The 43 million Americans with disabilities comprise the largest minority group in the United States. While their special abilities may vary considerably, these Americans share an increased risk for alcohol and other drug abuse. This study concentrates on the deaf community and the general lack of awareness of the problem of substance abuse within that population. Examined in this research were a variety of predictor variables, such as deafness characteristics, demographics, and treatment readiness indicators. Researchers tried to determine the influence of these variables on desired treatment outcomes among 100 Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons who had completed a chemical dependency treatment program. The tests incorporated for the study were using independent and dependent variables with special emphasis on follow-up information gathered on a 1, 3, 6, and 12 month basis. Twelve general recommendations for the treatment of deaf and hard of hearing individuals were developed. These included making vocational rehabilitation a strong component of inpatient treatment and of aftercare, developing a curriculum that focuses on the importance of employment and teaches some basic skills related to how to seek, access, and retain employment, and establishing training programs for vocational rehabilitation counselors and other workers who serve the deaf and hard of hearing community. Eleven bar graphs present data. Contains 35 references. (RJM)