New English Preparatory Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing at NCCC

Northwestern CT Community College and the Collegiate Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons (CEDHH) Department are pleased to announce the establishment of the English Preparatory Program for deaf and hard of hearing students, beginning in the fall semester 2002.

The English Preparatory Program (EPP) consists of eight courses of lectures and labs totaling 32 institutional credits that will be offered over the course of the academic year. Students who are accepted into the program will be advised to take four courses each semester, which represents 18 in-class hours every week, Monday through Friday. This is a significant increase over the 11 hours per week that was offered in the past. Though it is recommended that students enroll on a full-time basis, it is possible to attend EPP part-time.

The goal of this program is to develop a deaf or hard of hearing student's reading comprehension, vocabulary and writing to a point at or near that required for placement in NCCC’s developmental English courses. In addition to courses in reading and writing, students will take two semesters of Student Success Seminar, which includes topics such as time management, note-taking techniques, study and learning techniques, preparation for examinations, and use of support services in academic settings. They will also take two semesters of Selected Topics for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, which includes topics such as interpersonal relationships, linguistics of American Sign Language, the community and culture of Deaf people, career explorations, job search techniques, analysis of current events, personal financial management, creative thinking and problem solving, and psycho-social and physical aspects of drug and alcohol abuse.

These courses serve dual purposes; they will not only provide students with valuable knowledge and skills that will help them succeed in future developmental and college-level courses, but will also serve as ancillary support to the reading and writing courses by reinforcing vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and written expression. Credits earned by completing the courses in this program do not count toward a certificate or degree, but do satisfy eligibility for financial aid.

For more info about EPP and CEDHH, please call or write: Mark J. Myers, CEDHH Director, Northwestern CT Community College, Park Place East, Winsted, CT 06098; phone 860-738-6382 (voice/tty).