Recently, consensus among researchers and professionals has emerged about factors that contribute to postschool success of youth with disabilities. Prominent among these factors are targeted academic preparation, family involvement, youth empowerment, and service collaboration and linkages. Work experience and paid employment have been identified…

This literature review discusses supported employment as one aspect of the transitional linkage between school and work that can augment the quality of life for individuals with moderate and severe disabilities. It then focuses on job matching, one aspect of supported employment training programs within public school settings, with an emphasis on…

Project WorkAbility is a California program serving special education secondary and postsecondary students. The model design for WorkAbility is based on well-known transition models and contains components common to those models. The design views transition as both a process and a product, supports interagency cooperation and collaboration, and…

This vocational program book is intended to assist vocational rehabilitation counselors in moving toward the goal of community employment for people with autism. The first section considers vocational issues for this population and discusses the following: autism and work, educational experiences/programming, vocational evaluations, purposes of…

This paper describes transitional programs developed by Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (BHSSC) to meet the needs of disabled students in rural areas. In cooperation with other public and private agencies, BHSSC provides comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services and community living programs to help individuals with severe…

This bibliography provides information on resources available for parent training about supported employment and transition of individuals with disabilities. The annotated bibliography includes journal articles, manuscripts, books, and audiovisual materials. The resources are organized into the following categories: (1) parental involvement (17…

Supported employment opportunities can help to meet the transition needs of individuals enrolled in special education programs. A review of related literature discusses characteristics of supported employment program participants, the need for individual transition planning, the school's role and responsibility, vocational planning, benefits,…

This report outlines New York state's plan for vocational rehabilitation and supported employment services for federal fiscal years 1998-2000. Part 1 provides affirmative statements assuring that programs will be administered consistent with federal laws and regulations. Changes resulting from the federal regulations implementing the 1992…

Ways that 17 Massachusetts schools and 16 adult agencies promoted natural supports in employment of people with severe disabilities are discussed, along with the barriers they experienced. Results indicate wide use of some practices and confusion about the concept of natural supports and the role of service providers in facilitating involvement.…

This final report briefly describes activities of a project which developed and evaluated specific natural support intervention procedures to increase the social integration of employees with severe disabilities using single-subject, clique analysis, and social validation methodologies. The project resulted in the publication of 6 journal articles…

Qualitative research was used to examine transition experiences of 9 young adults with severe disabilities during their last year of high school along with their parents and professionals. Students were remarkably articulate about plans following graduation but had few opportunities to fulfill them meaningfully. Differing perspectives of parents…

The Vocational Education to Work model is a system of communication and support between vocational and special educators, designed to train students with disabilities in mainstreamed vocational education. The model's four sequential components include active recruitment, guided placement, continuing support, and job placement followup.…

This guide is designed to provide teachers in King County, Washington, with a single resource for much of the information needed to help students with disabilities transition from school to adult life and to make informed employment decisions. It begins by providing an overview of federal and state regulations that affect students with…

This report on transition services for students with disabilities in Nebraska schools begins with an outline of the development of transition programming as part of special education services, noting federal legislation in this area and the importance of intra-agency and inter-agency cooperative agreements. The role of career education in the…

This book is a "how-to" volume on implementing a career ladder program for challenged youths in transition from school to adult life. It presents an approach to career exploration, training, placement, and ongoing development that coordinates career-oriented activities with classroom activities. The core of the program is the community classroom,…