This paper is an introduction to a series of reports intended to assist postsecondary institutions in developing and maintaining high quality special services for students who are deaf and those who are hard of hearing. A brief review of the history of deaf students in the United States from 1813 to the present precedes data on present college enrollments of deaf and hard of hearing students and data on the number and kinds of colleges reporting the enrollment of deaf and hard of hearing students. The following section considers sources of variability within the population of hearing impaired students including degree of hearing loss, age at onset, communication skills and preferences, and self-identification with "deaf" culture. Discussion of the various prior educational experiences considers types of schools attended and communication methods used in various school settings. Special factors in the choice of college by deaf and hard of hearing students are noted such as access and accommodation, prior learning experiences, and sociocultural identifications. Other sections discuss special services offered by colleges, a comparison of students' use patterns between the deaf and heard of hearing communities, quality of services, three service delivery models, and the relevance and applicability of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws. (Contains 15 references and a list of regional centers providing outreach and technical assistance services to postsecondary institutions serving deaf and heard of hearing students.) (DB)