Global student mobility, as a rapid growing phenomenon, has had a major impact on the diversification of the U.S. college student population (Laanan, 2006; Jindal-Snape & Rienties, 2016). There were around 1 million international students in 2021-2022 in U.S. higher education (Open Doors, 2023); these students experience different kinds of…

As a required part of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, students with disabilities within the United States are required to receive transitional services to help support their exit from school and ascension to adulthood. A common transitional service revolves around preparing students for the college setting, at either a university, community…

This dissertation research is an exploratory multiple-case study of special education transition program structures in three virtual public charter schools in a southern state in the United States. Virtual public charter schools are extensions of public school systems or districts that are required to comply with state and federal-mandated special…

The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate the approaches utilized by high school administrators and staff to equip Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) high school students for the transition into college within the northeastern state. The final dissertation looked at the strategies, processes, training, challenges,…

Secondary transition planning is a requirement of IDEA and intended to support students with disabilities as they move from K-12 education into post-school activities such as education, employment and activities of daily living. States are held accountable for meeting the requirements of IDEA through an Annual Performance Report in which they must…

Western Carolina University (WCU) enrolls students from many different backgrounds and demographic categories. While access to the institution has expanded over the years, equity gaps still exist relative to retention and graduation outcomes for students in different demographic groups. Several offices at the University offer programing and…

Education for individuals with disabilities is complicated by a lack of access to educational services, partly due to the gaps created by different policies meant to provide equal access to services in high school and college. The purpose of this generic qualitative study is to explore the perceptions of college students with disabilities as they…

This narrative inquiry research study explored the experiences of three migrant families living in California. This research contributes new knowledge that will support Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) administrators, early childhood practitioners, elementary school principals, and kindergarten teachers in understanding transition events…

It is the goal of this qualitative research project to explore the accessibility and equity of students with disabilities in higher education through the lens of a current practitioner. This research was conducted through a 3-document dissertation in the forms of an empirical research paper, a policy paper, and a needs-based assessment/strategic…

The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that a transition plan be in place for students with disabilities by the time they turn 16. This plan aims to facilitate the child's movement from high school "to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including…

The IDEA mandates transition planning in Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for disabled students, who are now enrolling in postsecondary education programs at higher rates than ever before. Despite this, disabled students experience significantly worse post-school outcomes than their non-disabled peers. The purpose of this mixed-methods…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of transitional preparatory programs from the perspective of parents and teachers in North Carolina. The following three research questions guided this research inquiry: Based on parent and teacher perspectives, how did the high school transitional program facilitate success…

The expansion and universalization of educational opportunities in many parts of the world raised expectations that education inequality could be alleviated. Contrary to expectations, however, empirical evidence on educational inequality has been revealed. This is because qualitative differentiation of education programs at a certain level of…

Despite legal protections within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and school requirements in place to provide educational access to students with disabilities, once they graduate from high school these students enroll and persist in college at lower rates compared to peers without disabilities. In addition, graduates of rural…

Postsecondary transition planning is a legally-mandated service provided to special education students within the United States. Previous research has identified this process as one of many factors that can contribute to a successful postsecondary transition in various life areas for these individuals. An interdisciplinary transition team, formed…