Families
Many deaf teens have played Deafverse, and talked about the game with their families. Have you asked your child about Deafverse yet?
Getting Started with Deafverse at Home
Deaf teenagers need to be able to make good decisions during high school and beyond. Deafverse is a choose-your-own-adventure game that gives deaf teens an opportunity to practice making choices in situations like the ones they face everyday. While your child plays the game, you might also learn more about the real life experiences of deaf people!
In each World, deaf teenagers gain new skills to help them prepare for life after high school. World One: Duel of the Bots asks players to advocate for themselves with friends and interpreters, choose accommodations that may be a good fit for them, learn more about accessible emergency alerts, and more!
In World Two: Revenge of the Deep, players will prepare for the workplace by learning about resumes, cover letters, how to advocate for oneself through the job interview process, and to work in a team!
Additional Resources to Use at Home!
Each World in Deafverse comes packaged with interactive activities and videos.
Deaf teens can download Player Strategy Guides, which asks players to apply what they learned while playing Deafverse. These interactive workbooks ask players to answer questions about their lives, connect with people in their communities, and identify strategies that are a good fit for their goals.
Family members and guardians can download Teacher Strategy Guides to get tips on using Deafverse at home. The Guide offers ideas for discussing game scenarios, expanding on the game experience, and connecting in new ways with your deaf child. A chapter-by-chapter summary of the story is also included.
Our video gallery is also available, with real-life stories shared by deaf people. These practical tips and thoughts can be a good starting point for discussions with your child.
What is Self-Determination & Why Is It Important?
Deafverse is designed to strengthen self-determination skills in deaf youth, as an important part of transition planning. Self-determination is about acting or causing things to happen in your life so that you can reach your goals. Families play an important role in supporting their deaf child as they develop self-determination skills. Your child can take an ASL accessible assessment of self-determination, and get a report about their skills and areas of improvement. Visit NDC’s self-determination page now to learn more.
A short interactive worksheet, the Choose Your Future! Activity Kit, can help deaf children identify their strengths, interests, and needs, and decide on goals that align with those personal preferences. Your child can work with you and their teachers or vocational rehabilitation counselors to develop a detailed plan for reaching their goals. These goals can then be integrated in transition planning, like individualized education plans (IEPs), vocational rehabilitation meetings, and pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS).
Other NDC Resources
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Videos
- Transition Planning
- Laws Concerning Accommodations: Summary of Section 504, IDEA, and ADA
- Sign Language Interpreters: An Introduction
- Speech-to-Text Services: An Introduction
- The Deaf Community: An Introduction
National Deaf Center has many other resources that may be beneficial to you, and your child. Check out these resources today!
