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There is often confusion over the terms "hearing impaired," "hard of hearing," "deaf," and "deafened," both in definition and appropriateness of use.

Yes, and there are several options you can choose from.

We often hear about the problems young people with disabilities face - physical obstacles, social rejection, academic failure, and medical crises. Yet some people do overcome significant challenges and lead successful lives. What does "success" mean to them and how do they achieve it? What internal characteristics do these individuals possess, and what external factors have been present in their lives? What advice do they have to help young people build personal strengths to overcome the challenges they no doubt will face?

Although the problems are by no means universal, students who are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may sometimes struggle with written English. According to the Oregon Disabilities Commission's website for their , ASL is the first language for many ASL users, and English is a nonnative, second language. Because there is no written form of ASL, there are no newspapers, magazines, or books written in ASL.

Designing a lab that is universally accessible begins with the physical environment of the facility. Considerations for making a computer lab facility more accessible include the following:

For many years the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) Center has coordinated Internet activities at selected summer camps. DO-IT staff and program participants teach campers how to send messages to their friends and family with e-mail, use the Web for fun and education, and create web pages.

It is often reported that mentor support can help students with disabilities reach their social, academic, and career potential. Mentors provide direction and motivation, instill values, promote professionalism, help students develop leadership skills, and share relevant experiences. Students with disabilities can benefit from relationships with peer and adult mentors who have similar disabilities. DO-IT has supported an e-mentoring community for students with disabilities since 1992.

There are many places to explore grants available for projects that serve to increase the representation of individuals with disabilities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, including the following:

The following resources can serve as a starting point for finding state and local programs where students with disabilities can learn about technology.

Historically, the World Wide Web has not provided a simple means for presenting math content online. Mathematicians and scientists typically use software such as and for typesetting complex formulas and then convert these formulas to images for presentation online.