Transition Initiative Bulletin Board

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Health Care Transition Resources 
This site includes access to the National Family Association for Deaf-Blind and the “Got Transition” webinar event on transition from pediatric medical health care to adult medical health care. A Family Toolkit: Pediatric to Adult Health Care Transition is available in English and Spanish. 

Transition Self-Advocacy Portfolio
The Transition Self-Advocacy Portfolio provides a collection of documents that are intended to guide a young person with deafblindness, a family, and/or an educational team in developing goals for the future, a set of experiences, supports, strategies, and resources, and skills that promote a successful adult life.

Adult Life Resources
National Family Association for Deaf- Blind (NFADB) 
Once a child leaves the educational system as a teen or young adult, families face challenges getting their children the services and support they need regarding social services, health care, postsecondary education, employment, housing, and more. NFADB worked with the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation and the Perkins School for the Blind Research Librarian to develop two resource guides available on their website. 

A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities
Revised August 2020  
This guide, recently updated by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, covers transition planning, services and requirements, as authorized by IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act; education and employment options for students after high school; and supported decision-making.

Deafverse - Interactive Game for Youth  Who are Deaf to Learn Self-Advocacy Skills
The National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) has created Deafverse, an interactive game that supports deaf youth with the development of their self-advocacy skills as they navigate real-life scenarios based on everyday experiences and setting. It's available in English and ASL and can be played on computers or mobile devices at no cost to players.

“Hey, I reached adulthood, now what? “ Adults who have CHARGE syndrome talking about school, job, living and independence
CHARGE Syndrom e.V. (Germany) and the CHARGE Syndrome Association of Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) have collaborated to create this booklet focusing on some of the issues that arise in the adult years for people with CHARGE syndrome.

iCanConnect Program
Th National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) provides equipment and technology to individuals who have combined vision and hearing loss to a wide variety of ages. Federal income and disabilities guidelines have to be met. 

Navigating Through Life Infographic Series 
The youth leaders with disabilities from the Inclusion Project created the Navigating Through Life series. The six graphics and text formats have different topics that a young person experiences as they move into adulthood. The youth leaders interviewed over 70 people with disabilities about their experiences when they entered adulthood. The Navigating Through Life series is intended to help youth start their own conversation when considering the next step in their journey.

Paths to Transition | Perkins
Explore ideas and resources related to the transition from school to adult life for youth who are blind or visually impaired, including those who are deafblind or have multiple disabilities.

Pre-Employment Transition Services: A Guide for Collaboration Among State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies and Education Partners 
This guide, developed by TransCen, WINTAC, and NTACT staff, provides information and resources focused on (a) a shared understanding of transition services, (b) developing local partnerships, (c) collaborative approaches to individualized student planning, and (d) engaging with families. 

Preparing Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities for Work: What School Leaders Need to Know
About the New Legal Landscape
This policy brief by the Institute for Educational Leadership is intended to inform school leaders about their responsibilities under recent case law to prepare youth with disabilities for work and careers. It may also be helpful to students, families, vocational rehabilitation and developmental disability agency personnel, and community rehabilitation providers.

Stories from the Classroom: Appreciating High Expectations
PROGRESS Center
In this Stories from the Classroom video, Billy Pickens, who is deafblind, explains how his teacher’s high expectations were not always welcome in high school. Now he is a graduate of UNC Charlotte and works for the Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center. He says he appreciates having been held to that high standard when he was a teenager.

Teachers Guide to Vocational Rehabilitation
This guide is intended to assist classroom level personnel in understanding how to partner effectively with vocational rehabilitation professionals to serve students in transition.

Usher Syndrome Coalition, Just for Young Adults
The goal of this page is to connect young adults who have Usher syndrome and to provide advice on college, starting your career, self-advocacy, and a better understanding of the ADA relating to Usher syndrome.

Planning Transition for Students with Visual Impairments and Multiple Disabilities
The transition from special education to post school life presents significant challenges to students, their families and their educational teams. The challenges multiply when students have visual impairment and multiple disabilities. This course helps members of the educational team become more effective transition team members. Cost: $300.00

Explore Work
WINTAC has worked with Employment Resources, Inc. (ERI), the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Wisconsin-Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI) to design a series of web-based modules specific to the five required WIOA Pre-Employment Transition Services activities for use with students with disabilities. 

T-Folio 
A free transition portfolio tool for high school age students with disabilities, designed in Washington State through the collaboration of the Center for Change in Transition Services (CCTS) and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). Work-based learning experiences is one of the units in this on-line tool, and it includes lessons on informational interviews and job shadowing. 

Advocacy in the Deafblind World
Helen Keller National Center (HKNC)
Designed for consumers, family members and providers, this web-based training series will increase awareness and knowledge of how to effectively self-advocate for equal access to communication, transportation, mobility, print/media and technology application.

Getting a Job! Module
The Getting a Job! online training was developed and designed for students who are deaf or hard of hearing and the professionals who work with them. Focusing on the transition from school to work, the training offers a series of activities, supporting documents and topical videos designed to help the job seeker prepare for the world of work. All the videos in the modules are presented in ASL, and are also voiced in English and captioned.

Recorded Webinars

Top 5 Keys to Transition for DeafBlind Youths; A Guide for Family Members
Helen Keller National Center (HKNC)

WINTAC Pre-Employment Transition Services Topic Area Update Webinar
This pre-recorded webinar provides information regarding the pre-employment transition service tools, resources, and products, as well as a brief description of the common activities, outcomes, and impact expectations around pre-employment transition services for State VR Agencies. Presenters also highlight joint collaborative work across the WINTAC topic areas, and partnerships with other TA centers.

WIOA, Career Pathways, & Pre-Employment Transition Services Webinar
When: This Webinar is pre-recorded and available on demand, participants can view this recording at any time.
This training provides a brief overview of career pathways and pre-employment transition services as outlined in WIOA. Also provided is an introduction to the Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities (CPID) project in Virginia, and how all three work together to support the vision for individuals, especially students with disabilities in WIOA.

WIOA & IDEA Performance: Transition Planning & Aligning Outcomes
This pre-recorded webinar outlines the VR Performance Measures under WIOA and how VR Performance aligns with IDEA priorities and indicators. This webinar will identify strategies for states to meet the needs of VR performance while taking into consideration the intersection with transition planning and service deliver for students with disabilities.

Training for Individuals with Deafblindness

Youth Programs
HKNC’s summer programs are for young adults – ages 16-23 who are deafblind. The programs provide insight into college and career options. Participants work one-on-one with experts in assistive technology, vocational training, mobility and more, and build relationships with deafblind mentors.   

Independent Living 
From cooking and cleaning to budgeting, shopping, and paying the bills, individuals who are deafblind acquire the skills they need to live as independently as possible.

Vocational Training 
Working closely with a team of experts, individuals who are deafblind identify their strengths and interests, explore assistive technology, and develop skills and strategies to compete and succeed in the job market.

Calling All Young Adults with Disabilities
Graduating from high school and entering adulthood is an exciting time, but you may have questions about how to manage your money. Whether you're planning to work or go to college, this post can help you get a start on financial independence.

Supplemental Security Income: SSA Could Strengthen Its Efforts to Encourage Employment for Transition-Age Youth 
In May 2017, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report on the Social Security Administration's (SSA) efforts to encourage employment for transition-age youth with disabilities. View highlights, recommendations, or the full report on the GAO website. The report is available in an accessible version.