After more than two decades of federal transition legislation, students with disabilities continue to have significantly poorer postschool outcomes as compared to their peers without disabilities. One reason for these outcomes is that educators are inadequately prepared to provide the services required under the Individuals with Disabilities…

This report and associated materials describe a project to develop and deliver a self-directed transition planning curriculum for high school students with and without disabilities. The NEXT S.T.E.P. (Student Transition & Educational Planning) curriculum was field tested with 300 teachers and 5,000 students in several states. Activities and…

This guide to whole life planning for people with disabilities describes whole life planning as a person-centered way of assisting people with disabilities to plan for their future. Whole life planning relies on the involvement of a small group of committed people who are willing to act as advocates and resources to the focal person. The manual…

This document includes a three-part set of Parent Briefs that focus on supplemental security income. The first Brief (published in March 2003)provides basic information on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the federal income support program for people who have disabilities and limited income and resources. It identifies myths about SSI…

"Transenvironmental programming" is presented as a databased approach for promoting regular class success for handicapped students by carefully programing resource room instruction. An experimental study, with a 12-year-old student with behavior problems and academic deficiencies, is described which supports the efficacy of the approach.…

A study that reviewed 113 transition articles, developed a candidate list of all support strategies, conducted a survey of 54 transition researchers, and corroborated multiple strategies that support students with disabilities in transition to adult life, including family and peer support, student choice and preference, and student…

This paper describes the problems that individuals with disabilities in South Africa have experienced in accessing educational and support services in the transition from school to work. It outlines needed changes, including making a paradigm shift, developing a new policy and legislative framework, building an inclusive education system and…

The study interviewed 73 Australian young people with a range of disabilities who had completed their school program in 1985. Subjects expressed their ideas concerning successful transition from school to adult life including the need for a planned transition process, a job-related school curriculum, and structured procedures to facilitate…

A model is presented for the school-to-community transition of disabled students. The model emphasizes occupation, residential adjustment, and existence of desirable social and interpersonal networks. Problems in these three areas are documented, and development of the Oregon Transition Team Model to improve patterns of service and care is…

The paper analyzes 27 studies to identify guidelines for conducting follow-up or follow-along studies of special education students in transition from school into adult communities. Methodological principles should cover subject sampling, breadth of domains examined, variable specification, instrument development, and other areas. A specific model…

A survey of 91 parents of children moving from early intervention programs into special education kindergartens found that most parents felt involved in the transition process and received more support from early intervention providers than from public schools. More educated parents and better prepared parents tended to feel most satisfied.…

The authors describe the Job Training and Tryout model of school-to-work transition for disabled individuals. The four phases include (1) utilizing previous assessment data and developing individualized employment success plans, (2) employability skills training, (3) job placement, and (4) job change or advancement. (CH)

This paper analyzes the philosophy and goal strategies of transition programs, focusing on criteria for success, needs of the disabled, training of personnel, staffing, client controls, the pre-transition school environment, the adult transition environment, and integration into adult society. Several recommendations for improved transition…

Preschool teachers can assist parents as their special needs children make the transition from the home or other services into public preschool programs. Respecting parent concerns, providing for individualized parent involvement, normalizing the classroom environment, and allowing time for adjustment are some ways that teachers can help. (JDD)

This article describes a collaborative project of New Mexico's State Vocational Education Division, Department of Special Education, and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the University of New Mexico to develop a transition to work process for students with disabilities at three rural sites. The article describes administrative support,…