Career Development of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adolescents

In most English-speaking countries, increasing numbers of children with significant hearing loss are being educated in regular classes with the support of itinerant teachers of the deaf, rather than in segregated settings. The transition to higher education and work is especially challenging for these students. This book reports on an Australian study investigating the career decision-making of deaf and hard of hearing students in their last years of high school. The study identified potential career barriers as a key factor influencing the career decision-making of these students, and clarified understanding of the ways in which their social participation and social self-concept interacted with their career decision-making. Its findings suggested that students with hearing loss in regular school settings may be missing out on the specialized career guidance they need to identify and address issues, concerns, and potential career barriers and to facilitate a successful school-to-work transition. The book includes recommendations for career education and counselling interventions to benefit the career development and school-to-work transition of this population.