The role of supported employment in the transition of disabled students from school to work is examined. Needed are functional vocational training curricula, student placement in jobs, school collaboration with adult service agencies, development of a community transition team, staff development, collaborative planning, parental involvement,…

The article describes the first three years of a pilot program that identifies at-risk sixth graders prior to junior high entrance. In smaller sections of junior high science, social studies, and English classes, teachers incorporate communication and study skills into course content using "effective schools" research, learning strategy…

Many public programs providing employment services and support to developmentally disabled adults foster dependency and work disincentives and fail to provide adequate vocational service. Programs should be better coordinated, focus on transitional and supported work activities, and provide incentives to motivate clients to attain the most…

This training is designed to help learners improve their transition processes through more effective planning, implementation, and evaluation. By the end of training, participants should be able to: (1) form a comprehensive transition team; (2) initiate a needs assessment process; and (3) explain how to conduct a focus group; (4) initiate a…

Education is the key factor in achieving employment and thus an enhanced quality of life for people with disabilities. Students with disabilities, who now are estimated to represent nearly 10 percent of all college students, currently experience postsecondary outcomes far inferior to those of their non-disabled peers. While federal law requires a…

This guide will assist paraprofessionals in selecting state and national resources for training. The compilations are contributions from representatives of: (1) Local Administrators of Special Education; (2) Missouri Association of Paraprofessionals in Education; and (3) Special Education Effective Practices in the Missouri Department of …

One of the primary goals of Early College High Schools is to enroll students who are underrepresented in higher education. This brief report describes the strategies ECHSs have used to recruit students from groups that are traditionally underserved and underrepresented in higher education and addresses the impact of the recruitment and selection…

The third biannual Brathay Youth Conference focused on ways to help young people negotiate the key transitions in their lives and the role of informal and experiential learning in such strategies. This document summarizes speeches, workshops, and research reports presented at the conference. The speeches were (1) welcome and introduction (Steve…

Although transitioning from school to school can be challenging at any level, the transition to high school may be particularly fraught with challenge because students are experiencing a change in schools as well as the physical, emotional, and psychological changes inherent to adolescence. Educators and researchers agree that ninth grade is a…

This issue brief discusses the benefits of mentoring for youth with disabilities and strategies for encouraging mentoring. It begins by discussing research that has demonstrated the effectiveness of mentoring and different types of mentoring, including a new model of electronic mentoring that is increasing in popularity. A chart shows how…

There is recent, widespread activity in Australian education and training sectors to improve the transition of young people from initial education to further education and training and employment. Many jurisdictions have conducted high-level reviews of the institutional arrangements underpinning the transition process. The focus has been mainly on…

Some intervention programs have responded to the magnitude of the difficulties that career transitions present for adults. This digest examines one program which aims to improve the career adaptability of adults seeking employment. The interventional procedures outlined here are intended to accelerate vocational development by helping people…

This paper summarizes current knowledge on the transition to adulthood of youth with serious emotional disturbance in terms of epidemiology, effective interventions, and program models. The first section is introductory and provides definitions and characteristics of transitional youth noting special developmental tasks, outcomes for young adults,…

The Maryland Case Study is one of six comprehensive state case studies of the transition of students from high school to college being conducted as part of "The Bridge Project: Strengthening K-16 Transition Policies." The Maryland components of the Bridge Project focuses on undergraduate admission and placement policies and procedures at…

This presentation summarizes findings from a Maryland case study of policies and practices affecting the transition of students from high school to college. A particular focus is the role of a formal, high-profile statewide K-16 structure, the Maryland K-16 Partnership for Teaching and Learning, in promoting policies and practices that help…