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

耳聋造成了交流障碍，导致了重大而独特的学习需求。例如，聋人或有听力障碍的成年人在参加由手语翻译支持的传统专业培训时，往往会感到沮丧，难以理解技术内容。这些学习者报告说，他们在教学节奏以及与教师和同龄人的沟通方面存在困难。在课外的情况下，比如休息或午餐时间，被认为是尴尬的，因为他们需要一个翻译来进行社交。这种间接的交流环境经常让这些学习者感到孤立，就像“二等公民”，并质疑他们自己学习技术内容的能力和能力。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极为有限。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。该项目将由全球领先的供应商中立IT认证提供商CompTIA和位于罗切斯特理工学院国家聋人技术研究所（NTID）的DeafTEC资源中心合作开展。这种专业发展，被称为DeafTEC Ready项目，将在一个直接交流的环境中提供，所有的教师和学习者都知道美国手语，让每个人都能自由地交流。通过参加DeafTEC Ready项目，聋哑/耳聋的学习者将学习修理和维护计算机设备、网络和操作系统等技术技能，以及专业沟通和解决问题等关键工作技能。完成培训后，学员将参加CompTIA A+认证考试，这是开启IT职业生涯的行业标准。通过认证后，这些个人将从CompTIA的就业服务人员那里获得直接的就业帮助。获得认证的个人还将获得NTID应用计算机技术副学士课程的三门课程的学分。这些课程可以用于NTID或全国其他接受学分的大学的副学士学位。该项目将通过增加聋人/聋人在高技能技术人员职业中的参与，帮助满足行业对计算机支持技术人员和更多样化劳动力的需求。这种增加的参与也可以增加聋人/聋人在这些工作场所内外的接受度。该项目将通过减少语言障碍来增加获得CompTIA培训材料和考试的机会，这不仅将帮助聋哑人/聋哑人考生，也将帮助其他英语学习者。因此，该项目可以帮助来自不同社区的人们获得CompTIA A+认证并进入IT劳动力市场。DeafTEC Ready项目还将帮助雇主培养敏感性和技能，以创造一个包容的工作场所，不仅聋人/聋人员工，而且所有员工都能取得成功。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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识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.