Youth and Transition Resource Guide

If you would like to update or add to the information on this page, please contact us.

General/Comprehensive Resources

See also our FAQ Page for general information about deafblindness.

  • What is Transition for the Individual who is DeafBlind?
    Visit website
    A concise Q and A, including the meaning of transition, basic guidelines and recommendations for the transition process, and who is part of the transition team.
  • Was There Life Before Transition?
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    A brief description of the history and meaning of "transition" in special education.
  • Self-Determination for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind
    Visit website
    "Self-determination is ‘the ability of individuals to make the choices that allow them to exercise control over their own lives, to achieve goals to which they aspire and to acquire the skills and resources necessary to participate fully and meaningfully in society.’"
  • Enhancing the Self-Determination of Youth and Young Adults Who are DeafBlind
    Institute on Community Integration
    University of Minnesota
    102 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE
    Minneapolis MN 55455
    (612) 625-5592 Voice
    E-mail Brian Abery: Send email
    Visit website
    Seeks to "Enhance understanding of the multiple factors that contribute to the self-determination of these students; Increase knowledge of the environmental factors that have the potential to facilitate or serve as barriers to their enhanced self-determination; Develop and field-test a multi-component education and support program to facilitate such children and youth taking an age and capacity appropriate degree of personal control over their lives; and Disseminate this information to educators, families, and persons who are deafblind at a local, state, and national level. Funded by the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).
  • The Choices for Young Adults Born DeafBlind
    Visit website
    focus on Great Britain, but can be helpful to those in other countries
  • Sense Publications List
    Visit website
    A list of factsheets and articles related to DeafBlindness.
  • Youthwork Links and Ideas – Deaf and DeafBlind Adolescents
    “Visit website”:http://www.youthwork.com/generaladoldeaf.html
    Articles and links about topics ranging from exploring your identity and culture, to education and transition.
  • Minnesota Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division – Services and Resources for Consumers
    Visit website
    "Whether you are culturally deaf, oral deaf, late deafened, hard of hearing, deafblind, or a friend, coworker, or family member of a person with hearing loss, you’ve come to the right place. Here you can find information about services designed to meet your needs. Learn about assistive technology, sign language interpreters, your legal rights, and more."

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Transition

  • National Transition Follow-Up Study of Youth Identified as Deafblind: Parent Perspectives
    Visit website
    "the first research initiative to thoroughly explore the post-school life of youth who are deaf-blind… regarding communication, sensory status, mobility, health, and problem behaviors, …secondary school experiences, especially regarding services and supports, work experience, and transition planning… "
  • National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
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    "Headquartered at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, the NCSET provides technical assistance and disseminates information focused on four major areas of national significance for youth with disabilities and their families:
    • Providing students with disabilities with improved access and success in the secondary education curriculum.
    • Ensuring that students achieve positive postschool results in accessing postsecondary education, meaningful employment, independent living and participation in all aspects of community life.
    • Supporting student and family participation in educational and postschool decision making and planning.
    • Improving collaboration and system linkages at all levels through the development of broad-based partnerships and networks at the national, state, and local levels."
  • TransCen, Inc.
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    "The associates at TransCen, Inc. have developed, implemented, and researched numerous innovations regarding school-to-adult life transition and career development for people with disabilities."
  • Tips for Career Exploration
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    How to prepare a self-analysis profile sheet in order to consider what you have to offer a prospective employer. From AFB CareerConect: "employment planning for people who are blind or visually impaired."
  • Transition Planning for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities: Information for Families and Teens
    “Visit website”:http://www.communityinclusion.org/transition/familyguide.html
    "The booklet covers four major areas of adulthood: health, education, employment and recreation." Available online as a PDF file.
  • Disabled Student Services at Minnesota Public Colleges and Universities
  • See also Websites on Disability Issues/Topics from the University of Minnesota – Crookston.

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Disability Rights

See also Disability Rights Laws on our Tools for Independence page.

  • IDEA/ADA in Plain Language
    Visit website
    Annotated links to resources that explain legal rights, especially in educational settings, for people with disabilities.
  • Guide to Disability Rights Laws
    Visit website
    Includes brief summaries and contacts for further information or to file a claim.
  • ADA Home Page
    Visit website
    "Information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)" from the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Support and Advocacy

  • DBTeens
    Visit website
    "A Private Deaf-Blind Discussion List for Teenagers and Young Adults. The purpose of this list is to share information, inquiries, ideas and opinions about deaf-blindness and other issues. This is a private list for teenagers and young adults."
    To subscribe: e-mail Randy Klumph, the list owner.
  • DeafBlind Pen Pals Directory – from Sense
    Visit website
    "If you’re feeling isolated or just [want to get] to know someone, our penpals section will help. You can search for people and then contact them electronically for a chat."
  • Zigawhat
    Visit website
    "a Web site for learning, connecting, growing, coping, and fun for young people with disabilities and their peers. Zigawhat is maintained by the folks at NICHCY.
  • Disability Central – @ctivTeen (Active Teen)
    Visit website
    "a dynamic site managed by and for teens with disabilities. With start-up funding from the U.S. Department of Education we have created a cyber hang-out for teens with disabilities, their siblings and their friends." Note: This page seems to be no longer active. However, the main Disability Central site still includes a lot of useful information.
  • Minnesota Department of Human Rights
    E-mail: Send email
    “Visit website”:http://www.humanrights.state.mn.us/
    "a neutral state agency that investigates charges of illegal discrimination." Web site includes Information about your rights in employment, housing, and other settings, and a very extensive listing of related resources.
  • Minnesota Disability Law Center – Client Assistance Project
    300 Kickernick Building
    430 First Avenue North
    Minneapolis, MN 55401-1780
    (612) 332-1441 Voice
    (612) 332-4668 TTY
    Toll Free: (800) 292-4150 (new client intake number)
    Visit website
    free civil legal assistance to individuals with disabilities. Client Assistance Project advocates and mediates for people who have grievances about services from state agencies.
  • Continuing Care – Minnesota Department of Human Services: People with Disabilities
    Visit website
    " A primary goal of Continuing Care is to promote independent living for people with disabilities by funding or providing a broad range of residential care and social services close to home communities instead of in institutionalized settings." For more information on services in your county, see County Human Services Agencies.
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Communication and Technology

