Toward this end the RAG has identified some broad areas for research that currently appear to be priorities for investigation. The NTID mission statement emphasizes the importance of supporting the instruction of deaf and hard of hearing students. An instructional research priority must be the systematic development of approaches that match student characteristics and complementary instructional methods. Life-long career success increasingly requires individuals to have the cognitive skills to adapt to new needs and new situations. A program of research should be initiated to explore the cognitive skills necessary for students to learn and remember efficiently, to transfer what is learned from one task to another, and to become independent problem solvers and logical thinkers in a variety of educational and post-educational environments.
Effective communication is an important part of success in a postsecondary environment.
In the instructional environment factors constraining the transmission of information to deaf and hard of hearing students warrant attention. Research priority must be given to the improvement of adult literacy and language skills. Increased literacy on the part of deaf and hard of hearing students will heighten students' aspirations, levels of degree attainment, and abilities to remain current in their careers after graduation. In addition, methodologies for the communication of knowledge must be addressed with special emphasis on using sign language, interpreters, and alternative technologies. There exists little organized research literature about the process of interpreting or the use of sign language in the instructional setting.