Background: Few studies have investigated transition programs and outcomes for young adults with disabilities as viewed from the parent perspective. The current Australian study provided a voice for parents to report on the experiences of and outcomes for young adults following their recent transition from school into post-school life. Method: A…

Summarizes features of the 1994 School-to-Work Opportunities Act, describes what states and localities are doing to include youth with disabilities in school-to-work initiatives, and offers recommendations to special educators, rehabilitation professionals, students with disabilities, and parents for increasing the participation of youth with…

This paper summaries a study on the participation of 10 students (ages 18-21) with developmental disabilities in the transition from school to work using the Whole Life Planning model. Data included observations of organizational and planning meetings and structured interviews with the students, parents, and facilitators. Analysis resulted in the…

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)

Describes an existing telementoring project formed between a large computer-based company and a transition class in a small rural high school and provides information about the steps necessary to implement such a program. (Author)

Offers suggestions for enabling and enhancing self-determination skills during the transition planning process for high school students with severe disabilities. Suggestions include an emphasis on student participation in transition planning, student decision making about goals and needed services, and student evaluation of the acceptability of…

This study examined the participation of students with disabilities planning for secondary transitions using person-centered planning processes. Findings suggest that student participation ranged from highly active to nonexistent across the observed planning meetings, with levels of participation influenced by students' conversational style,…

This brief report applies research on self-determination to suggestions for helping students with disabilities make a successful transition from school to adult life. First, it defines the concept of self-determination and considers how self-determination is learned. It summarizes research supporting the view that self-determination in high school…

A study investigated the process and outcomes associated with research-to-practice strategies in three schools during a three and a half-year project. The interrelated phases of the process were the establishment of an empirical foundation, the design and implementation of school-based interventions, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of the…

A study that explored 12 high school students' participation in transition-related activities indicated teachers, students, and mothers did not perceive formal transition-related processes as occurring at school or home. Teachers and mothers agreed that better communication was needed as well as administrative support to implement an effective…

This curriculum kit contains a teacher manual, five student workbooks, a program guide, informational brochures, and a videotape recording, designed to teach high school students with and without disabilities how to begin planning for their lives after they leave school. NEXT S.T.E.P. (Student Transition and Educational Planning) is intended to…

Describes the services of the Career Education and Vocational Department at the California School for the Deaf, including providing career counseling and transition activities for students, encouraging parents and teachers to become involved in transition planning, and training students to take ownership of their own Individualized Transition…

Describes a multilevel interagency transition-planning process which includes three levels: a community-based team, school-level team, and individual-level team. Evaluation data are discussed that indicate consumer satisfaction with the Teaching All Students Skills for Employment and Life Transition planning process. Three case studies are used to…

Reforms funded by the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) were enacted to help USA students learn career-related skills and prepare for entry into careers or post-secondary education. Information about the effectiveness of these reforms is critical to address students' career preparation needs and inform future policy. Yet few quantitative…

This staff training package was produced to complement a curriculum framework for assisting students with severe physical disabilities to make the transition to adulthood. The package is based partially on the experiences of a team from the North Nottinghamshire College of Further Education in England. Part 1 explores the concept of transition to…