Youth and Adolescents with Special Needs (YASN) face many challenges during transition into employment. Although most of their physical challenges are secondary, yet they call for attention since most of them are hired for blue collar jobs. Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) should be adapted to prepare them addressing the physical job-demands,…

This article provides a brief introduction to transition assessment for students with disabilities and then lists 43 references (published from 1988 through 1996) pertaining to transition assessment or vocational assessment. (CR)

The authors review several existing models of vocational assessment for the special needs learner. They argue the need to include generalizable skills assessment information in the vocational assessment process and provide suggestions for incorporating this information in the vocational assessment process for the special needs learner. (CH)

This paper provides a definition of assessment that is tailored to the unique considerations of the concept and practice of the transition of students with disabilities from school to adult life. Assessment in transition is considered to be the on-going process of obtaining and properly using both person and environment-based assessment…

This manual is designed to help schools in the development, implementation, and evaluation of activities that assist individuals with special needs in making vertical transitions from school to postsecondary training or employment and horizontal transitions between the school, home, and community. It presents, in section 1, a model that…

Transitional planning is incorporated into the multidisciplinary Individualized Education Program process for mildly handicapped tenth graders. A specific transition/termination plan was developed based on a vocational evaluation. Updating the transition plan is addressed in the student's final year, with referrals initiated to appropriate…

This paper addresses the theoretical and practical concerns of transition-related career assessment for adolescents with mild disabilities. It defines assessment terms and then discusses the applicability of prominent career theories. Primary career assessment areas that support the preparation of adolescents with mild disabilities are identified.…

The document describes 17 programs of interagency transitional programming and planning for exceptional students exiting public schools in North Carolina and elsewhere. It is intended to disseminate information on successful programs in the state and encourage visitation between local school administrative units. Programs were selected according…

This annotated bibliography is a reference to over 220 publications that deal with the concepts of transitional employment and supported work. All of the documents may be borrowed from the Materials Development Center of the University of Wisconsin. The documents are listed in alphabetical order by author or institutional author. Each entry…

This monograph presents a compilation and analysis of published reviews of 142 commercially available assessment instruments and practices relevant for use in transition planning for students with disabilities. An introductory paper describes the data collection and analysis process involved in the review of instruments. It notes that analysis of…

Describes a transitional program for students who are deaf that begins in upper elementary grades and continues until they graduate from high school. Various vocational evaluation instruments used are identified by type, and examples of individualized education program goals and objectives related to transition are provided. (CR)

This newsletter issue describes the importance of vocational assessment in the educational process of students with disabilities. Vocational assessment is defined, its purposes are explained, and the ways in which vocational assessment can benefit teenagers with special needs are discussed. Types of informal and formal assessments are explored, as…

Approximately 25 percent of the U.S. population is in rural areas and about 10 million students are enrolled in rural schools, comprising 12,000 of the 15,000 schools in the country. Although rural communities and their schools are quite diverse, certain characteristic economic, cultural, and social factors create large numbers of "at-risk"…

Competitive employment for individuals with developmental disabilities is the ultimate goal in defining vocational success. Employment training programs for the mentally retarded have often focused on pre-vocational lock-step prerequisite skills rather than on a functional methodology that is skill specific. In contrast, the concept of ecological…

A Career Portfolio approach which documents the competencies of a student with disabilities is explained. The portfolio can be used as the basis for informal vocational assessment, for development of annual and short-term objectives, for vocational counseling, and as a tool to take to job interviews. (DB)