Founded in 1817, the American School for the Deaf was the first school of its kind in the United States, an educational and cultural hub whose graduates went on to found 35 schools for the deaf across America and a college for deaf people, Gallaudet University, in Washington, DC. American Sign Language came into being at ASD, and spread throughout the nation as ASD teachers and graduates moved along with America ’s expanding frontier.

Today, ASD offers a wealth of resources for deaf and hard of hearing children, youth and adults. Our Elementary, Junior High and High Schools offer campus-based education and career preparation. The PACES program offers a five- and seven-day residential treatment program for emotionally impacted deaf youth. ASD’s Adult Vocational Services program helps deaf and hard of hearing young adults gain the employment and independent living skills necessary to be productive, contributing members of the community. And ASD’s Outreach and Support Services provides birth to three services for families of deaf and hard of hearing infants; educational and audiological supports for hard of hearing students in local school districts; and audiological, educational and employment assessment services for ASD students and deaf and hard of hearing people throughout New England.

Printing has a long history as an occupation where deaf and hard of hearing people have excelled. Perhaps because they were not bothered by the extremely noisy printing presses of the past, deaf people concentrated in this field of employment. In addition to providing students with critical skills, ASD’s print shop was for many years an important resource for the School, producing much of its printed material. Unfortunately, as ASD entered the 21st century, its print shop and technology classrooms lagged far behind. Built in the 1960s, the Vocational Technical building had inadequate wiring, poor ventilation and cramped classrooms. Equipment was antiquated and the space was inhospitable both to modern printing needs and the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students and Adult Vocational Services clients.

In fall 2003, the ASD board of trustees, faculty and staff met to discuss the need for a renovated facility that would utilize state-of-the-art equipment and support an upgraded, up-to-date curriculum. The vision of a combined technology learning center and print facility emerged from these meetings. Thanks to a leadership gift from Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and support from Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority, Comcast, Farmington Savings Bank and Rotary Club of West Hartford, and in partnership with Xerox, ASD’s new Technology Center and PrintWorks opened at the start of the 2005-2006 school year.

As both a teaching tool and a working business serving the community, PrintWorks plays a unique role at ASD. Through PrintWorks, students receive training in pre-press operation, full-color digital publishing and offset printing, as well as hands-on experience in order processing, customer service, data management, accounting, and other essential business processes. Staff with many years of experience in printing, graphic design and desktop publishing oversee order fulfillment and ensure that deadlines and strict quality standards are met. The PrintWorks Advisory Committee, comprised of professionals from the printing, graphic arts and business communities, also provides valuable resources and expertise.

All money generated by PrintWorks is used to support the facility and its programs. We appreciate your interest in ASD and PrintWorks and invite you to try our services for your next printing job!