A study was conducted by the General Accounting Office (GAO) to review U.S. education and training strategies; identify likely weaknesses; and examine the strategies of England, the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, and Sweden for preparing noncollege youth for employment. GAO reviewed the literature, consulted with experts, and visited the…

The final report describes the objectives and accomplishments of Project COMPETE, a 3-year project in New York State whose purpose was to develop secondary and transitional postsecondary programming for training youth with severe disabilities in skills necessary to achieve a successful transition from school to vocational opportunities in their…

The paper describes background and findings of a study of postsecondary educational programs and services for visually impaired persons in Mississippi. The study focuses on three topics: (1) the status of special adaptive programs in such areas as vocational-technical education, community college, junior college education, and 4-year college…

This training module focuses on the paraprofessional's role in the transition of students with disabilities from school to the adult world. The module is comprised of two components, a facilitator's guide and a student's guide. The facilitator's guide provides the full text of the student's edition as well as chapter goals to be accomplished by…

This guide for high school students with disabilities addresses issues surrounding transition from high school to college and beyond. It notes that these transitions include three phases: (1) preparing for college, including preparations that occur in high schools; (2) staying in college, which requires numerous self-management skills; and (3)…

The PASSAGEWAY Project (Program To Assist Secondary Students in Achieving Gainful Employment for West Alabama Youth) sought to increase the academic, social, and job skills of high-risk and dropout special education students. A cooperative program of the University of West Alabama, public schools, businesses, and social service agencies, the…

This final report describes the accomplishments and activities of a four-year federally funded project to improve special education and related services for children with deafblindness in West Virginia. The paper describes the accomplishments of each of the project's eight objectives: (1) to identify children with deafblindness; (2) to train…

The transition challenges discussed are to ensure that (1) students have access to the full range of curriculum options and learning experiences; (2) high school graduation decisions are based on meaningful indicators of learning; (3) students have access to postsecondary education, employment, and independent living options; (4) student and…

These 4 case studies examine the last years of high school and postschool experiences of 4 21-year-olds labeled mentally retarded. Issues discussed include school compliance with legislation concerning Individualized Education Programs, influence of parental involvement, adult services, and necessary employment supports. (JDD)

This article examines psychosocial needs of learning-disabled individuals making transitions from secondary to postsecondary education and ways in which service providers can address these needs. A transition project at the University of Minnesota is described, and techniques such as individual and group counseling, disability awareness training,…

Work force development systems have three primary subsystems: youth development and preparation for employment, adult work force entry, and worker retraining and transition assistance. Programs targeting youth pose one of the greatest challenges to those striving to develop or improve work force development systems. School-to-work will not…

This report reviews a conference for researchers, administrators, planners, and practitioners from countries with varying socioeconomic and cultural systems to exchange ideas and experiences about youth programs designed to ease the transition from formal schooling to the workplace. Part I contains an overview of the conference proceedings and a…

This directory describes current and newly expired projects funded under the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) Secondary Education and Transition Initiative. The projects focus on postsecondary education, dropouts, self-determination, training and employment, transition of special populations, outreach, and family…

This handbooks describes 111 federally funded programs for helping disabled youth make the transition from school to successful employment. The programs are categorized into the following groups: (1) Handicapped Children's Model Programs: Youth Employment Projects; (2) Handicapped Children's Model Demonstration Program: Post-Secondary Projects;…

This monograph outlines a model procedure for developing and running a community vocational transition center that would assist workers in making various planned and unplanned vocational transitions throughout their lives by offering a comprehensive array of vocational assessment and transition services. The first chapter addresses the question of…