Educational and transition planning for deaf students requires a flexible, positive approach, now more than ever. NDC has answered many FAQs about how to find needed resources to support transition, what programs are available in different states, and how to meet legal obligations — even if students are not in the school building every day.
This guide has key strategies to support deaf success at your high school during this fall semester and beyond. Every link is to an NDC resource, tip sheet, or toolkit on that topic that can help.
Key Strategies
Make Transition Planning Intentional
- Emphasize and assess self determination skill development in your deaf students. Those skills have lifelong benefits in school, in the workplace, and in the community.
- Connect with vocational rehabilitation professionals in your area, tap into their resources, and learn about the options for pre-employment transition services.
- Share NDC’s #DeafSuccess video playlist to show the power of high expectations and the importance of the deaf experience.
- Encourage students to play Deafverse, a choose-your-own-adventure game created just for teenagers. This online game comes with student and teacher guides, home activity packs, and more.
Ensure Online Learning is Accessible
- If learning moves to remote settings, think about online strategies including using a variety of materials and providing accessible ways for students to learn and interact.
- Be flexible with accommodations. Remote interpreters and speech-to-text services may be needed for hybrid and online classrooms.
- Caption all of your videos and media, including podcasts or student projects.
- Support students in making the best use of technology and proactive strategies to stay in touch when learning goes remote.
Prioritize Family Engagement
- Support strategies for strong communication at home between deaf youth and their family members.
- Keep students connected with each other and with deaf role models, after school programming, and mentoring programs.
- Prepare students and families for postsecondary entrance exams and advocate for any needed accommodations and documentation.
- Encourage college readiness, starting remote college searches, and considering the student’s fit with the entire campus experience. Remember: access is more than accommodations.
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