This article presents empirical research exploring adult students' transition to higher education (HE) through a program designed to enable that transition. Wenger's Communities of Practice theory has been applied to informal adult learning by Merriam, Courtenay, and Baumgartner (2003), who suggested its potential for understanding formal…

The paper describes the Early Childhood Interagency Transition Model designed to ease the movement of handicapped children (aged 3-8) from one agency to another. The approach was developed based on interviews with agency personnel and parents. A successful transition is characterized by common understanding of the details of the moves, efficient…

One of a series of monographs on specific topics in the transition of students with disabilities, this publication focuses on student-focused conferencing and planning. An introductory chapter defines terms, considers who can use student-focused conferencing and planning, summarizes relevant research, and identifies essential ingredients and…

This paper examines ways to measure the effectiveness of McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Programs. It is the result of a work group that developed standards and indicators of quality, that identified data-collection tools and strategies to determine the extent to which the programs are meeting the standards and indicators, and that created…

Nine model transition programs for students with learning disabilities were reviewed. Seven exemplary program components emerged: individualized planning and coordination; vocational preparation; academic remediation and support; academic, vocational, and social-personal counseling; support systems and services; job seeking and placement; and…

This paper identifies a rationale for leisure education for young adults with mental retardation and outlines the structure, content, and evaluation strategies of a leisure education model. The leisure instruction is intended to instill self-determination, leisure appreciation, self-awareness, decision making, social interaction, knowledge and…

This document describes the concepts and policies guiding the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) in programming for services in the school to work transition. Underlying assumptions address the complexity of post-school services, the focus on all students with disabilities, and the goal of employment as an important…

The report describes the operating experiences of the Structured Training and Employment Transitional Services (STETS) demonstration, a program designed to prepare mentally retarded young adults for regular private sector employment. The STETS program was managed by several types of agencies in five cities. Evaluation information on STETS…

This paper summaries a study on the participation of 10 students (ages 18-21) with developmental disabilities in the transition from school to work using the Whole Life Planning model. Data included observations of organizational and planning meetings and structured interviews with the students, parents, and facilitators. Analysis resulted in the…

A model is presented for planning the transition of handicapped children from early childhood special education (ECSE) programs into kindergarten/elementary school mainstream classrooms. The model, developed through Project TEEM (Transitioning into the Elementary Education Mainstream), enables parents, ECSE, and elementary school program staff to…

Defines the Transitions Endorsement program as a school improvement model based upon the credentialing of individual students. States that schools pursuing the endorsement must focus on helping students make successful transitions from school to school and from school to career. Outlines credentialing requirements and criteria for the endorsement.…

This booklet focuses on the role of interagency agreements in facilitating the transition of young children and their families from early intervention services to preschool services as children turn 3 years of age. Interagency agreements can be viewed as an "invisible brace" supporting families and staff as they consider many issues in moving from…

Individual transition plans (ITPs) outline specific curricular content and implementation strategies to help the postschool adjustment of severely handicapped students. ITPs should be longitudinal, comprehensible, based on functional objectives, oriented to a wide variety of actual environments, and should include input from competent related…

A model designed to ease the transition for handicapped students from Head Start programs to public school settings is described. The model could also be adapted for transition from any private preschool to the public school setting for special needs children. The need for increased understanding between public school and Head Start program…

In general, retention at any grade level has not improved student achievement or social adjustment. Skimpy data on transition rooms seem to indicate that they are not very successful either. The reasons that have been given to explain why retention has not worked range from the school's inability to diagnose student needs to rigid curriculum and…