High school students with disabilities encounter many barriers to successful transition, and thus they are likelier to drop out of school than their nondisabled peers and have more difficulties finding employment. Policy makers and practitioners in many fields are increasingly using communities of practice as a core strategy for developing…

The future prosperity of the United States relies strongly upon the success of its higher education system. With an increasingly technological and competitive world economy, more jobs require the advanced skills and knowledge that higher education provides. Yet despite the significant efforts toward improving elementary and secondary education in…

This paper describes the Pathfinders program in New York (New York), which works to facilitate the full integration of adults with developmental disabilities into workplaces and neighborhoods. The paper is organized around the question of whether students graduating from special education can find paid and volunteer work in community settings,…

This paper describes DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology), a cooperative program of the University of Washington and the High School/High Tech program to increase the career success of individuals with disabilities by providing access to technology, career preparation activities, and work experiences. DO-IT works…

This report discusses the outcomes of a project designed to help young children with special needs and their families prepare for and adjust to new service settings. The Bridging Early Service Transition (BEST) Project has helped administrators, service providers, and families plan and coordinate transitions for young children with disabilities or…

This monograph addresses issues in the appropriate education of children and youth with disabilities, especially emotional and/or behavioral disorders, who are in juvenile correctional facilities. An introductory chapter considers the characteristics of students with E/BD in the public schools; educational services in juvenile corrections; and…

The job of executive director of a parent center can be very rewarding. An executive director is in the position to bring change to the lives of children with disabilities and their families. Directors, assisted by the board of directors and key staff members, are in a position to create many new opportunities for designing and shaping the growth…

This article is written by two British people with learning disabilities and their health care team. It is about their wish to move into homes in the community after years in hospitals. They explain the service experiences they have had and what they are looking forward to in the future. (CR)

This paper describes the drama component of Project Access, a transitional 4-week summer program for students (ages 15 to 18) with disabilities at Howard County Community College (Maryland). Emphasis is on development of self-advocacy skills through a variety of exercises and performance activities. Participating students have demonstrated growth…

An occupational therapy-based independent living skills program at a California high school was designed to help disabled adolescents assume adult roles. Based on occupational science principles, the program's themes include occupation and occupational role, environment, independence, and adaptation. (SK)

A Monash University (Australia) program to enhance the chemistry and physics preparation of secondary school graduates entering engineering in higher education offers one-semester intensive courses. The first four years of the program have produced encouraging results. Coordination of practical work and theory is seen as crucial to learning. (MSE)

This study compared procedures in Scotland and Ontario (Canada) for planning for the transition to adulthood of young people with physical disabilities. In Scotland such planning is mandated, while in Canada such procedures are dependent on local initiatives. In both instances, transition was seen to be a prolonged phase. Case studies illustrate…

Describes the Transition-to-Kindergarten program in Brookline, Massachusetts, in which two children with asthma and potentially life-threatening food allergies were helped to stay healthy and fit into the classroom. (BB)

Discusses transitional situations of concurrent computer-based training (CBT) that occur in organizations, and provides instructional designers with adaptable checklists to use when communicating with managers and programmers about the tasks performed and the tools needed in designing and developing CBT. Tables present steps, applications,…

A field study demonstrated a process for determining the appropriate level of community-based consultative support for families, professionals, and paraprofessionals working to integrate children with autism. The resultant differentiated service model calls for an interministerial service plan to facilitate various transitions. (Author/JDD)