USING A TTY TO CONTACT CLINICAL GRADUATE PROGRAMS

This study investigated accessibility of 177 APA-accredited clinical a nd counseling programs to deaf applicants via TTY phone lines, what ha ppened when we called these numbers, and where these phone lines conne cted. We were able to obtain TTY phone numbers for 135 schools, of whi ch we could successfully reach 86 schools using a TTY alone. Most of t hese lines (60%) were connected to campus disabled student services, a nd none connected directly to the APA-accredited programs or the depar tments in which they were housed. Comments from university personnel u nderscore the difficulties facing deaf applicants. We argue that the d ifficulties deaf applicants encounter when trying to contact programs constitute significant barriers to the application process. We give si x specific recommendations for expanding access to programs.