Your Child’s Journey: An Ohio Guide for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Support

Exploring Career Paths and Job Skills

It is never too early to start talking about the future. Even young children benefit from learning about different kinds of work—by meeting community helpers, noticing jobs in books and TV shows, or talking about what adults do every day.

As your child becomes a teenager, it is a good time to plan more directly for adulthood. The teen years are an opportunity to explore interests, build real-world skills, and prepare for more independence after high school.

Teens who are deaf or hard of hearing may benefit from additional support to:

  • Learn about career options.
  • Understand the world of work.
  • Practice self-advocacy and communication strategies.
  • Develop independence.

This page will help you:

  • Explore your child’s strengths and interests.
  • Learn about job and self-advocacy skills.
  • Discover real-world experiences to build confidence.
  • Connect with Ohio-based programs and services.
  • Use deaf or hard of hearing specific tools and strategies.

Start with Strengths and Interests

Planning for adulthood and careers begins with helping your teen discover who they are:

  • What do they enjoy doing?
  • What are they good at?
  • What challenges do they face, and how do they solve them?

Helpful Tools:

  • Interest Inventories: Use tools like Ohio Means Jobs and O*NET Interest Profiler to explore jobs.
  • Charting the LifeCourse: Includes tools for building a vision of a good life, and the supports needed to achieve that vision.
  • Backwards Planning Template: Helps your child and their team outline steps and supports to achieve goals related to employment or independence.
  • Employability and Life Skills Checklist: Lists the skills that all adults need for independence and job readiness, which can be worked on as a child grows.
  • Work-Based Learning: Volunteer work, job shadowing, or part-time jobs can help teens discover what kinds of work they enjoy (or do not enjoy).
  • Everyday Activities: Chores, hobbies, and community involvement help explore and build early job skills.

Build Job and Self-Advocacy Skills

Career readiness involves more than just job training. Deaf or hard of hearing youth benefit from practicing:

Self-Advocacy… Active card

Knowing when and how to speak up for your needs—like asking for an interpreter, captioning, to speak into a microphone, or other support.

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At a job interview, your teen lets the employer know ahead of time that they need a sign language interpreter. They also explain how they prefer to communicate in group settings. To prepare for work meetings, a deaf/hard of hearing employee requests to read materials in advance, so it is easier to split attention between conversation and text during the meeting.

Communication Strategies… Active card

Using tools and approaches that make it easier to understand and be understood—like interpreters, amplification devices, or speech-to-text apps.

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During a training session at work, your teen uses a speech-to-text app to follow the presenter and lets the supervisor know they need a few seconds to read before

Soft Skills… Active card

Everyday people skills that help in any job—like being on time, working well with others, staying organized, and managing time.

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Your teen arrives early for their shift, checks the schedule, and works with coworkers to cover tasks. They set phone reminders to stay on track.

Technology Use… Active card

Knowing how to use helpful tools—like VRS (Video Relay Service), speech-to-text apps, email, and texting—to connect and communicate.

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When their manager texts schedule changes, your teen replies using good texting etiquette. They also use VRS to call the workplace and confirm shifts.

Teamwork & Problem-Solving… Active card

Working with others, listening to different ideas, and finding ways to solve challenges together.

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On a group project, your teen shares their ideas, listens to teammates, and helps find a plan when the group disagrees—asking for clarification when communication gets tricky.

Lightbulb IconTip: Many IEP teams include employment goals as part of transition planning. Career-tech education, school-based work experiences, or support from an intervention specialist like a teacher of the deaf can support these skills.

Gain Real-World Experience

Teenagers do not have to wait until after graduation to start building work experience. Early exposure can build confidence and clarity about career interests.

Ideas for Real-World Learning:

  • Volunteering: Builds responsibility, confidence, and social skills.
  • Internships or Summer Jobs: Offer hands-on experience in real work environments.
  • School-Based Opportunities: Career-tech classes, clubs, or student-run businesses.
  • Mentorship: Connecting with deaf or hard of hearing adults in different careers can be inspiring and affirming.

Ohio-Based Programs and Supports

Ohio offers several programs to help youth with disabilities prepare for adulthood and employment:

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities helps students explore careers, get training, and find jobs. OOD also offers Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for youth ages 14–21. This includes job exploration, self-advocacy training, and work-based learning.

If your child qualifies, your local County Boards of Developmental Disabilities can provide:

  • Employment services.
  • Life skills training.
  • Adult day programs.

Ohio Means Jobs Center offers career planning tools, job-search help, and resume support. Some OMJ centers partner with schools or CBDDs.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Tools and Strategies

tools-icon.pngReal-World Tools and Strategies

  • Job Interview Practice: Practice interviews with Deaf mentors or other trusted adults, if using ASL practice through video platforms like Zoom.
  • Visual Resumes or Portfolios: Use video or visual formats to highlight strengths and access needs.
  • Self-Advocacy Cards: Teens can carry cards that explain their communication preferences (e.g., “I use ASL. Please face me when speaking.”).
  • Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP): Offers accessible videos (with ASL, captions, and voice) for learning job skills, communication strategies, self-advocacy, and more.
  • Deafverse is an accessible, video-based game platform designed for deaf and hard of hearing students. It helps them build important skills in self-advocacy, problem-solving, job readiness, and career exploration, especially during the transition to adulthood.

Career exploration is a journey that starts with curiosity and grows through experience. Whether your teens have a clear vision of the future or are just starting to think about it, there are many ways to support their growth. With the right tools, opportunities, and connections, your child can prepare for a meaningful and independent adult life. To learn more about skills that can strengthen your teen’s independence and workforce readiness, explore the Expanded Core Competencies section of this guide.