The changes that occur for a young person who is deafblind and their family after high school are many, but much can be done during the school years to ease the transition to young adult life. In this module, you’ll learn specific strategies educators can use to prepare and support students and their families for this major life change.

You’ll also meet a number of young people who are deafblind and their families, and see how some are getting ready for the transition while others are already navigating adult life.

The module covers real-life examples and essential information practitioners should know, such as 

• What options are available for students when they leave high school 
• What decisions families and students will face, and how you can help them plan and prepare for them
• How to prepare families and students for working with adult services and other types of support
• What experiences students should have during high school and the skills they need to prepare for the transition
• What is involved in planning for employment, post-secondary education, and helping in the community 

Because the content of each lesson builds on that of prior lessons, module participants are encouraged to complete the lessons in order.

Published April 2026 by the National Center on Deafblindness. 

Suggested citation:

National Center on Deafblindness. (2026). Preparing for life after high school [Video]. In Teaching children who are deafblind: Professional development for educators [Series]. https://www.nationaldb.org/products/modules/pd/preparing-for-life-after-high-school

Use of this Module

As with all NCDB products, this module is available for free on our website. Although we invite anyone to use these materials for independent self-study, the module was specifically designed for professional development providers to use in their training programs and courses. Please note that NCDB does not provide CEUs, certificates, or confirmation of completion.

To learn how this module can be incorporated into your training platform, visit Use of Teaching Children Who Are Deafblind Modules: Info for Professional Development Providers. 

Learn about the professional development module series.

Content Expert

Brooke Barnhill 

Brooke Barnhill, M.Ed., has worked in special education for more than 25 years as a paraeducator, classroom teacher, and teacher of the deafblind/deafblind specialist. She has a master’s in special education from Boston College and did her student teaching at Perkins School for the Blind in their Deafblind Program. Brooke recently completed a master of philosophy in special education from the University of Utah, earning an endorsement in deafblindness with a focus on joint engagement. 

Brooke is currently a statewide coordinator for the Idaho Special Education Support and Technical Assistance project, which provides resources, technical assistance, and training for their educational partners to improve outcomes for students with disabilities throughout Idaho. 

Prior to this, Brooke was a transition specialist for the Utah Deafblind Project. There, she worked on a collaborative team of key stakeholders in the state to share resources and build programs and services for transition-age youth who are deafblind in Utah.