FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The graduate program in rehabilitation counseling at the University of Arkansas has been recognized as one of the top programs in the country in the 2004 edition of America’s Best Graduate Schools, released April 7 by U.S.News & World Report. The UA rehabilitation counseling program shared a ranking of 15 with five other universities, including University of Texas, Austin, and Syracuse University.

"We are proud of the impact our rehabilitation counseling program has had in the state and nation," said Barbara Hinton, professor and head of the UA department of rehabilitation, human resources and communication disorders. "Many of the program’s faculty are nationally recognized, and we offer a unique track in deafness education."

"The ranking is certainly an honor. We constantly strive to infuse our program with the latest research findings and service trends, as well as state-of-the-art technology, to meet the increasing nationwide demand for rehabilitation counselors," said Brent Williams, assistant professor and rehabilitation education program coordinator.

The UA’s program is one of a very few in the United States specifically designed to prepare people who are deaf or hard of hearing to become rehabilitation counselors. The program offers a master’s degree with specialties in deafness, job placement, and independent living. Over 230 students have graduated with a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and have gone on to play leading roles as rehabilitation scholars and practitioners nationally.

The department also offers a doctorate in rehabilitation education research designed to prepare researchers, scholars, and educators for university positions. The doctoral program has recently received funding for three $30,000.00-a-year fellowships for outstanding students to conduct research and develop service models for individuals with disabilities.

Faculty members author textbooks, edit nationally prominent professional journals, and engage in research designed to open doors for those with disabilities.

• Professor Richard Roessler has co-authored widely used textbooks in rehabilitation education and is a national authority on rehabilitation techniques for people with multiple sclerosis. He received the Bell Greve Memorial Award from the National Rehabilitation Association for his work on a model job fair for people with disabilities.
• Professor Daniel Cook served as co-editor for many years of the journal Rehabilitation Education of the National Council of Rehabilitation Education. He was named national educator of the year by that organization and received the James F. Garrett Award for a Distinguished Career in Rehabilitation Research from the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association.
• Glenn Anderson, professor and director of the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Persons Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, is a member of the National Council on Disability, advising the president on disability policy. He is chair of the board of trustees of Gallaudet University, one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the world for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Professor Douglas Watson, based in Little Rock, is editor of the Journal of Interpretation, a scholarly publication serving both the academic community and practitioners and interpreters worldwide. It is considered to be the most highly respected journal on sign language interpretation in the world.

In addition to offices on the university campus in Fayetteville, the department includes the Speech and Hearing Clinic in Fayetteville; the University of Arkansas Research and Training Center for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Little Rock; and the Arkansas Research and Training Center in Vocational Rehabilitation and the Region VI Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program, both in Hot Springs.

The Research and Training Center for Persons Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing has undertaken more than 38 research projects in its 20-year history. Recently the center received grants totaling $99,650 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to conduct studies about rehabilitation services for individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups.

The Region VI Rehabilitation Continuing Education Center provides training in human resource and organizational development strategies to improve the quality of life and employment prospects of people with disabilities. The center provides support regionally for states to meet needs for qualified rehabilitation professionals, and it leads the nation in influencing state, region and national initiatives on disability issues.