Jan Caswell Associates

Jan Caswell has been a leader in providing opportunities for Deaf and hearing impaired persons to live fulfilled lives by having access to education and employment. For more than three decades, she has served in a variety of positions, all dedicated to empowering Deaf and hearing impaired individuals. Her dedication to promoting access for this population has helped in bringing more understanding of the accommodations needed for them to succeed in school and the world of work. Over the years, she has helped match employees and employers by bridging the communication gap that so often leaves Deaf and hearing impaired persons unemployed or under-employed.

Former consumers credit her with changing, even saving their lives, by believing in their abilities to succeed in the workforce. Then, job placement efforts result in a satisfied employer with a competent employee. Jan’s knowledge of the vocational possibilities allows her to realistically advise her clients as to their career choices. She also has the knowledge of various job requirements that allow her to match the appropriate candidate to the potential job. Human resource directors and company presidents trust her judgment and integrity to provide them with capable, loyal employees. Many ask her to send more similar candidates!

Her compassion, her love of people, her desire for equal opportunities for all make her a passionate advocate for the rights of individuals with hearing impairments of all ages. With her gregarious personality and quick wit, she is able to negotiate the paths that lead to access through accommodation.

Being fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) has allowed her to interact directly with members of the Deaf Culture community who prefer to communicate in their native language and to gain their trust. She has also completed training in Oral Transliterating to better serve the oral segment of the deaf community. Jan maintains contact with audiologists and technical experts to stay up-to-date with the cutting edge technology that continues to provide hearing impaired persons improved access to the hearing world.

Her experience with the Deaf and hearing impaired population covers the spectrum of age; from consulting with parents of infants and pre-school programs to the working-age population to the geriatric population in assisted living, graduated nursing homes and senior centers.

Jan Caswell started her career in the field of deafness at the Austine School for the Deaf in Vermont in 1973 as a dormitory supervisor. Then a recent graduate of the University of Connecticut, she had planned for a career as a social worker assisting with child abuse cases. She now believes that she has worked her entire career with a minority of the population that has been “abused” by society in being denied their rights to be active participants in their lives and to reach their potentials.

Jan received her BS from the University of Connecticut and has done extensive graduate work in the fields of Rehabilitation of the Deaf, Vocational Rehabilitation and Supported Employment at the University of Northern Colorado, University of Vermont and Springfield College. She has continued her education by attending numerous seminars in geriatrics, medical aspects of disability, Americans with Disabilities Act, and accommodations in education and the workforce to name a few of her areas of expertise.

Jan has worn many hats during her prolific career in serving Deaf and hearing impaired individuals: statewide coordinator of deaf services; employment and vocational rehab counselor; certified interpreter; trained oral transliterator; trainer of trainers in hearing impaired issues; consultant to various agencies, organizations, and businesses; ADA-compliance evaluator; community access monitor and all-around advocate for the civil rights of hearing impaired persons.

With her varied and lengthy history in serving the Deaf community, Jan has a wealth of knowledge to share with any and every agency, organization, and business which wants to improve access to their services by hearing impaired and deaf persons.

CURRICULUM VITAE of Jan Caswell

SPRINGFIELD COLLEGE
Springfield, MA
Rehabilitation Services for the Deaf
Graduate Studies (2000-present)

UNIVERSITY of VERMONT (1986-1990)
Burlington, VT
Supported Employment for the Deaf
Graduate Studies (1986-1990)

UNIVERSITY of NORTHERN COLORADO
Greeley, CO
Rehabilitation Services for the Deaf
Graduate Studies (1976)

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
Storrs, CT
Bachelor of Science- Social Work (1973)
Child Development and Family Services