The transition from school to adulthood is a pivotal time in the lives of all students. For a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), change of any kind can be challenging, and a transition as momentous as this can seem especially daunting. Thoughtful planning, sound information, and open communication will help parents support young adults…

Special education professionals are charged to develop relevant, compliant, and legally defensible IEPs for transition-age students with disabilities. This charge is intensified as educators strive to provide plans that will genuinely prepare students for postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. This manuscript demonstrates how…

Parents from culturally diverse backgrounds need to feel that they play a vital role in the future success of their sons or daughters with disabilities. Differences in culture and ethnicity can affect families' involvement in transition planning and the goals that they emphasize for their children. Families of diverse backgrounds were surveyed and…

The present study will assess the effectiveness of a social emotional learning curriculum implemented in a Midwestern high school with special education students. The specific social emotional curriculum utilized at this particular school was organized and delivered by the school psychologists at the high school, based on the Strong Teens…

This paper evaluates the accessibility of selected field and laboratory high school science activities, and provides suggestions for increasing accessibility for students with disabilities. We focused on GLOBE (Global Learning Observations to Benefit the Environment) protocols, specifically the new Seasons and Biomes investigation currently being…

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) was assigned the task of compiling, analyzing, and summarizing the data for Indicator 1--Graduation--from the FFY 2010 Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and amended State Performance Plans (SPPs), which were submitted by states to the Office of Special Education…

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) was assigned the task of compiling, analyzing, and summarizing the data for Indicator 1--Graduation--from the FFY 2009 Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and amended State Performance Plans (SPPs), which were submitted by states to the Office of Special Education…

High school students with disabilities who drop out are costly to society. Compared to those who graduate, they are more likely to be unemployed, dependent on public services, and involved in the criminal justice system. Consequently, helping students with disabilities graduate has become a prominent national concern. Students with disabilities…

The National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities (NDPC-SD) was assigned the task of compiling, analyzing, and summarizing the data for Indicator 1--Graduation--from the FFY 2008 Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and amended State Performance Plans (SPPs), which were submitted by States to the Office of Special Education…

Addresses the feasibility of developing rural community transition councils to improve transition services for students with disabilities. Describes the role of local transition councils in relation to the context of rural communities and transition services. Includes suggestions for enhancing community cohesiveness and community capacity to…

Discusses principles of rural transitional programs for disabled students and strategies for prevocational training such as career visitors, career field trips, career day fair, career bulletin boards, career learning centers, and career aptitude inventories. Discusses strategies for supplementing school programs with community and home-based…

Advantages of school-community partnerships in developing rural transitional programs for disabled students include informal community politics that provide opportunities for educational support, accessibility of nonschool personnel, acquaintanceship of parents, strong rural work ethic, and easy identification of community resources. Provides…

Difficulties in transitioning students with disabilities in rural areas include poor postschool outcomes, transportation problems, limited job market, negative attitudes toward job training programs (resulting from high unemployment), lack of job training sites, and lack of information concerning job accommodation for disabled workers. Includes…

This paper presents a transcript of a National Center on Secondary Education and Transition's (NCSET's) teleconference call held on June 29, 2005. Presenters Pam Stenhjem and Megan Dushin described the Youthhood Web site (http://www.youthhood.org), NCSET's interactive Web-based curriculum developed to help young adults plan for life after high…

This paper describes a mainstreaming model implemented at a high school in the Richardson Independent School District (Texas) for about 15 years. Implementation of the model has resulted in full mainstreaming of all special education students. The model's emphasis is on empowering students who have disabilities with the skills to be successful in…