Publication Date: March 5, 2008

Author: Jennifer Douglas, General Manager, Student Aid Awareness and Applicant Services Channel, Federal Student Aid

Summary: Resources for Blind and Visually Impaired Students

Posted on 03-05-2008

Federal Student Aid has a variety of information resources available for blind and visually impaired students enrolling in or currently enrolled in education beyond high school.

• Funding Education Beyond High School: Audio Highlights

  Audio Highlights introduces students to critical information to consider as they prepare for education after high school. In addition, this recording gives them other resources (Web sites and Braille and print publications) that provide more details relating to each topic listed in the contents. Audio Highlights helps students decide what to study, what school is right for them, what to look for-and look out for-in financing their education, what career choices to make and much more.

  The recording begins with a 60-second public service announcement (PSA) that highlights Federal Student Aid's core mission-to ensure that all eligible individuals benefit from financial assistance for education beyond high school and to champion the value of postsecondary education. The PSA points out that each year, Federal Student Aid awards nearly $83 billion in grants, work-study and low-interest loans to help finance the dreams of tomorrow's leaders.

  The recording also provides information on nonfederal sources of aid. Students can listen to Audio Highlights online at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/audio.

  Audio Highlights is available on compact disc. Your school can order copies in bulk from www.FSAPubs.org or your students can order individual copies by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) toll-free at 1-800-433-3243. In addition, your students can order copies individually from www.edpubs.org.

The following federal student aid print publications are available in Braille and can be ordered in bulk at www.FSAPubs.org or individually through the FSAIC toll free number or from www.edpubs.org.

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
  
  Although the Braille FAFSA cannot be submitted, students can use it as a guide when they apply on paper, or they can use the Braille FAFSA on the Web Worksheet as a guide when they apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

• Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid

  This publication is a comprehensive and user-friendly resource on federal student aid that can be used at every stage of the student's financial aid lifecycle. The guide covers the three major types of federal student aid available-grants, loans, and work-study-and explains how to apply for them. The Guide also mentions sources of nonfederal aid.

• Braille Bookmark
  
  The Braille Bookmark contains our Federal Student Aid Gateway Web address, www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov. Students can use this site to find information on applying for aid and locating their federal student loans. The bookmark also contains our toll-free FSAIC telephone number: 1-800-433-3243. Students can call this number if they have general questions about federal student aid or would like to order publications. TTY users can call 1-800-730-8913.