  • Minnesota Telephone Equipment Distribution (TED) Program
    Visit website
  • Minnesota Interpreter Referral Web Site
    Visit website
    "information about sign language interpreters, how to use them and how to find them… created to help ensure that all Minnesotans are able to locate needed sign language interpreter services"
  • 101 Ways to Use Braille
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    Easy, low-tech ways to use braille in your daily life, even if you only know the basic braille alphabet.
  • Assistive Technology
    Visit website
    Information about technology for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have a speech or mobility impairment. Includes assistive listening devices, special telephone technology, relay service, and the telephone equipment distribution program. From the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
  • Assistive Equipment and Technology Fact Sheet
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    Definitions and examples of several types of technologies used by people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing. Includes alerting devices, telecommunication devices, assistive listening devices, and captioning. Available online in PDF format, or in other forms for people with disabilities by calling (651) 296-3980 Voice, or (651) 297-1506 TTY.
  • Effective Interaction: Communicating With and About People with Disabilities in the Workplace
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    Clear advice about how to interact with a person who has a visual, hearing, mobility, or cognitive disability.

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Recreation

  • Camp Information for Youth and Adults Who have Vision and Hearing Loss
    a state-by-state list of of camps/retreats for DeafBlind people nationally. From the Helen Keller National Center.
  • Recreation and Leisure Fact Sheet
    Visit website

    "practical information on how to get people who are deaf-blind with cognitive disabilities involved with recreational activities. The focus is on recreational activities for pre-adolescent children through adult." Includes steps required to develop a recreational plan, examples of recreation activities with different people who are deaf-blind, extensive resource list. From DB-LINK.

  • Minnesota DeafBlind Technical Assistance Project
    4001 Stinson Blvd NE, Suite 210
    Minneapolis, MN 55421

    (612) 638-1525 Voice
    (612) 706-0808 TTY
    1-800-848-4905 Voice
    (612) 706-0811 Fax
    E-mail Sally Prouty:     Send email


    Visit website
    Services for Children and Youth: Advocacy/Support, Training of Families, Info and Referral, Training of Professionals, Serve deafblind children with additional disabilities. Children Linking Families program provides "family workshops, an annual family weekend, support groups and electronic networking of families throughout Minnesota."
    Notes: Also serves deafblind children/youth who have cognitive and/or physical disabilities; statewide services.

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Financial Assistance

  • Minnesota’s Healthcare Programs
    Visit website
    Description of MA, GAMC and MinnesotaCare: services covered under each plan, eligibility requirements, and how to apply.
    • Medical Assistance (MA) – Minnesota’s Medicaid Program
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      "a joint federally/state-funded [health care] program which provides necessary medical services for low-income families, children, pregnant women, and people who are elderly (65 or older) or have disabilities." Eligibility requirements, covered services, how to apply.
      • MA Waivers: Home Care/Home and Community Based Services (HC/HCBS) Waivers
    • General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC)
      Visit website
      "pays for medical care for some 23,300 low-income Minnesotans who don’t qualify for Medicaid or other state or federal health care programs."
    • MinnesotaCare
      Visit website
      "a subsidized health care program for people who live in Minnesota and do not have access to health insurance. There are no health condition barriers, but applicants must meet income and program guidelines to qualify."
    • Minnesota Disability Health Options (MnDHO)
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      "a program for people with physical disabilities who are eligible for Medical Assistance (MA). People who are eligible for both MA and Medicare may also enroll… Every enrollee is assigned a care coordinator who answers questions, helps with paperwork, and helps arrange services."
  • Economic and Community Supports
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    "The Minnesota Department of Human Services supervises a variety of economic assistance programs… Most economic assistance (including welfare) programs are administered at local county agencies."
  • State Services for the Blind (SSB)
    Minnesota Department of Economic Security
    2200 University Avenue West, Suite 240
    St. Paul, MN 55114
    (651) 642-0500 Voice
    (651) 642-0506 TTY
    Toll-free in Minnesota: 1-800-652-9000 Voice/TTY
    Visit website
    Regional Offices in MN: Bemidji, Brainerd, Duluth, Hibbing, Mankato, Marshall, Moorhead, Rochester, St. Cloud, St. Paul.
    Services for Adults and Children: Equipment, information and referral, library and transcription services, Radio Talking Book Network, self-care assistance for seniors, transition-age services, vocational training and referral.
  • Benefits CheckUp
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    "…helps thousands of people every day to find programs for seniors [and people of all ages with disabilities] that may pay for some of their costs of prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other essential items or services. Please fill out our simple questionnaire to find programs that can assist you or your loved ones.” Also available in Spanish for residents of Colorado.
  • Directory of Funding Resources for Assistive Technology in Minnesota
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    "information about Minnesota and national agencies and organizations that fund technology, in a format that lets you compare programs and tells you how to get in touch with people who can help." From Minnesota’s STAR Program.
  • Post-Secondary Financial Aid
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    advice and resources for people with disabilities seeking funding for college or vocational school.
  • HEATH Resource Center
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    National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities. Free publications about education, selecting a college, assistive technology, scholarships, and financial aid. Comprehensive and very informative.

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