

Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. From Deafnation, Inc. to National Black 

Deaf Advocates to Deaf Tech News, Sprint has made a significant investment in the 

Deaf and hard-of-hearing community in business spend alone. This support at both 

the local and national level underscores our commitment to the Deaf community and 

inclusion. 

Sprint products and services that are available to our customers include relay 

services, hearing aid-compatible wireless phones, TTY-compatible phones, Sprint 

Video Relay Services, Sprint IP Relay, Sprint Relay with AIM, CapTel and Web 

CapTel along with the ability to use Video Customer Service. Sprint Mobile IP Relay 

is a free application that can be downloaded from the Android market onto select 

Android devices, and empowers thousands of users in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing 

communities and people with speech disabilities to communicate by phone virtually 

anywhere and anytime. 

Since the Americans with Disabilities Act, many Deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens 

have benefitted from Sprint Relay’s products and services to the extent that it helps 

them apply for jobs and remain employed. They may use one of our many different 

telephone relay service applications to make phone calls, set up interviews, conduct 

interviews, and to communicate with others once they are hired. With these tools 

and accessible resources, employers really have no excuse not to hire more Deaf and 

hard-of-hearing employees. Relay services removed communication barriers and leveled the playing field in today’s competitive work environment. 

Working for Sprint has been a very empowering experience for me. Through the 

years I’ve seen many of my Deaf and hard-of-hearing co-workers receive promotions, 

take on additional responsibilities or move on to other companies also known for 

providing accessibility and promoting the employment opportunities for Deaf and 

hard-of-hearing citizens. Sprint has a great reputation as a training ground and 

place to establish a career because of its commitment to accessibility and inclusion. 

I’m proud to say that I’m a Sprint employee. 
74 

CONSORTIUM FOR CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES (CCD), 

October 21, 2011. 

Hon. TOM HARKIN, Chairman, 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, 

U.S. Senate, 

Washington, DC 20510. 

Hon. MIKE ENZI, Ranking Member, 

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, 

U.S. Senate, 

Washington, DC 20510. 

DEAR SENATORS HARKIN AND ENZI: On behalf of the Consortium of Citizens with 

Disabilities Employment and Training Task Force, we appreciate your commitment 

in addressing employment outcomes for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing 

at the field hearing on October 11, 2011, ‘‘Leveraging Higher Education to Improve 

the Employment Outcomes for People Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.’’ The 

Consortium of Citizens with Disabilities is a coalition of more than 130 national disability-related organizations working together to advocate for national public policy 

that ensures full equality, self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society. 

The CCD Employment and Training Task Force believes that meaningful employment represents one of the best opportunities for people with disabilities as they 

work toward becoming productive and independent members of their community. To 

that end, we applaud your continued efforts to address the deplorable state of labor 

force participation rate among Americans with disabilities including people who are 

deaf and hard of hearing. While the task force strongly supports giving people with 

disabilities the widest opportunities to achieve their highest levels of educational attainment which was the primary focus of the hearing, we want to remind the committee that many people with disabilities may instead pursue vocational endeavors 

in post-secondary life. Barriers to their success must also be removed. 

Our task force believes that employment of individuals with disabilities requires 

a comprehensive approach that addresses all aspects of their lives in order to ensure 

that every individual receives appropriate education, training, and transition services in order to prepare them for the workforce. Such an approach also requires addressing a wide range of other issues: outreach to and engagement with employers, 

service monitoring and quality assurance, engagement of individuals and families, 

the availability of benefits counseling that supports community employment, transportation, and inter-agency collaboration with public vocational rehabilitation, to 

name just a few. Strong transition services from school-to-work, with a clear focus 

on community employment are also critical. 

All of these things can be achieved through the reauthorization of the Workforce 

Investment Act and our task force hopes that the committee will continue moving 

forward with legislation this session. We recently submitted to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, the following set of principles for reauthorization which may also be helpful in your deliberations: 

WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT REAUTHORIZATION PRINCIPLES

• People with disabilities including people who are deaf and hard of hearing using 

the workforce investment system must be thought of as job seekers first. The workforce investment system should then respond to their needs from this assumption 

as it would any job seeker utilizing the system. 

• The workforce investment system should be reconstructed using the principles 

of universal design to ensure that any job seeker can access the full array of services 

available. 

• Training should be enhanced for workforce investment system staff to respond to differing levels of customer need. 

• The workforce investment system should be structured to access and utilize 

a variety of approaches and strategies to infuse disability awareness throughout local service delivery systems. 

• This reauthorization should strengthen the workforce investment systems 

commitment to physical, technological and programmatic accessibility. 

• People with disabilities must be included in any categories of priority of service 

and funds should be dedicated to meeting those needs. Workforce investment funds 

should prioritize targeted at-risk groups. 

• The workforce investment system should approach each job seeker as an individual and respond to his or her needs accordingly. 
75 

• It should provide each job seeker with access to training needed to meet local 

labor market needs. 

• It should utilize strategies such as assistive technology, supported or customized employment, job restructuring, and flex arrangements that allow job 

seekers to maximize opportunities in the local labor market. 

• It should provide reasonable accommodations when appropriate. 

• A dedicated Federal funding stream should be established to adequately fund 

all of the infrastructure costs of our Nation’s job training system. 

• The role of the workforce investment system in youth with disabilities 

transitioning from school to work and community life should be strengthened. 

• The workforce investment system should strengthen its coordination with vocational and educational programs for veterans with disabilities to ensure that wounded warriors access all services and benefits to which they are entitled. 

• The workforce investment system must be held accountable for its services to 

people with disabilities. This means that: 

• The performance measurement system should be redesigned so as to not create disincentives to serving people with disabilities. 

• Reporting requirements must be changed to include data on services to people 

with disabilities. 

• State and local system governance plans should explicitly outline strategies 

for serving individuals with disabilities. 

• Local systems should engage employment service providers with expertise in 

serving people with disabilities. 

• Governance bodies should assure that staff is appropriately trained to respond to the needs of job seekers with disabilities. 

• The employment interests of people with disabilities must be represented in the 

workforce investment system’s governance structure. 

• The Secretary of Labor should ensure that personnel with expertise in disability 

policy and programs are embedded in the local and State system to promote linkages between public and private agencies and expand employment opportunities for 

people with disabilities. 

• Authorizing and strengthening the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s role 

in shaping and advancing policy on employment of people with disabilities. 

We hope this document will be useful as you move through the legislative process 

and look forward to working with you and the committee over the coming months 

to renew and improve the Workforce Investment Act. 

Sincerely, 

ACCSES, 

Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs. 

EASTER SEALS, 

NISH, 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNCILS ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, 

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND

PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA. 

[Whereupon, at 2:56 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.] 

Æ