On the benefits of specialized settings for deaf and hard of hearing students in computing

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students face barriers to communication and comprehension in typical education settings. The current study found that DHH computing students enrolled at institutions that specialize in DHH accessibility have greater access to mentorship, stronger self-efficacy in their computing ability, and a greater sense of belonging in the computing community compared to DHH students enrolled at non-specialized institutions. These findings suggest that DHH students are likely to thrive in computing programs within institutions that identify as DHH accessible.