Next Steps

• The U.S. Department of Education’s Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education has some excellent information on your rights as you leave high school and begin postsecondary education.
• Disability Rights North Carolina provides self-advocacy help. They offer a video on How To Be Your Own Advocate and an online resource library that lets you search for the information you need.
• BestColleges.com has information about legal rights and assistive technologies for students with disabilities.
• ADA.gov gives an Introduction to the American With Disabilities Act and a detailed Guide to Disability Rights Laws with an overview of all Federal civil rights laws for people with disabilities.

• Going to College focuses on ways to think about what you want to do, what college life is like, and how you can plan for college.
• Think College has important information for students, families, and professionals about how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can succeed in higher education.

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the main form you need to complete in order to get financial aid for postsecondary education.
• The U.S. Department of Education’s Financial Aid Resource Publications are manuals in English and Spanish that explain precisely how to apply for financial aid and what different types of financial aid you can get.

To apply for Vocational Rehabilitation services, visit an Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD) office.

North Carolina's Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD), formerly called the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS or VR), helps people with disabilities prepare for and find work. Whether you're looking to enter the workforce for the first time, return to work, or enter a new line of work, a counselor can work with you to figure out which services you need and develop a plan to help you reach your work goals.

Call or visit the Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities (EIPD) office near you.

Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program helps people with disabilities who get Social Security benefits re-enter the workforce and become more independent. The Ticket to Work Program offers free access to employment-related services, such as training, transportation, and vocational rehabilitation. You can call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

A trained Benefits Planner can help you understand your benefits programs. Exactly who you need to contact depends on your situation and the benefits you get.

View DB101's full list of experts who can help you understand different benefits.