Parents, professionals, paraprofessionals, and service providers must increase their understanding of and sensitivity to the effects of their own interactions and the interactions of others on developmentally disabled persons. Training for these groups should cover such areas as transition into adulthood and integration of education, employment,…

This report focuses on the efforts of two troubled high schools (Wallis Annenberg High School in Los Angeles and Dayton (OH) Early College Academy) to launch early college programs. These two schools are a new breed of institution that combines high school and college into a coherent educational program and helps to bridge the gap between…

The focus of the Western Australia correction system on more rehabilitation and the provision of skills is designed to assist offenders gain self-sufficiency. This report examines the study and work experiences of state prisoners before and during their incarceration and their expectations of post-release outcomes. It finds that differences in…

This workbook is designed to help Florida students in the juvenile justice system plan for their desired postschool outcomes. It includes activities to help students make good decisions that will affect their entry into adult life. "Dare to Know" boxes are found throughout the workbook and provide important information to students to…

This final report describes the activities and outcomes of Opening Doors: Decisions about Life and Work Project, a project designed to assess the effectiveness of integrating information and support on Supplemental Security Income work incentives into the transition planning process for students with disabilities. The primary goal of the project…

This booklet was designed to inform, guide and support parents of children with special needs during their child's transition from an early intervention program (birth through age 2) into a preschool early educational setting. The first part of the booklet focuses on how the transition process works, including a description of the people who might…

This discussion paper of the Youth Transition Funders Group synthesizes "the insights, inspirations and future directions" created over a five-year period "to frame policies and programs directed at our most vulnerable youth." (Contains 7 footnotes and 2 figures.)

The Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) is a welfare reform initiative based on enhancing welfare recipients' incentives to get a job and requiring long-term welfare recipients to participate in employment-focused activities. The effects of the MFIP were compared to those of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program through…

Though developed specifically for Minnesota parents, parents in other states will also receive helpful information from this booklet on early intervention programs for children with disabilities. Topics covered include: (1) qualifications for admission to early intervention services; (2) legal rights of children with disabilities; (3) the…

The primary purpose of this study was to assess the use of young children's artwork in the assessment of reading abilities. The research method for the study was qualitative, and the design followed an interpretive approach. Subjects were 12 transitional-first grade students (a transitional-first grade allows a child with normal academic ability…

The School to Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (STWOA) qualifies as "historic" legislation for several reasons. STWOA is the first federal education legislation to declare that preparation for earning a living is a legitimate and important role of schooling for all students and the first education legislation to affirm that learning takes…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a 4-year federal grant to provide statewide planning and improved educational and support services for 150 Louisiana children/youth with deafblindness. Activities and accomplishments are reported for each of six major objectives: (1) organizing project resources; (2) improving early…

This digest describes the process of designing quality individualized education program (IEP) transition plans for secondary students with disabilities as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in 1997. It stresses the importance of taking an early, long-range approach, preferably beginning at age 14 or…

This technical assistance resource guide is intended to facilitate the inclusion and participation of youth with disabilities in school-to-work systems. The approximately 215 listed items were contributed by state and local organizations nationally. Organizations were asked to select resources that offered "hands on" assistance and were published…

This volume brings together the reports and discussion connected with a roundtable convened by the Departments of Education and Labor and the National School-to-Work Office to discuss issues surrounding the conduct of a net impact evaluation of school-to-work. After an introduction that summarizes the approach and intentions of the School-to-Work…