Opening Doors to
Postsecondary Education & Training

Planning for Life After High School
Handbook for
Students | School Counselors | Teachers | Parents

This handbook has been created to assist you, your parents, school counselors, and others on your IEP team in planning for your postsecondary experience. It will help you develop advocacy skills so you can take advantage of the time you are in high school to plan your transition to postsecondary education.

Download the Handbook in Adobe PDF

All Kinds of Minds

Visit the site: http://www.allkindsofminds.org/index.aspx

• Disabilities and Gifted Education

Landmark College

River Road South, P.O. Box 820 Putney, Vermont 05346-9446
Phone:  802-387-6718    Fax:  802-387-6868
Email:  admissions@landmarkcollege.org

The nation's premier college for high potential students with learning disabilities and ADHD.
Landmark College has developed the most comprehensive program in the nation designed for high-potential students with dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other specific learning disabilities.

Limited financial aid is available for high school graduates. 

LD On-Line

LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD.

The site features hundreds of helpful articles, monthly columns by noted experts, first person essays, children’s writing and artwork, a comprehensive resource guide, very active forums, and a Yellow Pages referral directory of professionals, schools, and products.(http://www.ldonline.org/)

• Connecticut State Resources
  • http://www.nichcy.org/stateshe/ct.htm
    

Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities -
Deadline:  July

Connecticut Youth Leadership Forum Held at the UConn Storrs South Campus

The program will bring together thirty-six high school students with disabilities from through out Connecticut for a four-day training forum focusing on enhancing community leadership skills.  The forum will provide a concentrated educational and motivational experience for the students selected through a formal, competitive process.

The delegates will explore personal leadership skills, define career goals and leave the forum with a very specific action plan that describes what they will do back in their local communities to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.

Any sophomore or junior with a disability who demonstrates leadership skills in their communities and school may pick up an application in the Career Resource Center or on line at:  http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/ylf/invitation.htm

If you have any questions, contact:

Karen Halliday at (860) 633-8403 or KarenH1203@aol.com
Kathleen Kabara at (860) 713-5231 or Kathleen.Kabara@po.state.ct.us

Karen Halliday, Executive Director
Connecticut Youth Leadership Forum
202 Highwood Dr., South Glastonbury, CT 06073

Governor's Coalition for Youth with Disabilities
Deadline: January Annually

What is the objective of the GCYD Scholarship Program?
To recognize outstanding achievements of high school seniors with disabilities and to provide them with financial assistance to further their education and facilitate their career goals.

Who is eligible to apply?
All high school seniors who meet the eligibility requirements may apply.
Candidates must be graduating students who:

• are residents of Connecticut
• have a disability as defined by the Special Education Law or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• have demonstrated responsibility and good character
• attend a post-secondary school or training program
• show promise for a successful career.

How much is the scholarship? There are three types of scholarships:

1. One Time Only Non-Renewable scholarships up to $2,500. Other special awards, monetary and non-monetary, may be included. There will be a minimum of five recipients, at least one from each of the five U.S. Congressional Districts.
   
2. Connecticut State University System awards one renewable scholarship at each of its four state universities: Central Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and Western Connecticut State University. the scholarship is in the amount of $500 per semester, renewable up to eight semesters if renewal criteria are met. To qualify for one of the state university scholarships, students must apply to, be accepted at, and attend the institution. Applicants must indicate on their application that they wish to be considered for ONE of these scholarships.
   
3. Connecticut Community College System awards one renewable scholarship at each of its 12 area campuses. These scholarships are awarded for merit and financial need by GCYD and FAFSA application must be submitted. The scholarship is in the amount of $250 per semester, renewable up to six semesters if renewal criteria are met. To qualify for one of the community college scholarships, students bus apply to, be accepted at, and attend the institution. Applicant must also complete a FAFSA form and qualify for federal financial assistance. Applicants must indicate on their application that they wish to be considered for ONE of these scholarships

If you apply for, but are not awarded a State University System Scholarship or a Community College System Scholarship, your application will AUTOMATICALLY be considered for the non-renewable scholarships and other special awards.

All applications should be postmarked by January of the given year and sent to:
GCYD Scholarship Program
c/o Karen Burges, Chairperson, Scholarship Committee
P. O. Box 370233, West Hartford, CT 06137-0233

karen.burgess@po.state.ct.us | www.gcyd.org | www.dss.state.ct.us/svcs/rehab.htm

Screen Reader Accessible Version of the application: www.besb.state.ct.us

Southern Connecticut State University 

Disability Resource Office
Promoting Educational Equity for Students with Disabilities

The Disability Resource Office serves all students who provide current documentation of a disability that substantially impacts them in an educational setting.  Students with verifiable disabilities, visible or hidden, qualify for services.  Categories of disability include, but are not limited to the following:

• Mobility/orthopedic disabilities
• Learning disabilities
• Attention deficit disorders
• vision and hearing disabilities
• Acquired head injuries
• Psychological disabilities
• Chronic health-related disabilities

Susan Tucker, Coordinator
Disability Resource Center
501 Crescent Street | New Haven, CT 06515
E-Mail: tuckers1@southernct.edu
Questions: 203-392-6828,  TTY: 203-392-6131

Southern CT State University
Disability Resource Center

Transition Workshops for High School &  Transfer Students with Disabilities

Disability Resource Center
Southern CT State University

Transition To College Workshop for High School Students with Disabilities
Saturday, March 1, 2008 - 8:30AM-11:00AM
Engleman Hall C-112

This workshop will provide in-depth information about the services and supports available to students with disabilities at Southern. Get answers to questions regarding Southern’s admissions process and documentation requirements. A panel of college students, with a range of disabilities, will share their own transition stories and pass along tips that helped them to make their transition to college a smooth one. For those interested, a one-hour demonstration on assistive technology will take place at 11:00 in the Center for Adaptive Technology

In the event of snow, call (203) 392-7669 to confirm that the University is open.

Registration Deadline Monday, February 25, 2008

Susan Tucker, Coordinator
Disability Resource Center
501 Crescent Street | New Haven, CT 06515
E-Mail: tuckers1@southernct.edu
Questions: 203-392-6828,  TTY: 203-392-6131

United States Department of Education
The Office of Student Financial Assistance

We want to let you know about the efforts we are making to ensure that visually-impaired and hearing-impaired individuals have full access to information about our federal student loan, grant and work-study programs.   These programs provide approximately 70 percent of all post-secondary student aid.

For Visually-impaired Students:
Student Aid Audio Guide is available to anyone who wants it.
 Call: 1-800-4 FED AID (1-800-433-3243)

• Web sites are designed for text-only access, which makes them accessible for individuals
  with screen readers.  www.ed.gov/studentaid and students.gov
• Braille Copies of student aid information publications - 1-800-433-3243.

For Hearing-impaired Students:
Our federal student aid information center is equipped with a toll-free TDD.  1-800-730-8913.

• Hearing-impaired students may also contact us by e-mail at sfamail@ncs.ed.gov.
   Also, students who have access to the Internet should apply electronically for student aid at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

 NOTE: The Career Resource Center has a copy of the  "Student Aid Audio Guide 2001-2001" from the U.S. Department of Education available for Student use.