Relating deaf students' reading and language scores at college entry to their degree completion rates.
Graduation patterns were examined for 905 deaf students (1990-1998) at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Students with higher reading and language skills had the best overall graduation percentage. Comparison of recipients of different degrees--bachelor of science (BS) versus fine arts (BFA); associate of applied science (AAS) versus occupational studies (AOS)--showed 92% of BS and 82% of AAS graduates reading at the 9th-grade level or above, versus 65% of BFA and 47% of AOS graduates. Interestingly, 80% of non-degree-earning students read at the 9th-12th grade levels; in absolute terms, they outnumbered graduates with similar reading skills in the AAS and BFA programs combined, and in the BS program. This indicates a need for improved counseling, placement, and retention strategies. Students performed similarly across degree categories, regardless of curriculum requirements and difficulty. Only non-degree-earning students had significantly lower grade averages.
Cuculick
Jessica Anne
JA
National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA.
Kelly
Ronald R
RR
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D060345:Education of Persons with Hearing Disabilities; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011932:Reading