Deaf youth have many different hopes, dreams, and goals. There are many available resources to support #DeafSuccess. Transition planning should consist of small milestones like increasing self-advocacy skills and larger milestones like completing degrees or certifications and getting jobs. Transition goals are deeply personal and individualized — and often change over time.
The National Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) has many resources to support and prepare students for life after high school. With preparation and the proper tools, the transition process can embrace the transformational powers of high expectations and self-determination in deaf students.
- NDC’s Plan Your Future: A Guide to Vocational Rehabilitation For Deaf Youth helps deaf youth and their families know what services are available, figure out who to contact, and gather the right information to ensure they get the most out of their state’s VR services. The guide is available in English, Spanish and ASL.
- Deafverse, the first-of-its-kind, a fully accessible online game for deaf youth, is the perfect way to make learning transition life skills fun as your students make their way through two exciting worlds that are the perfect balance of learning and fun!
- To help assess and strengthen self-determination development among deaf youth, NDC and their partners worked together to develop an ASL-accessible measure using the Self-Determination Inventory: the SDI: SR ASL.
- We also have our Toolkit for #DeafSuccess: Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals. This toolkit is a helpful combination of resources, guidance, and tools to support VR professionals in effectively collaborating with deaf people and their career pathways.
- Our Pre-Employment Transition Services Guide provides resources, practices, and considerations to support the provision of the five required pre-ETS categories with deaf youth: job exploration, counseling, work-based learning experiences, counseling on postsecondary opportunities, workplace readiness training, and instruction in self-advocacy.
- The Family Support for Deaf Teens helps families work together to succeed. Research has shown that deaf teenagers with stronger family support are more successful after high school.
- NDC has transition assessments and checklists with a host of resources to help deaf youth and their families, educators, and VR professionals to assist with navigating the transition from high school to college, training, or career.
- We also have a list of other resources from a variety of organizations.
Do you still have some questions you need answered? No problem! Dive deeper with NDC’s free, online learning library, browse frequently asked questions, or get individualized help from the NDC | help team. To stay current with NDC’s resources and more, sign up for our listserv.
