The transition from school to adulthood is a pivotal time in the lives of all students. For a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), change of any kind can be challenging, and a transition as momentous as this can seem especially daunting. Thoughtful planning, sound information, and open communication will help parents support young adults…

Problems and needs specific to learning disabled (LD) adults are examined, and considerations for planning events for LD adults are discussed. Four questions are addressed: Does the event really meet their needs? How can one attract their attention and get them there? What kind of structure should one provide in an event? and How can one meet…

Ten ideas are outlined for helping hearing children feel closer to and more comfortable with the lives of their deaf siblings. Ideas include, among others, visiting the hearing-impaired sibling's classroom, touring the audiology booth, showing deafness-related movies, starting a sign language club, upgrading the school library, and sponsoring a…

The development of a personalized educational plan should be based on career and personal goals formulated and clarified through career exploration experiences. The eighth grade is a decision point at which students need to be aware of blocks of courses that require 4 years to complete; decisions must be confirmed at the 10th-grade level. However,…

A seven-step procedure designed to direct and encourage inservice staff development presentations by special services personnel is described. Steps include needs assessment, analysis of logistics, development of objectives, arrangement for incentives, preparation of content/format materials, presentation, and evaluation. (Author/DB)

This digest explores the concept of mentoring with gifted students and offers guidelines on its implementation. The literature on mentoring is reviewed, noting the maturing effect of mentor relationships and the particular value of mentors for disadvantaged students and for females. Among six guidelines offered are: decide what (not whom) the…

Stating the beliefs, principles, goals, and dimensions of the Early Childhood Services (ECS) program, this document provides basic direction for parents, program staff, and community services in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs responsive to the developmental and special needs of young children and their families. ECS is a…

Panda bears are the theme of this guide which includes many reading-related activities, crafts, and programs on a broad range of topics, and which can be expanded to other theme approaches such as endangered species, bears in general, and the concept of black and white. The program begins with a general definition and discussion of goals,…

This trainer manual is designed to assist facilitators in the design of entry-level courses and programs for substance abuse prevention specialists. The manual initially concentrates on a basic, generic approach to community work, and introduces the knowledge and skills needed to implement substance abuse prevention programs by using the community…

This guide is designed for individuals working in community mental health centers or other mental health programs concerned with needs and problems of the elderly. Section One examines the mental health needs of the elderly, and identifies major community social support programs that help the elderly with social and economic needs. Section Two…

This consumer education module is designed to provide consumers of mental health services with the skills necessary to participate in the development and delivery of services. The module is intended for use by both the mental health practitioner or consumer advocate and the mentally disabled individual. One preliminary unit and seven activities,…

The manual is designed to provide educators, parents, and severely handicapped students in Santa Clara County (California) with a guide to a 4-year transition process. The process has four components: transition foundation (basic skill development from birth to age 21), transition process (planning and implementation of training and other services…

A developing concern in Minnesota for the fact that a greater percentage of special needs students than non-special needs students tends to drop out of postsecondary vocational education prompted a project to promote articulation--transition--for these students into postsecondary education. A statewide survey was conducted to determine current…

This program planning kit contains information and activities on evaluation, change, leadership, and sex stereotyping which provided the basis for planning Project MOVE (Maximizing Options in Vocational Education) programs but which can be generalized and adapted for use in planning other programs. Assumptions ano guidelines based upon theory and…

These program guidelines provide a list of the essential elements which make for a quality occupational education special needs delivery system. Among the topics listed in the guidelines are: (1) six sources of laws and regulations which direct and regulate services to special needs populations; (2) definition of the four distinct populations…