Transition to College: Program Activity Guide for Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision

This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)


Graduating and moving to college or a career school is crucial for any student. For those who are blind or have low vision, it needs teamwork from the student, parents, teachers, counselors, and rehab professionals. This ensures they get the right instruction. Students with blindness may have increase in challenges. So, the student’s IEP should have goals for college or career prep. Ideally, this starts in middle school. It takes long-term planning and input from everyone involved, especially the student.

College and Career School Readiness Activities for Students Who Blind or Low Vision

A group of high school students standing outside against a brick wall with two students walking towards the group using white canes

Blind or low-vision students who are planning to attend college need to learn and master an array of skills from the expanded core curriculum prior to attending any postsecondary institution. Upon high school graduation, students will be fully responsible for their education. Therefore, specialized instruction is necessary to prepare students with vision loss for what will be expected of them in a new educational setting.

Essential Skills for College- or Career School-Bound Students with Vision Loss

The following skills are covered in the activity guide to help prepare college-bound students who are blind or low vision.

  • Researching admissions requirements
  • Navigating the application process
  • Requesting accommodations for the SAT or ACT
  • Applying for scholarships, grants, or loans
  • Ordering materials in accessible formats
  • Establishing a working relationship with the Office for Students with Disabilities
  • Coordinating services with a vocational rehabilitation agency
  • Using knowledge of one’s rights and responsibilities as a blind or low vision student
  • Independently traveling on campus
  • Advocating with professors in a self-determined manner
  • Hiring and working with a live reader

In addition to having the necessary skills to sustain good academic standing, students who are blind or low vision also need to acquire skills for managing their personal life and independent living needs.

Group of four students sitting outside each looking at their laptops

Features of the Transition to College: Program Activity Guide

The Transition to College: Program Activity Guide was created for teachers of students who are blind or low vision, community rehabilitation program professionals, orientation and mobility instructors, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and students who are blind or low vision who have decided to pursue higher education or training. The activities in this guide support the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which requires vocational rehabilitation agencies to provide counseling on enrollment opportunities in college or career school as well as instruction in self-advocacy to students who are blind. This guide offers over 20 free activities aimed at assisting students with vision loss in understanding their postsecondary education options in relation to their career goals or desired job. These activities can also serve as electronic distance instruction for students in rural areas.

Lessons Available in Multiple Learning Mediums

You can view the lessons online, print them, or download them as an electronic braille file (BRF) in the Unified English Braille Code, ready for embossing. The BRF files are available for download at the bottom of each lesson. Right-click and “save as” to download a file to a computer.

Supplemental Material

The resource College Bound: A Guide for Students who are blind or low vision, 2nd Edition by Ellen Trief, Ed.D., is used as a supplement to the activities in this guide. You can purchase a copy of College Bound from APH Press. The Transition to College: Program Activity Guide was developed by Alicia Wolfe for the American Foundation for the Blind.

  • Lesson 1: College Bound As a Student Who Is Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish) Key Considerations Planning and preparing for your life after high school is an important process as a student who is blind or low vision. Deciding what you will need to do to achieve your future personal and professional goals as an adult is a decision that should […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 2: Postsecondary Education Options

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations To help you decide if attending college is for you, it is important to fully understand all of the postsecondary education options available to you after high school and the differences in each. Familiarizing yourself with your options, weighing the pros and cons, and determining if […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 3: College Knowledge for Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations If you choose to attend college, you will have many options when selecting the college you will attend and the degree you will earn. It is important to know what the various degrees of study are and what it takes to earn them. Each type of […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 4: The Degree I Need to Succeed in the Workforce as a Job Seeker who is Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish) Key Considerations Some jobs require a certain degree or level of training. Therefore, as you think about the job you’d like to hold or career you’d like to pursue as a job seeker with vision loss, it is important to spend time researching the level of education […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 5: Admissions Requirements for Students who are Blind and Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish) Key Considerations Meeting the entrance requirements is a key factor in deciding whether you will attend college or career school as a student who is blind or low vision. While it is never too late to decide to further your education or training, researching entry requirements before […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 6: College Costs for Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish) Key Considerations When you decide to go to college or career school, you are making a financial commitment to pay for the education or training you receive. Unlike high school, your post-secondary education will be your financial responsibility. Being aware of and understanding the costs can help […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 7: Paying for College and Completing the FAFSA As a Student Who Is Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish) Key Considerations Sometimes students who are blind or low vision assume attending college or career school is not an affordable option. The reality is there are many resources available to assist you with the costs. In fact, many students do not actually pay the published sticker price […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 8: Scholarship and Grant Opportunities for Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations As you explore how you will pay for college or career school as a student who is blind or low vision, it is a good idea to start with researching sources for money that will not need to be repaid (if you fulfill your end of […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 9: Taking Out a Student Loan to Pay for College As a Student with Vision Loss

