This practical guide has been developed to help facilitate collaboration and build effective partnerships at the local level between local educational agency (LEA) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) personnel. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that will instantly create these partnerships; however, there are proven strategies and processes…

In this brief, the perspectives of special education administrators from Massachusetts and Indiana, who have been engaged in college-based transition services (CBTS), are shared. It summarizes the conversations they had during a fall 2019 Think College webinar and a follow-up discussion in summer 2020. Each administrator has had extensive…

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…

Requesting accommodations in postsecondary settings requires students to understand their disabilities and needs and describe those needs to higher education faculty and staff. Young adults often have limited accurate knowledge and understanding of their abilities and disabilities. This qualitative study used in-depth semi-structured interviews to…

Strong collaborative partnerships between families, schools, and communities are essential to promote successful postgraduation outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) and are a key feature of a new Transition Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (TPIE) framework. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the…

Background: School closures and service disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted students' postschool transitions. Students with disabilities who were also members of historically marginalized groups including immigrant students, multilingual students, students of color, and those experiencing poverty, were…

This article synthesizes policy and intervention options for youth with disabilities based on recent reports from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy. To frame findings from both reports, we utilize a life course approach. This approach is important as…

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related fields comprise the top 30 occupations expected to grow the fastest by 2026. This increase in job opportunities, coupled with the evolution of technology, is creating higher demands for diversity in the labor market. Currently all students require innovative training and support from a…

California continues to fall below national averages in identifying and serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with developmental disabilities. The transition between infant/toddler services, administered by the Department of Developmental Services, and preschool services for 3- to 5-year-olds, administered by the Department of Education, is…

The person-centered individualized education program (IEP) transition planning has emerged as a primary indicator of quality services, and as a predictor for successful post-school outcomes for transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, these person-centered transition practices are not uniformly implemented across the…

Peer mediated supports involve typical peers without disabilities providing assistance to classmates with disabilities. As an intervention peer mediated supports can serve as an alternative to the use of one-on-one paraprofessionals. Peer mediated supports have been identified as a research based practice for promoting academic learning and social…

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…

With increased emphasis on improved postsecondary outcomes for all students, including students with disabilities, it is critical to extend effective practices identified through rigorous research to the practitioner level. Recent policies and initiatives can feel overwhelming to school staff (i.e., ESSA, IDEA, CCSS), thus there is a need for a…

Bleak transition outcomes for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coupled with the surge in incidence, has led to the need for focused and innovative transition strategies. While structured community service reveals promise, documentation of how community service experiences contribute to building employment skills for youth with…

High school work experience is a predictor of postsecondary employment success for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Developing integrated work experiences often requires schools to partner with local businesses; yet, secondary special education transition teams may not have prior experience or preparation in this type…