The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) was created by Congress in 1965 to promote the employment of persons who are deaf by providing technical and professional education for the Nation’s young people who are deaf. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf Act was superseded by the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986 (EDA). The EDA continued the authority of the Department of Education to contract with the host institution and provide a federal subsidy to the NTID so that it may continue to provide postsecondary educational opportunities for individual who are deaf.
The Department maintains a contract with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for the operation of a residential facility for postsecondary technical training and education for individuals who are deaf. The purpose of the special relationship with the host institution is to provide NTID and its students access to more facilities, institutional services, and career preparation options than could be otherwise provided by a national technical institute for the deaf standing alone. RIT provides NTID students with options for courses of study from seven other colleges; health and counseling services; library, physical education and recreation facilities; and general services such as food, maintenance, grounds, and security.
NTID offers a variety of technical programs at the certificate, diploma, and associate degree levels. Degree programs include majors in business, engineering, science, and visual communications. In addition, NTID students may participate in approximately 200 educational programs available through RIT. RIT offers advanced technological courses of study at the undergraduate and graduate degree levels. NTID initiated a Master’s degree program of its own in fiscal year 1996 to train secondary education teachers who will be teaching students who are deaf. Students enrolled in the program, who can be deaf or hearing, are charged the same tuition as students enrolled in other NTID programs, plus a graduate student tuition surcharge of 10%. NTID also operates a Bachelor's program in American Sign Language-English Interpretation to train interpreters for persons who are deaf. Students who are deaf who enroll in NTID or RIT programs are provided a wide range of support services and special programs to assist them in preparing for their careers, including tutoring, counseling, notetaking, interpreting, specialized educational media, cooperative work experience, and specialized job placement.
NTID conducts applied research in occupational and employment-related aspects of deafness, communication assessment, the demographics of NTID’s target population, and learning processes in postsecondary education. In addition, NTID conducts training workshops and seminars related to deafness. These workshops and seminars are offered to professionals throughout the nation who employ, work with, teach, or otherwise serve persons who are deaf.
FY 2025 Funding
$92,500,000
Legislation
Education of the Deaf Act of 1986, Title I, Part B, and Title II, Secs. 207, 212; U.S.C. 4301 et seq.
Eligibility
By law, funds are appropriated for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) only.
The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) was created by Congress in 1965 to promote the employment of persons who are deaf by providing technical and professional education for the Nation’s young people who are deaf. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf Act was superseded by the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986 (EDA). The EDA continued the authority of the Department of Education to contract with the host institution and provide a federal subsidy to the NTID so that it may continue to provide postsecondary educational opportunities for individual who are deaf.
The Department maintains a contract with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for the operation of a residential facility for postsecondary technical training and education for individuals who are deaf. The purpose of the special relationship with the host institution is to provide NTID and its students access to more facilities, institutional services, and career preparation options than could be otherwise provided by a national technical institute for the deaf standing alone. RIT provides NTID students with options for courses of study from seven other colleges; health and counseling services; library, physical education and recreation facilities; and general services such as food, maintenance, grounds, and security.
NTID offers a variety of technical programs at the certificate, diploma, and associate degree levels. Degree programs include majors in business, engineering, science, and visual communications. In addition, NTID students may participate in approximately 200 educational programs available through RIT. RIT offers advanced technological courses of study at the undergraduate and graduate degree levels. NTID initiated a Master’s degree program of its own in fiscal year 1996 to train secondary education teachers who will be teaching students who are deaf. Students enrolled in the program, who can be deaf or hearing, are charged the same tuition as students enrolled in other NTID programs, plus a graduate student tuition surcharge of 10%. NTID also operates a Bachelor's program in American Sign Language-English Interpretation to train interpreters for persons who are deaf. Students who are deaf who enroll in NTID or RIT programs are provided a wide range of support services and special programs to assist them in preparing for their careers, including tutoring, counseling, notetaking, interpreting, specialized educational media, cooperative work experience, and specialized job placement.
NTID conducts applied research in occupational and employment-related aspects of deafness, communication assessment, the demographics of NTID’s target population, and learning processes in postsecondary education. In addition, NTID conducts training workshops and seminars related to deafness. These workshops and seminars are offered to professionals throughout the nation who employ, work with, teach, or otherwise serve persons who are deaf.
FY 2025 Funding
$92,500,000
Legislation
Education of the Deaf Act of 1986, Title I, Part B, and Title II, Secs. 207, 212; U.S.C. 4301 et seq.
Eligibility
By law, funds are appropriated for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) only.