Nearly four decades have passed since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensured access to public education for students with disabilities in the United States. During the years following its introduction, there was a growing recognition that helping students, especially students with disabilities, in their transitions from…

This paper describes guidelines issued by the U.S. departments of Education and Labor to ensure that community-based vocational education programs operate in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act. Federal guidelines are clarified in terms of student eligibility (especially as it relates to disabilities), documentation requirements, program…

A survey of 65 secondary and postsecondary-education special educators found that they supported both community-based instruction and inclusive education and believed students benefited from each. The implications of the findings are discussed, with an emphasis on basing educational programming on the student's needs, wishes, and interests.…

Twenty-two transition programs illustrating effective community collaboration for youth with disabilities in Minnesota are profiled. These programs were selected because they applied a set of 10 quality standards developed to improve the transition process and adult outcomes for these youth, as well as to increase the cost effectiveness and…

This feature issue of a quarterly bulletin on community integration addresses the topic of transition services for preparing youth with disabilities for adult community living. It contains articles with the following titles and authors: "Transition: The Next Five Years" (David R. Johnson and others); "Transition Policy in the 1990s:…

The article describes postsecondary education programs in the Province of Alberta, Canada, for training individuals to work in paraprofessional and professional positions in community services for disabled children, adults, and their families. A career ladder in Rehabilitation Education provides advancement through study at the bachelor's,…

This resource guide provides information on the content, source, and price of various print and media materials that are available nationally that may be of help to personnel in the field of support employment. The guide is organized in six sections that cover the following materials: (1) books and book chapters; (2) training materials; (3)…

This booklet presents the positions of the National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (NARF) on issues relating to supported employment in community settings and conversion of resources from previous programs for new applications. The booklet discusses NARF's previous statements, the legal basis for conversion of resources, proactive…

The document presents a position statement of the Division on Career Development of the Council for Exceptional Children concerning the transition of youth with disabilities to adult life. Stages of career development from awareness through exploration, preparation, assimilation, and continuing education are explained. The crucial element in…

Advantages of school-community partnerships in developing rural transitional programs for disabled students include informal community politics that provide opportunities for educational support, accessibility of nonschool personnel, acquaintanceship of parents, strong rural work ethic, and easy identification of community resources. Provides…

This report presents recommendations that address needed changes and improvements in state policies, administrative practices, and school and community service programs, in relation to school-to-adult-life transition of young people with disabilities in Minnesota. Recommendations were derived from two sources: (1) reviews of state plans and…

North Dakota's vocational-technical education (VTE) system was evaluated in order to determine (1) the effectiveness and adequacy of the delivery system in carrying out the purposes of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act and the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) and (2) the effectiveness and adequacy of the coordination between the two…

This brief discusses the transition of high school students with disabilities to adult life. Federal law provisions that require a transition plan for all students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are reviewed and a checklist is provided that outlines positive transition planning practices that can be used for self-evaluation and…

This report presents findings from a national survey of secondary and postsecondary institutions offering vocational education that sought to determine state and local response to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The study involved qualitative case studies of state and local programs as well as a national survey of local vocational…

This final report describes activities and achievements of the Community Inclusion Project for Young Children with Disabilities, a New York State project which provided outreach training to early intervention staff, community early childhood staff, and families on the inclusion of young children with disabilities in early intervention, special…