Postsecondary Transition With Self-Determination For Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Students

Abstract

Students with disabilities may struggle with postsecondary transition since secondary school is often a scaffolded environment with supports. The use of self-determination may help ease transition difficulties, but if choice-making and goal-setting opportunities are few, the transitional process may be more complicated. The lack of self-determination often has a detrimental effect on postsecondary and adult outcomes, particularly for students of color. Certain factors may act as barriers in preventing students with disabilities from successfully utilizing self-determination at the secondary or at the postsecondary level. There is a paucity of research for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) postsecondary students. A qualitative case study using interviews was conducted in order to investigate the postsecondary transition process and the use of self-determination for seven DHH college students. Findings within this study report four major themes: identity, postsecondary transition, self-determination, and college post-transition. These themes encapsulate the barriers and supports the students encountered in their transition. While the sample size is small, it serves to emphasize the uniqueness of each DHH person’s transition experience and the variability of their experiences within this low-incidence population.