This supplementary document supports the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) Secondary Transition Position Statement by providing definitions of terms for students and youth with disabilities, as well as definitions related to: (1) Career Development; (2) Employment; (3) Collaborative Systems; (4) Student Skills; and (5) Policy. [For…

The United States Senate's unwillingness to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) notwithstanding, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) contains significant safeguards protecting the rights of students with disabilities, acknowledging their participation rights in decisions about their futures. In the first of…

An in-depth literature review was conducted to identify the skills, behaviors, expectations, and experiences (SBEEs) associated with employment, further education, and independent living for students with significant cognitive disabilities following high school. Analysis of 53 quantitative and qualitative studies identified 103 specific SBEEs…

Principals in the United States are responsible for creating educational environments that enable students, including those with disabilities, to achieve both academic and postschool goals. Unfortunately, many principals lack the preparation necessary to effectively lead special education programs. To support principals and ensure that students…

This theoretical paper comprised the development of a conceptual framework for blending academic and transition content to help members of the special education field meet both the academic and transition needs of students with disabilities, including students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The current conceptual framework…

Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to provide speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with foundational information that will assist them in transition planning for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on a review of current literature. SLPs must be knowledgeable of transition planning in order to assist students with ASD and their…

Post-school outcomes are poor for youth with disabilities, in general, but even more discouraging for certain subpopulations of individuals with disabilities, particularly those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. The authors discuss structural inequalities in public schools which potentially contribute to the poorer…

Students with disabilities, especially those with non-apparent conditions, are entering universities in growing numbers. Yet more and more students are going off to college unprepared to manage their disabilities, in part because their high schools are overburdened, understaffed, and uninformed to identify and support them. A recent survey of…

A number of initiatives in special education have occurred in the United States over the years, some mandated by amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Having a working knowledge of these initiatives allows music educators to have informed discussions with colleagues and parents and participate more fully in Individualized…

Students with disabilities experience higher unemployment, attend postsecondary environments less often, and engage less in their communities after graduating from high school compared to their peers without disabilities (Newman, Wagner, Knokey, Marder, Nagle, Shaver, & Schwarting, 2011). In middle school, young adolescents with disabilities…

Since 1990, transition planning has been a requirement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Students receiving services under IDEA must have an individualized education program (IEP) with goals aligned to grade-level content standards. In addition, the IEP must ensure the student has the supports necessary, including…

Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) were used to examine (a) the aspects of self-determination assessed in NLTS2 and (b) measurement equivalence and latent differences across the 12 disability categories recognized in IDEA. Three of the four essential characteristics of self-determination - autonomy, self-realization,…

The transition from school to adulthood is a pivotal time in the lives of all students. For a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), change of any kind can be challenging, and a transition as momentous as this can seem especially daunting. Thoughtful planning, sound information, and open communication will help parents support young adults…

As students who have intellectual disability reach or have reached the age of majority, concerns regarding their competence to make informed decisions are often raised, as is the issue of adult guardianship. Guardianship refers to when a judge appoints an adult to be the guardian of another adult (ward) who has been determined to be unable to care…

The main purpose of this article is to add to the transition assessment resources by introducing the Guardianship Alternative Assessment Template (GAAT) as it relates to guardianship prevention for youth and adults who have an intellectual disability. Guardianship refers to a legal intervention when a court determines that adult individuals are…