Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD)
The Indiana School for the Deaf (ISD) is a fully accredited school for Deaf and hard of hearing students in nursery school through high school. The Indiana School for the Deaf is accredited by Advanced Indiana and the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). It provides services to approximately 342 students enrolled on campus. About 60% of the students live on campus during the academic year. ISD offers a full range of social activities, including sports, clubs, and organizations.
The Indiana School for the Deaf was founded in 1843 by William Willard, the first Deaf person in America to establish a state school for Deaf people. It was at first a semi-private school that offered free instruction to any Deaf person in-state or out-of-state that sought an education. The following year, the Willard School formally became the Indiana School for the Deaf, the first state-sponsored school in America that offered free education to any deaf student. From that beginning, ISD has developed into one of the leading deaf schools in the nation, rich in heritage yet always striving to meet the challenges of the 21st century.