Background: Since 2010, there has been significant growth in the United States in the number of students with intellectual disability accessing higher education, driven by federal legislation and funding. Currently, over 340 institutions of higher education provide programs of study for students with intellectual disability. Of these programs, 134…

Transitioning autistic youth from pediatric to adult healthcare requires coordination of multiple stakeholders, including youth, caregivers, and pediatric and adult care providers, whose interests at times overlap but often differ. To understand barriers and facilitators to inclusive transition experiences, we conducted thematic analysis of…

Transition to adulthood is an important milestone for all students. Transition planning for students with disabilities (SWD) is legally mandated to prepare them for adult life. However, researchers report that teachers do not feel adequately prepared when it comes to transition. With globalization in the 21st century, U.S schools become more…

Completing a program of study and earning a credential is a mark of student perseverance and success. Student completion rates can tell us how well colleges and universities support students in completing an educational program. A research study by the US Department of Education reported students who completed non-degree certificate programs had…

The purpose of this research study was to explore self-authorship theory through the insights and experiences of first-generation Latinx undergraduate students who completed a summer bridge program. This qualitative critical single case study focused on participants' unique experiences during a state-funded summer bridge program at a public 4-year…

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…

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…

Poor social skills is a leading factor why individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) lose their jobs. Fortunately, the use of technology has made learning and teaching social skills more seamless and integrated in employment contexts. We conducted a multiple-probe-across-participants single-case experimental design study…

California's investment in Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) reflects a commitment to providing access to UTK for all 4-year-olds in public schools by the 2025-2026 academic year. However, the implementation of transitional kindergarten (TK) presents challenges for districts in aligning this new grade coherently with existing grade levels…