Hearing-Impaired Teenagers Are Urged to Focus on Their Potential

About 160 deaf high school students got a chance to meet college recruiters and professionals Friday at a career day designed to convey a simple message--they can be just about anything they want, if they work hard enough.

“Twenty years ago, it was more difficult for a deaf person to get a job. But now because of the [Americans With Disabilities Act], there are more opportunities for us,” Kelly Gunderson, a recruiter for Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the nation’s preeminent school for the hearing-impaired, told the students. “More people are starting to notice the deaf have real job potential.”

The teens, from the San Fernando Valley and other parts of Los Angeles, spent most of the day at the Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness headquarters in Eagle Rock, learning what to expect in the work force.

One thing they can expect is help from new technology. Computers offering instant messaging and pagers with text messages have made it easier for the deaf to work alongside the hearing.

“If you’re deaf or not, it doesn’t matter,” Gunderson said. “You’re talking to a computer.”

Indeed, some employers are “starting to look at the person’s skills instead of their disability,” said Michelle Abounader, a California Department of Rehabilitation counselor who works with the deaf.

Yet, Abounader said, “so many employers are afraid to hire the deaf because of the ADA. It takes $100 to $500 on average for ADA compliance. There are tax incentives, so it usually balances out in the end.”

Students were encouraged to attend college or obtain specialized training after high school to increase their chances of landing a good job. Fields more accommodating to the deaf include education, psychology, mental health and vocational rehabilitation, Gunderson said. Many deaf people end up working with youths who are also deaf or hard of hearing, she added.

A panel of current and former deaf college students offered advice to the students.

“Get involved in clubs, organizations and sports. It looks good on your resume,” said Daniel Girard, a Cal State Northridge graduate who will soon enter Gallaudet’s master’s program.

Today, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, college recruiters and financial aid experts will be at the Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness offices at 2222 Laverna Ave. to assist parents of deaf children. The event is free and open to the public.

One of Friday’s workshops gave students a chance to take part in mock job interviews. In another room, a panel of deaf professionals--including a costume designer and story editor for a film production company--urged the teens to aim high.

“You need to get a [college] degree so you can make an impression on the hearing world, so they will see that you can do it,” said Susan Margolin, who teaches a variety of subjects for deaf and hard-of-hearing students at Gardena High School.

Zalika Hannibal, a junior at Fairfax High School who wants to be a medical assistant, said the career fair was inspirational.

“I learned to think positively. I can’t think negatively,” said Zalika, who lost her hearing when she was 6 months old. “It’s important to be able to hear, but I think if I just pay attention, I’ll be able to do what I want.”