When young adults with disabilities (YAWD) age out of the system, they face what has colloquially been termed "the cliff," which symbolizes the sudden drop in services that occur as they transition out of high school; needs previously met at school are left unaddressed. Multiple options have been suggested to meet these needs, including…

Best practices for technology use in academic settings, specifically those preparing students for postsecondary transition (ages 18-21) are not well documented and research studies commenting on the use of technology for acquisition of social and adaptive skills is limited. Literature indicates that students with mild-moderate intellectual and…

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is committed to ensuring that students and youth with disabilities are held to high expectations and have the resources and supports needed to expand their learning opportunities and prepare them for success in postsecondary education and competitive integrated employment (CIE). In the 2019-2020…

Comprehensive Transition & Postsecondary Programs (CTPs) were created by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA, 2008). They are designed to support students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) as defined by the HEOA, who want to continue academic, career or technical instruction in higher education in order to better prepare for…

This qualitative study explored the processes utilized by secondary special education teachers as they plan and execute transition planning and/or goal setting for college-bound students with high incidence disabilities (HID), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and specific learning…

Background: Parents play a key role in the transition process of their children. After high school students with intellectual disabilities leave the school system, they need the cooperation of schools and families to ensure successful employment and independent living. Methods: A case study was conducted in a Taiwanese high school special…

The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) affirms the importance of transition as a critical component of successfully progressing from secondary school to college or university for students with learning disabilities. Although NJCLD has addressed secondary to postsecondary education transition planning in a previous paper,…

Individualizing instruction is a time-consuming aspect of classroom practice. Testing multiple interventions, and monitoring each to see which is most effective for a student can be prohibitively time consuming. However, Brief Experimental Analysis (BEA) is an assessment procedure that can be used to quickly identify an intervention that is likely…

Research shows that students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities (MMID) transition to post-secondary educational environments and the real-world experience more barriers than their typical peers (Banks, 2014). However, limited research includes the voices of students with MMID and their parents/guardians as they describe their…

College options for students with intellectual disabilities continue to grow. However, there is a gap among students and families about available college opportunities. This study provides evidence of a weeklong summer academy that bridges the gap between high school and college. Results showed the summer academy increased participants' awareness…

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience difficulty with transitioning to competitive integrated employment following high school. Addressing this disparity in transitioning to competitive integrated employment can be supported through a high school transition program with community-based work experiences for…

Previous research has identified "UPGRADE Your Performance" as a method for teaching employment soft skills to students with disabilities. "UPGRADE Your Performance" instruction is a multicomponent intervention including self-evaluation, self-graphing, goal setting, and technology-aided instruction. This pilot study…

This research identifies the soft (employability) skills that key stakeholders view as essential for young people with intellectual disability (ID) to gain and maintain open employment. The study subsequently examined the work experience opportunities for young people with ID to develop these soft skills during their school years. Qualitative data…

The road to employment begins in high school. However, few youth with severe disabilities currently participate in paid employment before graduation. The purpose of this study was to map the breadth of barriers that can hinder youth from accessing this influential transition experience. We held individual (n = 8) and focus group (n = 16)…

Background: The transition from school to adult life is challenging for young people with intellectual disability. The study aimed to explore how young people with intellectual disability themselves experience the transition from school to adult life. Methods: A co-designed, qualitative study. Thematic data analysis of qualitative survey…