This Education Leadership Portfolio (ELP) documents my efforts to enhance the transition experiences of international students at the University of Delaware by optimizing orientation programming. Orientation programming for international students consists of pre-arrival orientation, upon-arrival orientation, and extended orientation, which are…

The transition to adulthood is a significant step in every individual's life. Specifically, for individuals with disabilities, the transition process requires targeted planning for specific adulthood outcomes (e.g., employment, higher education, living skills, social skills, and community preferences). As such, parent and professional voices and…

Disparities in postschool outcomes between student groups associated with intersecting historical marginalizations such as ableism, racism, classism, and linguicism remain stark. Critical research methods have contributed to the development of equity-focused research. In this conceptual paper, we examine intersectional research, one critical…

School-aged youth with behavioral health needs often struggle in the academic environment. When admitted to acute psychiatric hospital settings, the student's difficulties and needs increase upon discharge and return to the school setting. While the literature describes systemic issues in transitioning from an acute psychiatric hospital to the…

Many youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face challenges accessing needed services as they transition to adulthood. The present study describes the development, feasibility and acceptability of a new intervention designed to teach parents of transition-aged youth with ASD about the adult service system and the most effective ways to access…

Despite the extensive research into academic vocabulary in university student writing, little is known about academic vocabulary in international foundation-level students' assessed academic writing. Considering that academic vocabulary is regarded as a key element of academic writing style and that written assignment is one of the main forms of…

The transition from adolescence to adulthood can be difficult for many students, particularly those with mild disabilities. It's an unfortunate reality that students with disabilities continue to perform lower in terms of post-school outcomes in comparison to their peers without disabilities. The issue of improving post-school outcomes for…

Academic integrity lies "at the core of the reputation of Australia's world class higher education sector" (Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), 2020). This pilot study analyses the dominant approach (punitive or educative) of academic integrity policies by selected institutions within the Australian state of Victoria…

This study used video modeling via portable technology to improve daily living skills for a student with an intellectual disability in a university campus-based transition program. Results showed increased independence across four daily living skills. Implications for future practice are discussed.

Although prior research finds that poor neighborhood conditions are negatively associated with employment, little study has focused on emerging adults who formerly had contact with the juvenile justice system and are frequently engaged in informal job markets. Using a hybrid model and three waves from panel data with formerly juvenile…

The transition to kindergarten can be a memorable, yet stressful time for children and families. For children with disabilities and their caregivers, the transition to kindergarten can be especially difficult due to changes in environment, supports, and services that occur as part of the transition. The purpose of this article is to highlight…

Background: Recent Government guidelines have promoted returning people with learning disabilities and/or autism from out-of-area placements to their local communities. These transitions not only impact the individuals but also their families. Methods: This study explores the experiences of family members who have been involved in the repatriation…

Successful delivery of transition services for students with disabilities remains a significant challenge in the developed and developing countries like Botswana as students continue to experience poor post-school outcomes. This study examined teachers' perceptions about barriers concerning the effective implementation of transition practices and…

To explore issues surrounding re-consenting youth in longitudinal studies as they reach legal adulthood interviews were conducted with 46 parents plus 13 autistic teens enrolled in the Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (SPARK) study. Qualitative analysis focused on family sensitivities regarding guardianship decisions,…

Most recent data confirms that the transition and learning "gap between youth and young adults (ages 14-24) with and without disabilities remains significant despite decades of federal and state legislation intended to improve education and employment opportunities" (Cheng & Shaewitz, 2020, p. 28). Researchers have highlighted that…