This article synthesizes descriptions of and recommendations for community transition teams which assist in the transition of youth with learning or other disabilities from school to adult life. The levels, composition, and functions of transition teams are described. Community-level transition teams are shown to be critical support vehicles for…

Indicates that a combination of competition in domestic and international markets, rapid changes in technology, and changes in how the workplace is organized contribute to dissatisfaction among employers regarding the quality of job applicants. Suggests that applied teaching and learning strategies are the best way to achieve transferability. (JOW)

This article reviews the current literature on the assessment of students with disabilities with emphasis on evaluating student needs and preferences for transition services as required by federal legislation. Analyses of studies reported in 11 articles are summarized. The review indicates a lack of consensus on the most appropriate ways to assess…

A concerted effort is needed to identify employer involvement in special education transition efforts. More research on employer involvement and dissemination of findings are needed. Employer involvement should happen throughout the transition process, not just at the end of it. (JOW)

Outlines educational needs and new ways in which the Society for Technical Communication can take an active role in helping to meet them. Outlines education's need to prepare people to function in a learning society; to manage research enterprises that enhance competitiveness; and to support educational programs that merit public trust. (SR)

Describes a school in Botswana that was an experiment in educational reform that sought to link education and the economic development of emerging countries. Discusses implementation of ideals and examines the relation between education and development. (JOW)

Conventional wisdom that non-college-bound students are deficient in employability skills fails to consider labor market instability and job accessibility for low-income youth. School-to-work transition, job creation, and community building in urban areas can be enhanced through entrepreneurship education. (SK)

Observations and interviews of 100 British 14-16 year-olds were used to analyze their explanations of the benefits of lifelong learning. Five main discourses emerged: the importance of being educated, the usefulness of education, meritocracy (belief that more qualifications guarantee better jobs), competition, and avoidance of hard times. (SK)

Welfare reform's "work first" philosophy assumes that any job experience will lead to better-paying jobs. However, a study of occupational mobility found that some initial jobs led to career paths while others were "dead-ends." Pathways to advancement were inaccessible to many less-educated workers, and women and minority…

Examines origins and potential effects of liberalizing reforms in Japanese secondary education in light of British experiences with policies such as local school management and school choice. Argues that Japanese reform involves necessary diversification of curriculum and pedagogic practices, but administrative shifts toward deregulation and…

This article first differentiates educational and transitional services for students with significant disabilities, ages 18-21, and then reviews options for age-appropriate educational and transition experiences for this population. These include: (1) programs that serve public school students on college campuses and in community settings and (2)…

Three German programs illustrate the enlarged purposes of vocational education, including the need to be trained for multiple occupations and unpaid work and to manage lifelong learning. The projects show that steps toward the future of vocational education require linkage between work and learning, teacher training, creation of supportive…

Data from the Youth Development Study on adolescents who worked in high school were used to examine mental health, work stress, and work/school interactions. The quality of high school work experiences had significant consequences for mental states during high school, but had little effect on long-term mental health. (Contains 70 references.) (SK)

A review of the relationship of higher education policy and the world of work concludes that many experts agree that higher education must devote greater attention to generic competencies, social skills, and personality development; should prepare students for growing globalization and internationalization; and must serve students in ways that go…

Examines how institutions must help students develop skills they will need in the early part of the 21st century to get the attention of employers and find good jobs. Discusses economic change and the new worker, and preparing students to use technologies for their personal/professional survival in the knowledge economy. (AEF)