Interviews were conducted with 15 first-year students at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology, concerning their academic and social experiences in mainstreamed high schools. It was learned that respondents encountered such challenges to their academic success as teachers who were unaware of or unresponsive to the needs of deaf learners and difficulties associated with group discussion and team projects. The students used a variety of formal and informal strategies to meet these challenges, including professional support services, networking with hearing students, informing teachers of their special needs, and staying after class for help. Some students appeared more skilled than others at assessing the academic environment and using the full range of formal and informal supports available to them. The quality of social interaction experienced by respondents in the mainstreamed high school varied widely. Some felt they enjoyed a good social life, participating in sports and social activities, while others felt lonely and left out. These data suggest that social mainstreaming may be more difficult to achieve than academic mainstreaming. Recommendations for program development are provided. (JDD)