Pilot Program to Prepare Adults who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing for Skilled Technical Positions in Information Technology

耳聋会造成沟通障碍，从而产生重要而独特的学习需求。例如，失聪或听力困难的成年人在参加由手语翻译支持的传统职业发展时，往往会感到沮丧，难以理解技术内容。这些学生报告说，他们在教学速度以及与教师和同龄人沟通方面遇到困难。下课后的情况，如休息或午餐时间，被描述为尴尬的，因为他们需要一个翻译社交。这种间接的交流环境往往使这些学习者感到孤立，像“二等公民”，并质疑自己的能力和学习技术内容的能力。对于成年聋人来说，由经验丰富的教师使用美国手语（ASL）进行技术专业发展的机会非常有限。该项目的目标是提供专业发展，以改善聋人和听力障碍社区作为信息技术支持技术人员的就业情况。该项目将由包括CompTIA（世界领先的供应商中立IT认证提供商）和DeafTEC资源中心（位于罗切斯特理工学院的国家聋人技术研究所（NTID））在内的合作伙伴进行。这种专业发展，被称为DeafTEC准备计划，将在一个直接的沟通环境中提供，在这个环境中，所有的教师和学习者都知道ASL，让每个人都可以自由沟通。通过参加DeafTEC Ready计划，聋人/hh学习者将学习技术技能，如维修和维护计算机设备，网络和操作系统，以及关键的工作技能，如专业沟通和解决问题。在完成培训后，学员将参加CompTIA A+认证考试，这是启动IT职业生涯的行业标准。成功认证后，这些人将获得CompTIA职业服务人员的直接就业帮助。通过认证的个人还将获得NTID应用计算机技术副学士学位课程的三门课程的学分。 这些课程可以用于在NTID或在全国其他接受学分的学院获得副学士学位。该项目将有助于满足行业对计算机支持技术人员的需求，并通过增加聋人/hh个人对高技能技术人员职业的参与来增加劳动力的多样性。 这种参与的增加也可以提高这些工作场所内外对聋哑人的接受程度。该项目将通过减少语言障碍来增加CompTIA培训材料和考试的可及性，这不仅有助于聋人/hh考生，也有助于其他英语学习者。 因此，该项目可以帮助来自不同社区的人获得CompTIA A+认证并进入IT劳动力市场。DeafTEC Ready计划还将帮助雇主培养敏感性和技能，以创建一个包容性的工作场所，不仅聋人/hh员工，而且所有员工都可以成功。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Deafness creates communication barriers resulting in significant and unique learning needs. For example, adults who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (deaf/hh) often experience frustration and struggle with comprehending technical content when attending traditional professional development supported by sign language interpreters. These learners reported difficulties with the pace of instruction and communication with their instructors and peers. Out of class situations, such as breaks or lunch time, were described as awkward because they needed an interpreter to socialize. This indirect communication environment often left these learners feeling isolated, like “second class citizens,” and questioning their own competence and ability to learn technical content. There are extremely limited opportunities for technical professional development for deaf adults that are delivered by experienced instructors using American Sign Language (ASL). The goal of this project is to provide professional development that will improve the employment of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community as Information Technology support technicians. This project will be carried out by a partnership that includes CompTIA, the world’s leading provider of vendor-neutral IT certifications and the DeafTEC Resource Center, housed at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) within the Rochester Institute of Technology. This professional development, referred to as the DeafTEC Ready program, will be offered in a direct communication environment in which all instructors and learners know ASL, allowing everyone to communicate freely. By participating in the DeafTEC Ready program, learners who are deaf/hh will learn technical skills such as repairing and maintaining computer equipment, networks, and operating systems, as well as key workplace skills such as professional communication and problem solving. After completing their training, the learners will sit for CompTIA A+ certification exams, the industry standard for launching a career in IT. Upon successful certification, these individuals will receive direct job placement assistance from CompTIA’s career services staff. Certified individuals will also receive credit for three courses in NTID’s Applied Computer Technology associate degree programs. These courses can be used toward an associate degree at NTID or at other colleges across the country that accept the credit. The project will help meet industry’s need for computer support technicians and for a more diverse workforce by increasing participation of deaf/hh individuals in highly skilled technician careers. This increased participation can also increase acceptance of deaf/hh individuals within these workplaces and beyond. The project will increase access to CompTIA training materials and exams by reducing language barriers that will not only help deaf/hh test-takers but other English language learners. Thus, the project can help people from different communities obtain CompTIA A+ certification and enter the IT workforce. The DeafTEC Ready program will also help employers develop the sensitivity and skills to create an inclusive workplace where not only deaf/hh employees but all employees can succeed. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation’s economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.