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations After you submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will receive an award letter from the college or career school you will attend. The award letter will include a list of funds you are qualified to receive based on your financial need as […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 10: Ask a College Graduate with Vision Loss for Advice

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations As you work towards deciding if attending college or career school is a good decision for you, you may have some questions a graduate could answer. Often times when big decisions need to be made, it is helpful to talk with someone who made the decision […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 11: Skills for College Students with Vision Loss

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations If you are planning to further your education as a student who is blind or low vision, there are skills you will need to learn and practice to prepare for the rigors of attending college. Unlike high school, higher level skills are needed to be successful […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 12: College Knowledge for Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations As you prepare to research, apply for, and attend college, there are various terms associated with college that you need to be familiar with. For instance, you will need to know what a syllabus is, the role of an advisor, what the registrar’s office is, etc. […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 13: Transition IEP Goals to Prepare Students with Vision Loss for College

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations When you reach age 16 as a student who is blind or low vision, your Individualized Education Program (IEP) must include post-secondary goals related to training, education, employment, and independent living skills. Your IEP should also include the amount of specialized services and instruction you need […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 14: Importance of Volunteer and Community Service As an Individual with Vision Loss

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations Although your Grade Point Average (GPA) and your scores on standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT or college placement tests are important factors when colleges or career schools review your application for admission, the institutions are also looking for information that reflects how you […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 15: College Essay Writing Practice for Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations When you have narrowed down the list of colleges or career schools you would like to attend, the next step will be for you to submit an application to the office of admissions by the specified deadline. The process of applying to college or career school […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 16: Rights and Responsibilities As a College Student with Vision Loss

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations As a high school student who is blind or low vision, you have a team of professionals who are responsible for providing specialized services to you that will prepare you for your transition into college or career school. Your school district is required to identify you […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 17: Vocational Rehabilitation Services for College Bound Students Who Are Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations Your current support system may include a teacher of students who are blind or low vision, an orientation and mobility specialist, a guidance counselor, and your subject area teachers. These professionals are in charge of preparing you for adulthood and making sure you will have the […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 18: Requesting Academic Accommodations in College for Students who are Blind and Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations As a college or career school student who is blind or low vision, it is your responsibility to identify yourself as a student with vision loss by registering and applying for services with your institution’s Office for Students with Disabilities. To register with the office, you […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 19: Information Access Skills for Students with Vision Loss

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations As a student who is blind or low vision, one of the most important skills you can develop before you begin college or career school is the ability to locate and access required course information in alternative formats using access skills and assistive technology. If you […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 20: Using Live Readers As a Student with Vision Loss

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations While you are in college or career school, there may be materials or settings with materials (such as the library) that you are required to access independently and immediately but can’t due to your vision loss. As much as you will want to have all your […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 21: Required Reading Requests for Students who are Blind and Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations You will spend a significant amount of time in college reading materials required for your courses. Instructors in college or career school will outline the required readings for your classes in the course syllabus. Because you will need to locate and purchase the materials from a […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 22: Study Skills for Students who are Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations The grades you earn in college will be dependent on your ability to study. How much and how often you study in college or career school is up to you. Your professors will periodically remind you to study, but no one will personally monitor when, how, […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 23: Create a Mock College Schedule As a Student who is Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish)Key Considerations One of the main differences between high school and college or career school is that the responsibility of managing your time becomes yours. In high school, teachers and guidance counselors plan and create a daily class schedule for you to follow. Your parents also have input […]

    Read more
  • Lesson 24: Navigating a College Campus As a Student Who Is Blind or Low Vision

    This content is also available in: Español (Spanish) When you are a student who is blind or low vision, navigating your college or career school campus will require you to have more than a map or GPS. How will you locate your classes if you cannot see the street signs, building signs, or room numbers? […]

    Read more