This research identifies the soft (employability) skills that key stakeholders view as essential for young people with intellectual disability (ID) to gain and maintain open employment. The study subsequently examined the work experience opportunities for young people with ID to develop these soft skills during their school years. Qualitative data…

A longitudinal sample from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 was used to determine differences in work outcomes between (a) individuals with learning disabilities or emotional-behavior disorders and (b) individuals with or without disabilities. Twelve factors were arranged into individual, family, school-peer, and community categories.…

Although low levels of employment among transition-age youth with visual impairments (VI) have long been a concern, empirical research in this area is very limited. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict future employment for this population and to compare these factors to the factors that predict employment for the general…

The report describes the operating experiences of the Structured Training and Employment Transitional Services (STETS) demonstration, a program designed to prepare mentally retarded young adults for regular private sector employment. The STETS program was managed by several types of agencies in five cities. Evaluation information on STETS…

Individual transition plans (ITPs) outline specific curricular content and implementation strategies to help the postschool adjustment of severely handicapped students. ITPs should be longitudinal, comprehensible, based on functional objectives, oriented to a wide variety of actual environments, and should include input from competent related…

Realistic previews are suggested for two major career transitions: the entry from high school to college and university and the transition from university to the world of work. Newcomers often hold unrealistic expectations of their jobs and the organization; the preview is meant to provide better preparation for appropriate choices. (Author/MLW)

A transition planning process that focuses on quality-of-life outcomes is presented. The process, which views employment not as an outcome but as a vehicle for the attainment of quality of life, involves six steps: orientation, personal profile development, identification of employment outcomes, measurement system, compatibility process, and…

A model is presented for the school-to-community transition of disabled students. The model emphasizes occupation, residential adjustment, and existence of desirable social and interpersonal networks. Problems in these three areas are documented, and development of the Oregon Transition Team Model to improve patterns of service and care is…

The authors examined the effectiveness of a support model to instruct five youth with EBD to self-direct the problem-solving processes and promote self-determination skills by enabling them to: (a) set employment/career related goals, (b) develop and implement a plan toward goal attainment; and (c) adjust and evaluate progress toward meeting their…

Transitioning from high school to the adult world is a complicated process for adolescents with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires transition services for students with disabilities. This article describes those services and how to customize these services to support the needs of…

The Rural Institute: Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research, and Service, is one of sixty-four Centers for Excellence in Disability Education across the nation. It is an inter-disciplinary organization that promotes full participation in rural life for individuals with disabilities. The Rural Institute accomplishes this goal by…

This monograph examines issues in the transition of youth with emotional and/or behavioral disorders to adulthood. It describes transition as a process by which youth with disabilities are systematically equipped with skills necessary for realizing valued postsecondary outcomes. The subject of transition is examined within the historical,…

This document contains the proceedings of a policy forum that reviewed past and present federal priorities regarding education of children and youth who are deaf and hard of hearing. Included in the document are prioritized goals and recommendations generated by the policy forum participants for the education of these children. Goals and…

This annual directory describes current and newly expired projects funded under the United States Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services' (OSERS) Secondary and Transition Initiative. Project areas include family networking, secondary and transition services follow-up and follow-along projects, training and employment models for…