Educational and vocational rehabilitation programs both have key roles and responsibilities in improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Both entities must be involved in creating opportunities for students to develop skills and knowledge to prepare for careers in the 21st Century. To help facilitate understanding and promote…

In recent years, the concept of teachers as researchers in both special and mainstream school settings has become part of our everyday language. Whilst many educational practitioners will see the need for research within their setting, many may not be familiar with the technical elements they believe are required. "Creating Meaningful Inquiry in…

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) states that transition planning should begin at the earliest age appropriate and no later than age 16. IDEA requires schools to make collaborative efforts to provide students access to an array of postschool activities including integrated employment, postsecondary…

Intended for administrators of preschool special education programs, the manual provides guidelines concerning the administrative processes accompanying transition to the elementary program. These include: (1) procedures for establishing communication and information exchange between the preschool program and the local education agency; (2)…

By recognizing the importance of early transitions for young children with handicaps and viewing transition as a lifelong process, professionals can guide parents in developing skills that can be applied to subsequent transitions throughout the child's life. Described are steps in the transition process, parents' transition skills, and expected…

The article examines the need to integrate transition planning for children with disabilities throughout the early childhood years, the roles of all members of the early intervention team (parents and professionals) in early transitions, and the effects of parents becoming active participants in early intervention. (Author/DB)

Young adolescents entering high school look forward to having more choices and making new and more friends; however, they also are concerned about being picked on and teased by older students, having harder work, making lower grades, and getting lost in a larger, unfamiliar school. For middle school students, including those who have been labeled…

A model is presented for planning the transition of handicapped children from early childhood special education (ECSE) programs into kindergarten/elementary school mainstream classrooms. The model, developed through Project TEEM (Transitioning into the Elementary Education Mainstream), enables parents, ECSE, and elementary school program staff to…

This theme issue provides four articles that address family involvement in the transition of youth with disabilities from school to work. The first article, "Family Involvement" by Marge Goldberg and Shauna McDonald, offers evidence of the importance of family involvement at this stage of the individual's life, reports on families' experiences,…

Noting that the transition to Kindergarten is a process rather than a one-time event, this guide will help early childhood educators--home caregivers, center providers and public preschool teachers--understand the transitions to school and consider steps teachers can take to improve children's transition and adjustment. Specific ideas and…

Based on an extensive literature search, this paper identifies key actions school administrators may take regarding systems that limit or avoid student referrals for special education services. Findings indicate that referrals may be limited by early intervention strategies and overall improvement of the mainstream educational system. Includes 93…

Issues that face learning-disabled students and their parents during the transition from a secondary to a postsecondary setting are explored, and recommendations are offered for consideration in resolving problems during this period. (JDD)

This brief informational flyer presents practical information on the transition from an early intervention program into a preschool program for parents and teachers of young children who are deaf blind. It provides information on: (1) the laws that affect a child with disabilities when he/she turns 3 years of age; (2) the transition process from…

A survey of 91 parents of children moving from early intervention programs into special education kindergartens found that most parents felt involved in the transition process and received more support from early intervention providers than from public schools. More educated parents and better prepared parents tended to feel most satisfied.…

This document presents one module in a set of training resources for trainers to use with parents and/or professionals serving children with disabilties; focus is on transition planning. The modules stress content and activities that build skills and offer resources to promote parent-professional collaboration. Each training module takes about 2…