A meaningful curriculum is one that is individualized, inclusive of the individual's unique needs and interests, and focused on building independence in current and future environments. A meaningful curriculum addresses an individual's needs and prioritizes instructional programs based on what is, potentially, most important to their lives and not…

The transition of a student out of high school and into the adult world can be a stressful time for many families of high school students. This major life transition can be particularly challenging for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. In this article, we first discuss the roles of families in the transition process…

The transition of a student out of high school and into the adult world can be a stressful time for many families of high school students. This major life transition can be particularly challenging for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)and their families. In this article, we first discuss the roles of families in the transition process…

Youth transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood need many supports to navigate the challenges they face. Over the past three decades, federal child welfare policy has significantly increased the availability of those supports. In 1999, the Foster Care Independence Act amended Title IV-E of the Social Security Act to create the Chafee…

This article calls for research on the expertise of youth development practitioners. We argue for studies focused on understanding youth practice from practitioners' points of view--as they experience and enact it--with the aim of contributing findings and frameworks that are helpful to their work and learning. To improve youth programs, first, it…

Equipping students with ASD for a good life after high school is the overarching goal of secondary special education services and supports. In this paper, we review important elements of effective transition education for adolescents with ASD. First, we review recent findings related to the post-school employment, education, and independent living…

Equipping students with ASD for a good life after high school is the overarching goal of secondary special education services and supports. In this paper, we review important elements of effective transition education for adolescents with ASD. First,we review recent findings related to the post-school employment, education, and independent living…

In the American educational system, school transitions are frequent and predictable, but they can disrupt student functioning across developmental domains. How students experience school transitions has been a focus of research for some time, but the high school transition has received less attention, and the limited research often focuses on a…

This review includes empirical peer-reviewed articles which support the examination of Asperger's Disorder and co-morbid disorders, as well as an analysis of how adolescents with Asperger's Disorder transition to adulthood. Although the focus was on Asperger's Disorder, some studies include Autism Spectrum Disorder samples. It was found that…

Young people who are leaving the foster care and juvenile justice systems often experience a difficult transition to adulthood that is characterized by a number of troubling outcomes, including poverty, low levels of education and employment, and housing instability. While some services are available for these populations, there is little evidence…

Various school transitions provide both challenges and opportunities for pupils. The ways in which pupils cope with these transitions can have a significant impact on their everyday lives and futures. This study focuses on exploring the kinds of transitions pupils face during their comprehensive school path. The aim is to gain a better…

D. Wayne Osgood, E. Michael Foster, and Mark E. Courtney examine the transition to adulthood for youth involved in social service and justice systems during childhood and adolescence. They survey the challenges faced by youth in the mental health system, the foster care system, the juvenile justice system, the criminal justice system, and special…

The past two decades have seen remarkable advances in the manner in which youth are transitioned out of the foster care system. The most significant progress is in the way that the child welfare system relates to the youth it serves. This article provides a contextual framework for the advances in child welfare's preparation of youth for…

Changes in teacher education programs and middle-level curricula are advocated based on the sociological implications of research on middle-level education. Teaching and learning effectiveness can be improved with better understanding of adolescent development. (DF)

Adolescents are challenged to adjust to a new physical sense of self, new intellectual abilities, and cognitive demands; expand verbal skills; establish emotional and psychological independence from parents; establish adult vocational goals; develop productive peer relationships; manage their sexuality; and develop self-control. Transitional…