Accommodations and Support Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Participants Over the last several years, a number of deaf or hard-of-hearing students with a range of hearing impairments have participated in our summer REU program. These students have engaged in all aspects of the program, and like all participants they have made significant scientific contributions to the various laboratories that served as their respective hosts. Each year, at the outset of the program members of the Microbiology department as well as faculty, postdocs, and students from other departments who contribute to the REU program have been invited to workshops on communicating with deaf or hard-of-hearing students. These workshops and our combined experiences over the last several years have enabled us to work more effectively with deaf or hard-of-hearing participants. Feedback from former deaf and hard-of-hearing participants has been overwhelmingly positive and more importantly it has helped us improve the program. We hope to continue tapping into the talent pool of deaf or hard-of-hearing scientists, and we will continue to strive to make our department a welcoming and productive work environment for all participants. Specific housing and other accommodations are enumerated below, and we are more than happy to answer any specific questions that prospective applicants may have. |