A Comparison of the Rehabilitation Outcomes of Persons who are Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and Persons with Other Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rates of closure success (i.e., status 26) and level of income (i.e., weekly earnings at closure) for consumers with hearing loss (i.e., deaf and hard-of-hearing) and consumers with other disabilities. A random sample of case records (N=34,911) obtained from the RSA 911 database for fiscal year 1997 was evaluated. A series of logistic and multiple linear regression analysis, chi-square analysis, and t-tests were utilized to investigate potential relationships. Results indicated that consumers with hearing loss achieved closure success more often, and possessed higher levels of income when compared to consumers with other disabilities; and a significantly lower proportion of those services found to be significantly associated with closure success (i.e., restoration) and income (i.e., business and vocational training) were provided to consumers with other disabilities. Results are presented for each criterion variable, and the implications of findings for service and research are discussed