Career preparation, of which formal vocational education is only a part, must be integrated into handicapped students' education. To prepare handicapped students for employment, their disabilities and abilities need to be identified and understood and their skills and interests should be matched to appropriate training and employment. Meaningful…

The manual was the outcome of a 3-year project to develop a training program on self-advocacy for special education students. The student training is a 3-4 hour program aimed at increased student awareness of their rights and responsibilities as they begin the transition process. Training materials include outlines for each session, student…

The report of the National Longitudinal Transition Study presents initial findings on the educational and employment experiences since 1985-86 of more than 8,000 youth (ages 13 to 23) with disabilities. The report addresses two questions: How are youth with disabilities doing in their transition to adulthood? and What factors appear to have helped…

This handbook acquaints special needs students with programs and opportunities available to help them make the transition from school to working. The guide helps students identify their personal strengths, identify goals for the future, determine skills needed to reach those goals, and determine help needed from others. The body of the guide…

The Employment Retention Program is a supported employment program involved in job placement and intensive worksite training of graduating handicapped youth, emphasizing retention strategies that transfer supervision to nonhandicapped co-workers and that promote social interactions between handicapped employees and co-workers. At followup, 60…

Ninety-two parents of disabled infants and preschoolers were surveyed to identify parents' concerns regarding their children's transition into San Francisco public preschool special education programs and to determine what information and services were most helpful. Parent concerns included lack of information about school district services and…

This guide was developed to support families, the SoonerStart Early Intervention Program, schools, and community programs in meeting the federal and state requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997 for transition of children at age three. It provides guiding principles, recommended practices, and…

This project attempted to improve the career preparedness of college students with disabilities by providing them with career transition workshops and professional mentors. Major activities included: (1) recruitment and matching of 58 students with disabilities and 46 mentors, combined with mentor training; (2) workshops for staff and students…

The five sections of this guide, intended for general education teachers working to include students with disabilities, can be used independently. Each section includes a letter to the teacher that introduces the content; a list of 10 "guidelines-at-a-glance"; a set of the guidelines, each on a separate page, suitable for duplication or as…

This book describes instructional methods for teaching basic self-determination skills to students with disabilities. The first section provides an introduction to self-determination as an educational and transition outcome, discusses the impetus for an educational focus on self determination, and describes the relationships between transition…

This directory profiles 20 programs that promote post-school outcomes for students with disabilities through inclusive school-to-work systems. Three criteria were used to select the programs: (1) the nomination featured a program or practices that provide transition- or school-to-work-related services or instruction to students with disabilities,…

This booklet, on the transition of Maryland students with disabilities to life after high school, is designed to build informal partnerships for the transition planning process. It provides details about: (1) the goals and components of transition planning; (2) the participants in transition planning; (3) the timing for formal transition planning;…

This Digest summarizes what is known about the successful transition of children with disabilities from infant/toddler services to preschool education. The ideal transition process is defined and characteristics of an ideal process such as meeting individual needs and providing uninterrupted services are listed. Also noted are issues in the…

This booklet is intended to facilitate the full participation of Minnesota parents of children with disabilities in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. The booklet begins with a brief discussion of what an IEP is, when IEPs must be in effect, IEP meetings, the IEP team, and parent participation. It next stresses the necessity of…

A policy study (1992-94) investigated how three exemplary states have implemented transition services for youth with disabilities. Document evaluation and interviews (N=74) with key policymakers and implementors resulted in identifying seven themes that contributed to the successful initiation and continuation of transition policies, practices,…