Transition education is a required component of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Information Act of 2004, and all students who have disabilities must have a transition education plan to prepare them for life after high school. However, there are no definitive standards for transition programs, and it is unclear how administrators with…

As students who have intellectual disability reach or have reached the age of majority, concerns regarding their competence to make informed decisions are often raised, as is the issue of adult guardianship. Guardianship refers to when a judge appoints an adult to be the guardian of another adult (ward) who has been determined to be unable to care…

In response to the paucity of transition services available for students with intellectual disabilities, the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) allocated grant funding to support model demonstration programs that promote successful transition into higher education. In accordance with the objectives of the HEOA, the Florida College…

This study used multilevel modeling to examine the extent to which secondary special educators promoted nonacademic behaviors that were positively linked to postschool outcomes for students with disabilities, including self-advocacy, goal setting and attainment, disability awareness, employment, and utilization of supports. Respondents were 248…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates the implementation of a behavior intervention plan based on a functional behavioral assessment when a student's behavior necessitates disciplinary actions. However, IDEA does not provide any clear guidelines as to what the plans should contain nor how they can address behaviors that…

This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of 8 Local Education Agency (LEA) personnel who implemented the Transition Outcomes Project (TOP) in a midwestern state. These personnel represented 100% of the state LEAs who instigated the pilot of TOP in the participating state. Findings showed that TOP had 3 major positive effects: greater…

This paper focuses on transition programs for youth to postsecondary education, broadly considered. It addresses the following questions: (1) What models or programs of transition exist? (2) On what basis can we say one transition program is more effective than another? In other words, how is successful transition defined? (3) How are…

Successful transition planning is a lifelong process in which the student, family members, friends, and professionals come together to develop and act upon a plan that will lead to a successful adult life. For this reason, transition planning has become a part of several federal laws. The most encompassing of these laws, the Individuals with…

This article presents a comprehensive model for assessment of secondary students with disabilities. The model is intended to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which requires identifying transition needs of students in their individualized education programs. The model assists in structuring an outcome-oriented transition…

The transition to adult life for students with reading and writing challenges is an area that is not often addressed. The purpose of this article is to relate the informal assessment process to the broader context of high stakes assessment, high school exit exams, diploma options, and transition planning; identify the competencies needed for a…

This document is intended to assist Iowa school districts and area education agencies in planning and recording the transition service needs of students with disabilities. Its purpose is to provide educators responsible for the development of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) with additional strategies, ways of thinking, and ways to…

Transitioning from high school to the adult world is a complicated process for adolescents with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires transition services for students with disabilities. This article describes those services and how to customize these services to support the needs of…

Students with disabilities represent a relatively small but important group of students in U.S. high schools. The education of these students is heavily influenced by federal and state law as well as by longstanding beliefs about the purpose of education and the extreme heterogeneity of the population. Until recently, general educational policies…

This monograph examines issues in the transition of youth with emotional and/or behavioral disorders to adulthood. It describes transition as a process by which youth with disabilities are systematically equipped with skills necessary for realizing valued postsecondary outcomes. The subject of transition is examined within the historical,…

Designed for parents of students, this booklet provides information and strategies for helping students with disabilities make a smooth transition to postsecondary education and training. The first part of the booklet addresses: building blocks for transition, transition services mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,…