This study leveraged the knowledge and experiences of youth with disabilities, their families, and transition stakeholders to model how the frequency of family engagement activities and services and employment preparation activities and services predict the frequency of youth development activities and services. This information was obtained…

Youth with disabilities encounter multiple systemic barriers to post-school success, including racism and discrimination. Critical consciousness is the foundation of culturally responsive and anti-racist work and supports self-determination and vocational outcomes expectations among marginalized youth. While secondary special educators are…

The construct of belonging has been studied in many marginalised student groups yet has been understudied among students with intellectual disability. The present study used a large dataset from the United States to quantitatively investigate the construct of belonging among 7th to 12th grade students with the educational classification of…

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…

College is an opportunity for enormous growth in the lives of all students. Setting and working toward meaningful personal goals is one way to maximize those opportunities for growth. College programs for students with intellectual disability may struggle to address the independent living skills component of their comprehensive transition program…

To promote and enhance self-determination, the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) was developed for teachers to teach students the skills needed to engage in goal-directed actions. The SDLMI was originally designed to be delivered by teachers, but technologies are emerging that can provide an alternative medium to delivering…

To promote and enhance self-determination, the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) was developed for teachers to teach students the skills needed to engage in goal-directed actions. The SDLMI was originally designed to be delivered by teachers, but technologies are emerging that can provide an alternative medium to delivering…

The purpose of this study was to examine self-determination outcome data in the year following a one-year cluster randomized controlled trial (C-RCT) comparing the impacts of a "Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction" (SDLMI) only condition to a SDLMI + "Whose Future Is It?" (SDLMI + WF) condition. Using multilevel…

This study explored teacher perceptions of their ability to implement the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) with fidelity and the impact of these perceptions on student self-determination outcomes on the Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI:SR). Using a piece-wise growth model, we found stability in teacher…

Lions Connected (LC) is an inclusive postsecondary program approved by the U.S. Department of Education; thus meeting rigorous program standards and accountability. Equally important is that it gives eligible students from rural areas the opportunity to receive federal financial aid to attend college. The purpose of developing LC was to meet the…

Graduating from high school and moving to the next phase of life can be difficult for any student but is particularly so for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Social and communication difficulties, sensory concerns, and narrow interests can negatively affect these students' opportunity for postsecondary education and employment. Preparing…

Transitioning to and from post-compulsory education often poses problems on students, especially students with disabilities. The fourth Ed-ICT symposium at the FernUniversität in Hagen aimed at discussing new practices, identifying problems and challenges during transition processes, and developing innovative solutions for both individuals and…

Over the past three decades, transition practices research has demonstrated that post-school outcomes of students with disabilities improve when educators, families, students, and community members and organizations work together to implement a broad perspective of transition planning, more appropriately referred to as transition-focused…

Students with intellectual disability are often served in community-based services to promote effective adult outcomes in employment, community inclusion, and independent living (Gaumer, Morningstar & Clark (2004). "Beyond High School" (Wehmeyer, Garner, Lawrence, Yeager, & Davis, 2006), a multi-stage model to promote student…

Students with disabilities represent a relatively small but important group of students in U.S. high schools. The education of these students is heavily influenced by federal and state law as well as by longstanding beliefs about the purpose of education and the extreme heterogeneity of the population. Until recently, general educational policies…