This newsletter discusses transition and outcome issues for young children with disabilities. Topics discussed include issues related to transition program administration, staff, families, and services. (KB)

Examined the practices teachers employ to help children and families make the transition to school, and the links between school, teacher, and classroom characteristics and transition practices. Discusses findings on factors influencing transition practice, including teacher experience and training, teacher race or ethnicity, class size, and the…

Describes an intervention involving social-support-focused discussion groups for the transition to university. Fifty first-year students participating in six groups showed better adjustment to university and fewer behavioral problems compared with a randomly assigned control group (N=46) at a follow-up evaluation conducted at the end of the year.…

The author examined the extent to which a Head Start-to-Public School Transition intervention promoted children's social competence following one year of participation. The sample comprised 337 children (127 intervention and 210 comparison) who were participants in a Head Start Public School Transition (HSPST) project and who had made the…

Themes of security and opportunity are readily apparent in descriptions of programs designed to assist new students with their college transition; yet it seems that anxiety and, to some extent, fear are even more prevalent in the messages communicated to new students as they embark on their collegiate career. All college and university students…

This article discusses and reflects on some issues that may arise when a child with special needs and their family transition from an early childhood setting into their chosen school. In this instance, the author examines the case of "Aroha", and considers specifics such as the writer's ethical and professional role as an early childhood…

Increased attention has been given recently to the needs of students with learning and developmental disabilities who are transitioning from high school to college. This is especially important for students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD), who are likely to experience significant and unique challenges in adjusting to…

Camp Armstrong is a summer program which provides rising sixth grade students with a thorough orientation to their new middle school. Activities develop students' familiarity with the school's physical layout and provide hands-on cooperative learning in academic and recreational subjects. A workshop for parents of rising middle school students is…

Examines outcomes of a "bridge" course for first-year college students that emphasizes personal and psychological adjustment to the university experience to enhance the likelihood of academic success. Findings from 59 high-risk students who completed course suggest that goal of enhancing likelihood of academic success for such students was…

Early entrance from secondary school to university, based on the principle of optimal match, is a rare but highly effective educational strategy for many gifted students. The University of Washington offers two early entrance options for gifted adolescents: the Early Entrance Program for students prior to age 15, and the UW Academy for Young…

Noting the importance of procedures for welcoming and admitting children younger than 5 years of age into English Infant schools, this paper presents the results of a survey which compared the ways three schools work with parents before and after children's school entry. Personnel from the three schools were asked questions concerning the nature…

This document describes a counseling center-developed workshop for incoming college freshmen at Clemson University (South Carolina) designed to help students choose a college major and prepare for study in that major. The workshop described was offered in conjunction with new student orientation as a proactive effort to promote adjustment and to…

This study examined factors influencing the adjustment of children to the first year of school at four elementary schools in Australia. Statistically significant associations with children's adjustment were found for several factors, including personal and background factors, transition activities conducted by schools, children's preschool and…

Describes demographic and structural features of kindergarten classrooms using data from the National Center for Early Development and Learning's Transition Practices Survey of kindergarten teachers. Explores teachers' education and experience, and their training on facilitating transitions to kindergarten. Also discusses teacher and student…

Researchers say transition programs need to last longer than just the first few days of a new school year. Most transition programs consider only one thing helping students adjust to their new school. Schools need to go through a transition process of their own, paying serious attention to the research on transition, adjusting to the students, and…