A curriculum for severely handicapped students is community-referenced, integrated, longitudinal, and community-based. It calls for coordination of services between school and rehabilitation personnel to enhance the transition from school to work. (CL)

The paper reviews a community-oriented behavioral approach to vocational training and suggests behaviors to be acquired before handicapped students leave the public schools. The initial survey of the community is designed to identify possible community job placements and determine relevant vocational behaviors within each of the jobs. Survey…

The paper focuses on current curriculum programming trends that appear to be facilitating the transition of adolescents with handicaps into everyday community settings. Traditional curriculum models, such as the eliminative education model and the developmental education model, have failed to enhance or improve attainment of integration into the…

The economic, educational, and community adjustment difficulties of youth with handicaps are reviewed in the context of historical antecedents and of the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services' transition initiative. The conceptual and organizational frameworks for the University of Illinois' federally sponsored Transition…

The survey of 107 researchers, program developers, and state directors of special education attempted to identify research questions generally agreed upon as important. Questions concerning social skills and families were most highly rated. Questions submitted by respondents tended to be about transition model program research, program evaluation,…

This study identified potential measures for evaluating 17 multiple outcomes and 51 activities associated with programs designed to promote employment of youths with disabilities. The qualitative and quantitative measures identified were compiled from responses of 30 employment-focused project directors. A table lists all outcomes and indicators.…

A survey of 85 parents of offspring (ages 14-25) with handicaps examined parental involvement in programs facilitating transition from school to adult life. The survey found that a significant number of parents were unaware of any transition program for their offspring, although virtually all parents desired involvement of some kind. (Author/JDD)

Data collected from a 2-round Delphi procedure involving model transition program directors validated the relative importance of a list of 22 employment outcomes and 65 related activities in the transition of individuals with disabilities from school to employment. Educational agencies and service providers can use the list to target areas that…

A study of 713 former special education students investigated the background characteristics associated with an elevated quality of life after leaving high school. Esteem, independence, and support were correlated with geo-economic, family, personal, and school program characteristics. Competency was found to be a primary quality-of-life factor.…

During the past quarter century, federal legislation has resulted in fundamental changes in the way youth with special needs are educated. Despite legal mandates and substantial funding support, only minimal progress has been made in the rate at which exceptional children progress through school to the world of work. During the past 30 years,…

The role of supported employment in the transition of disabled students from school to work is examined. Needed are functional vocational training curricula, student placement in jobs, school collaboration with adult service agencies, development of a community transition team, staff development, collaborative planning, parental involvement,…

Part of a series, this document reports on an effort to identify and prioritize research questions of concern to researchers in the areas of educational and rehabilitation transitional services for the handicapped. In the first study 25 research questions were identified and submitted to external review and critique. In the second study, 112…

A hierarchical regression analysis featuring 35 community, family, student, and school program characteristics was used to assess prediction of employment of 2,405 students who had left special education high school programs. Personal characteristics (especially being male and having living skills and academic skills) dominated the prediction of…

This paper examines transition from school to post-school activities for students with chronic illness and disabilities, with reference to: four legislative acts that impact transition services, seven legislated implementation mechanisms, seven outcomes areas, and a social system for evaluating services to transitioning youth. Transition…

This comment on "Transition Issues for the 1990s" (Knowlton and Clark, 1987) argues that transition program professionals should focus on providing services rather than the labeling of handicapped persons and that transition program objectives should focus on employment, rather than such outcomes as independent living and social networking. (JDD)