This article traces the history of transition programs for adolescents with disabilities and the role that transition plays within current reform efforts. Best practices are discussed and strategies for school programs are provided, including individualized planning, involvement of family and support networks, a focus on community outcomes, and…

This study analyzed the impact that the use of Person Centered Planning (PCP) had with 10 transition-age students receiving special education services. Interviews with students, parents, and educators indicated that PCP training was associated with various indicators of service provision as well as higher satisfaction with the planning process.…

Examines use of the Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) work incentive available for persons with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income. PASS program data are analyzed for demographic factors, disability status, occupational goals, and requested items and services. Findings indicate few transition-age students used PASSes and that…

Twenty-seven disability technology specialists identified facilitators and barriers when moving from secondary education to post-secondary settings and from post-secondary settings to adult life. Common themes include increasing professional knowledge, improving student self-determination, using best transition practices within assistive…

Discussion of the relationship between the school-to-career transition research findings and current school reform argues that secondary special educators should align their advocacy and research efforts within a "whole school reform" context as opposed to a "students with disabilities" context. Analysis examines program administration, curriculum…

In 1995, the Southwest Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) of the Los Angeles County School District, and El Camino College pioneered a partnership to serve students with disabilities on the community college campus. SELPA transition services serve as a model for alliances between community colleges and school districts throughout…

The Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS), funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is examining the characteristics of children receiving preschool special education, the services they receive, their transitions across educational levels, and their performance over time on assessments of academic and adaptive skills. PEELS…

Research suggests that more students with disabilities are pursuing higher education than in years past, and recent legislative changes, such as those in the Higher Education Opportunity Act and Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, have the potential to increase the number and diversity of this population. GAO was asked to…

Successful and meaningful transition services are the result of careful planning. This planning is driven by a young person's dreams, desires, and abilities. It builds a youth's participation in school, home and community living. Transition planning helps to prepare young people for their futures. It helps them to develop skills they need to go on…

Helping regular education students transition from high school to the post-secondary world can be a daunting task. Assisting students with special needs do this can be quite intimidating. According to the Harris Poll 2000, 20% of the general population was unemployed, while 71% of adults with disabilities were unemployed (Miller, Lombard, &…

This manual is intended to assist families of young children with disabilities in their child's transition from early intervention services to preschool or other educational services at age 3. It provides information about the transition process, federal and state laws that apply to transition, and options for services and program placements. The…

This annotated bibliography describes over 200 books, journal articles, digests, curricula, and monographs on the transition of youth with disabilities to work, community living, and postsecondary education. Resources are listed alphabetically by author within the following categories: (1) basic information on transition, (2) vocational/career…

This policy update discusses key aspects of the Job Training Reform Amendments of 1992 (Public Law 102-367) that have potential implications for transition services for individuals with disabilities. The discussion focuses on participant eligibility, criteria established for "hard-to-serve" individuals, support for training and…

This document brings together descriptions of education-to-work transition services for individuals with disabilities, as presented at a 1994 conference. The document begins with a discussion of the National Transition Network, focusing on its historical background and state-level technical assistance. "Transition from School to Adult Life…

This feature issue of a quarterly bulletin on community integration addresses the topic of transition services for preparing youth with disabilities for adult community living. It contains articles with the following titles and authors: "Transition: The Next Five Years" (David R. Johnson and others); "Transition Policy in the 1990s:…