High School Deaf and Hard O F Hearing Graduate
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CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2019! H I G H S C H O O L D E A F A N D H A R D O F H E A R I N G G R A D U A T E I N F O R M A T I O N K I T 2 2019 High School Deaf & Hard of Hearing Graduate Information Kit This 2019 High School Deaf and Hard of Hearing Graduate Information Kit was prepared by Silent Voice Canada. Although every reasonable effort was made to ensure accurate information is contained in this Kit, Silent Voice cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. © Silent Voice Canada 2019 3 This Kit is For You! So, you are about to leave school and enter a new chapter in your life. As a young Deaf or hard of hearing person, perhaps you have some questions that have still not been answered. Questions like, “Where should I go for a college or university education? How can I find a Deaf sports club and meet others who share my love of sports? And where do I find an ASL-English interpreter for my job interview?” There are other questions that you probably have not thought about yet -- and there are answers that are important for you to know. This kit is for you! It is designed to put information at your fingertips to assist you as you take the first steps into this new chapter in your life. The information contained in this kit will help you find your place in the world, and help you find your place in the community of your choosing. This High School Graduate Information Kit is a gift to you, in the hope that you will find it useful. We all sometimes make wrong turns in our lives, but we earnestly hope that this Kit will guide you in finding turns you can make that lead to better information, better choices, and better decisions as you prepare to leave school and go on your life’s journey. - Silent Voice Canada Inc. 4 Table of Contents Education 6 Upgrading Programs & LINCs University & College with Accessible Services OSAP, Bursaries, & Grants Benefits of Post-Secondary Education Employment 12 Employment Services Income & Tax Information Employment Laws Social Services 16 Interpreter Services Accessible Devices and Needs Support Programs Community Information & Resources 22 Community Resources Places to Worship Emergencies and Fire Safety Agency List “However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.” - Stephen Hawking 5 EDUCATION There are many options for your post- secondary education, both in and outside of Ontario. This section will give you an idea of the different programs All Canadian post- available. In this section, there are links secondary institutions with each program for more are required to provide information. This graduate kit is to be accessible services used as a resource as you begin your endeavors on whichever path you have or will decide to take after graduating high school. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela 6 Upgrading Programs & LINC Deaf Literacy Initiative (DLI) Deaf Literacy Initiative is the umbrella organization which provides training, research, networking and resources to Deaf and Deaf-Blind literacy programs and their students in Website: Ontario. Though DLI does not give direct literacy instruction, https://www.deafliteracy.ca/LB if you are interested in improving your English and SPrograms mathematic skills, you can find the literacy program closest to your home by going to DLI’s website (link to the left). Academic Upgrading for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults This program is the only program of its kind in Toronto, with all courses taught in American Sign Language (ASL). This program is for those Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who want to upgrade their English, ASL, and St. James Campus math skills for further education. This program is free for 200 King Street E. students; there is no tuition. Students may also be eligible Toronto, ON to apply for Transportation Subsidy. M5A 3W8 Room 581 C Duration: 1 to 5 semesters depending on student’s goal * September and January intake (full and part time) Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.georgebrown.ca/programs/deaf- academic-upgrading-program-A752/ Deaf Adult Upgrading Program Durham Deaf Services (DDS) provides free literacy classes Email: [email protected] for Deaf, deafened and hard of hearing adults. The program is open Monday to Thursday. Learners develop skills in; TTY: (905) 579-6495 English, reading and writing, math, computers, and more. All classes are in ASL. Website: Contact DDS for more information. www.durhamdeaf.org/ www.ddsclasses.org 7 Deaf Learn Now Deaf Learn Now is the first fully online academic program exclusively for Deaf and Hard of Hearing adults in the world. Website: This FREE program is funded by the Ministry of Training, http://www.deaflearnnow.ca/ Colleges, and Universities, and is available to adults 19 years and older who live in Ontario. Video: http://deafeducationonline.ca/ Our program offers wonderful, interactive courses to help homecontent/DLN_inside_look/ students improve their English, Math, and ASL skills – to index.html prepare them for employment, gain greater independence, and to move on to post-secondary programs in Canada or abroad. In addition, we have interactive courses in WHMIS, Ontario Driver’s License Preparation, Canadian Citizenship, Deaf Culture, and more. Deaf Empowerment Program The Deaf Empowerment Program (DEP)is an academic upgrading program for Deaf, Deaf-Blind, hard-of-hearing, Fennell Campus and deafened individuals, age 19 and over. This program 135 Fennell Avenue W. provides instruction in math, reading, writing, basic Hamilton, ON computer and employability skills. DEP uses Deaf instructors L9C 1E9 using ASL. This program is free for students; there is no (at the corner of West 5th tuition. Street) Duration: Full Time, 1 Year (September – June) Email: Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 3:00pm [email protected] TTY: Website: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/programs/get- (905) 575-2436 prepared-for-college/academic-upgrading-academic-and- career-entrance-ace/deaf Contact: Community Training Solutions, Academic Upgrading Program, Room J137, Fennell Campus 8 Accessible Universities and Colleges While all Universities and Colleges are required to have accessible services, the following post-secondary institutions are specifically geared towards Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Gallaudet University Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. offers a wide variety of Gallaudet University programs for Deaf, deafened, hard-of-hearing, and hearing 800 Florida Avenue NE students in a bilingual environment, using ASL and English. They Washington, D.C. offer Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees, and PhD level 20002 – 3695 programs. This is one option for students who want to learn outside of Ontario. For more information, see the Gallaudet Contact: website below. TTY/Voice – (800) 995-0500 Website: https://www.gallaudet.edu/ Email: [email protected] Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) & National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) RIT offers a range of programs at the Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD levels. All RIT (mainstream)programs are open to Deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and are made National Technical Institute for accessible through ASL-English Interpreters, real-time the Deaf captionists, notetakers, and other accommodations. Students 52 Lomb Memorial Drive are also able to request interpretation for non-academic events Rochester, NY (sports, socials, meetings, etc.) Accommodations are provided 14623 at no additional cost to the student. TTY: (585) 475-6400 One of the departments within RIT is the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, which offers several programs for Deaf, Contact: deafened, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students. For more To see the NITD email directory information, see the websites below. please visit: www.ntid.rit.edu/contact Website: RIT main site: http://www.rit.edu/ NTID main site: http://www.ntid.rit.edu/ 9 Loans, Bursaries, and Grants Below are 3 ways to apply to help cover your cost of post-secondary education through the Ontario Government. LOAN Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is a loan that a student can apply for to cover the cost of tuition fees, books, rent, etc. while attending a post-secondary program. Six months after finishing your studies, students will begin monthly payments to pay back what they borrowed, or you can apply for repayment assistance. Visit the OSAP website for more information: https://www.ontario.ca/page/osap- ontario-student-assistance-program GRANT The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities offer grants for students enrolled in post-secondary education. A grant is a type of financial support that a student typically does not have to pay back. A grant is usually awarded based on financial need and/or other factors. BURSARY The Government of Ontario also offers bursaries for students. A bursary is a type of financial assistance that a student typically does not have to pay back. Bursaries are to help students with their financial needs during their schooling. The Bursary for Student with Disabilities (BSWD) is for students who need support or accommodations (at a cost) such as tutors, note-takers, interpreters, braillers or technical aids that are directly related to their disability. Visit the BSWB website for more information: https://osap.gov.on.ca/OSAPPortal/en/A- ZListofAid/WEBUCONT033210.html For more information about how and when to apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/how-apply-osap 10 Benefits of Post-Secondary Education By referring to the charts below, you will be able to see the impact your education has on your future income.