Deaf College History Book Now Available

Two professors—one deaf and one hearing--trace the long struggle to establish a much-needed technical college for deaf people in their new book, From Dream to Reality: The National Technical Institute for the Deaf, now available to the public.

Authors Harry Lang and Karen Conner both teach at NTID, which after a competitive bid by the nation’s top universities, landed at Rochester Institute of Technology nearly 40 years ago. NTID is the world’s first technological college for deaf and hard of hearing students, and has since graduated 5,000 people with skills in engineering, information technology, imaging arts, science, and business.

Lang and Conner pored through old manuscripts, publications, and deaf community newspapers to find that the American deaf community dreamed of a National Technical School for the Deaf more than a century ago. The pursuit of the deaf community's dream involved many individuals and organizations, including the U.S. Congress, and President Lyndon B. Johnson's signing of the NTID Act.

Through text and hundreds of photos, Lang and Conner uncovered a much richer history than was previously known. From Dream to Reality describes the evolution of the college from the first charter class of deaf students in 1968, to its current high-tech environment.

"Co-authoring this book," wrote Lang and Conner, "was both academic and symbolic. Deaf and hearing persons who enjoy working together – that is what NTID is all about."

Published by NTID, From Dream to Reality is available at RIT's bookstore, Campus Connections, for $27.00. Contact General Books Department at (585) 475-2504 voice or (585) 475-7071 tty to order.

NTID, one of eight colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology, offers educational programs and access and support services to 1,100 students from around the world who study, live and socialize with 14,000 hearing students on the RIT campus.