The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students with disabilities, age 16 years and older, include age appropriate transition assessment results aligned with measurable postsecondary goals. This section of the IEP is typically known as an Individual Transition Plan…

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…

This study examined the extent to which transition components of students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) were compliant with IDEIA 2004; the extent to which transition components provided evidence of best practices; the association among disability, ethnicity, compliance, and practices; and the relationship between compliance and best…

This report has been provided to the Legislature on an annual basis since the year 2000. This report is issued in the context of a change in focus for the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the federal agency which oversees the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) implementation in each state. OSEP's new accountability…

This study examines the quantitative results of an evaluation investigating implementation of the Transition Outcomes Project in a midwestern state. Data collection and analysis consist of preevaluation and postevaluation of students' Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) using the "Transition Requirements Checklist" and include…

This report has been provided to the Legislature on an annual basis since 2000 when the legislature amended the language of G.L. c. 71B to align Massachusetts special education terminology with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This year reports the context of a major change in the way state systems of special…

This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of 8 Local Education Agency (LEA) personnel who implemented the Transition Outcomes Project (TOP) in a midwestern state. These personnel represented 100% of the state LEAs who instigated the pilot of TOP in the participating state. Findings showed that TOP had 3 major positive effects: greater…

This report provides an analysis of those portions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related legislation relevant to the career preparation and employment status of individuals with cognitive impairments. It reviews government-sponsored evaluations and professional research in specific areas of labor and education and reports on a…

This manual provides a sequential procedure for conducting functional vocational evaluations for secondary school students as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This evaluation procedure considers the interactions of the student with instructors, peers, and employers; training needs; work demands; environmental factors;…

A study that reviewed 329 Individualized Transition Plans (ITPs) found ITPs generally followed the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, however, they were less likely to address additional transition areas suggested in Louisiana's transitional planning menu, including living arrangements, homemaking needs, financial…

A study analyzed the extent to which states implemented the transition services required by federal law during the 1993-94 through 1996-97 monitoring cycles. Results found many are not inviting students to their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and that 50 percent did not have statements of needed transition services (Individualized…

This guidebook is intended to assist parents of children with disabilities who will be returning to the state of Maryland because of Senate Bill 588, which strongly discourages out-of-state placements of individuals with disabilities or other special needs. The first section is on "getting ready" and provides a summary of Senate Bill…

This paper suggests a framework for analyzing needs of students with disabilities in dealing with transition services in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). It outlines procedures to follow to ensure adequate service delivery. The framework and procedures are intended to result in IEPs that not only will survive legal challenges but…

This article presents a comprehensive model for assessment of secondary students with disabilities. The model is intended to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which requires identifying transition needs of students in their individualized education programs. The model assists in structuring an outcome-oriented transition…

This article reviews transition as it relates to students with learning disabilities (LD). Specifically, it provides a discussion of transition planning for individuals with LD, an overview of state and federal mandates and initiatives that influence transition practices, and a discussion of transition practices. (Author/DB)