Seven pitfalls of transition planning for students with disabilities are identified: (1) planning at an inappropriate level; (2) confusing means with ends; (3) failing to involve all relevant educational partners; (4) selecting programs before identifying goals; (5) failing to consider future community realities; (6) being unaware of the process…

The Manhattan Transition Center provides supported employment for youth with mild to severe disabilities. Local enclave worksites staffed by teacher/paraprofessional teams place participants in jobs. Under the zero-reject policy, employers and service providers are responsible for participants' personal and work-related growth. (SK)

A template-matching strategy was successfully used to facilitate transition between preschool and kindergarten for preschoolers with disabilities. Differences between instructional environments in sending and receiving classes were identified, and an intervention was implemented in the preschool to more closely align preschool and kindergarten…

Looks at federal legislation and other initiatives that have affected the evolution of transition services to individuals with disabilities moving from school to postschool activities. Discusses areas in which reforms are needed: promoting self-determination, reducing competition between increased graduation requirements and functional education,…

Student involvement criteria in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should be interpreted within the movement toward self-determination for students with disabilities. The IDEA student involvement requirements have implications for the educational programs of youth with disabilities. (Author/JOW)

A model is presented for planning the transition of handicapped children from early childhood special education (ECSE) programs into kindergarten/elementary school mainstream classrooms. The model, developed through Project TEEM (Transitioning into the Elementary Education Mainstream), enables parents, ECSE, and elementary school program staff to…

This article describes the types of early childhood special education transitions that have or have not received federal or state policy development. It is suggested that bi-directional influences on transition policy have connected the decisions of policymakers at multiple levels with the actions and advocacy of family and practitioner…

An interactive transition plan is a document that a student with disabilities makes with the assistance of friends, family members, or school personnel. This plan helps the student communicate relevant information to the general-education teacher. Sharing plans with receiving teachers can be rewarding and insightful. (MLH)

Strategies to improve transition planning include the following: (1) assess students' transition goals using life-skills assessments related to career education; (2) incorporate students' and parents' perspectives using future-based assessment and planning; and (3) specify interventions for achieving outcomes. (Contains 24 references.) (JOW)

A model program in rural Pennsylvania designed to improve inclusion and transition for students with disabilities required considerable administrative and instructional support and major changes in philosophy and curriculum. Features include school-to- work coordinator, learning facilitator for special needs students, joint Individualized…

Describes characteristics of multiple sclerosis and the implications of its manifestations for postsecondary education. Provides a checklist for students selecting a postsecondary institution regarding general considerations, academic accommodations, support and services, and self-assessment. (SK)

Outlines effective transition strategies used in rural settings that enhance student participation and community participation. Discusses the problems faced by rural states related to participation of students in transition activities and overcoming community barriers to student involvement. (Author/JOW)

An evaluation effort that used goal attainment scaling to examine a program designed to promote student involvement in transition activities among secondary students with disabilities. The method was user friendly and consistent with self-determination and resulted in meaningful feedback. Limitations included timing difficulties and lack of buy-in…

Transition is movement or change without interruption. It should be a smooth flow from one place or condition to another. While the transition plan for a student receiving special education services is designed to prepare him or her for life after high school, transition can start when a child enters preschool. The second of six distinct stages of…

In December of 2004, the reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) was signed into law and went into effect on July 1, 2005, making dramatic changes in the area of transition from school to post-secondary life. The President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education created recommendations that influenced the new…