American Federation for the Blind: A WIOA Program Activity Guide

The Transition to Work: Program Activity Guide was created for community rehabilitation program providers, vocational rehabilitation agencies, and teachers of students with visual impairments working to improve employment outcomes for teens and young adults who are blind or visually impaired.  The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) requires states to reserve funds to provide pre-employment transition services to youth who are blind or visually impaired. Vocational rehabilitation agencies are responsible for making five required activities available to students:

  1. Job exploration counseling
  2. Work-based learning experiences
  3. Counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or post-secondary educational programs at institutions of higher education
  4. Workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent living skills
  5. Instruction in self-advocacy

The lessons included in this guide can be utilized by service providers to implement three of the five required activities for their visually impaired clients: job exploration, work-based learning, and workplace readiness training.