The Transition Service Integration Model integrates resources of public schools, rehabilitation, and developmental disability systems. School and private non-profit agencies work together to develop employment and inclusive community activities during the student's last school year. Rehabilitation and developmental disability systems then work…

A pilot project brought 17 high school students with developmental disabilities to a college campus for job sampling. Participants were mentored by 23 college students. Preliminary data indicate the project had benefits for young adults with and without disabilities and supported the use of a community-based service-learning model. (Contains…

Three Maine studies examined the school-to-work transition of special needs students, focusing on (1) transition-related programs, policies, and practices in Maine secondary schools; (2) educator attitudes toward and opinions about transition services; and (3) employment outcomes of special education high school graduates. (SV)

A planning procedure was developed to increase opportunities for secondary special education students to be referred to and receive appropriate community services after graduation. The procedure requires interagency cooperation and focuses on vocational placement, postsecondary education, living arrangements, mobility, and financial planning.…

The problems of Individual Education Plan (IEP) utilization with handicapped students are analyzed and compared to the developing use of Individual Transition Plans (ITP). Considered are issues of accountability, relevance, quality, feasibility, and preparedness. (DB)

The 10 components of a career development curriculum for mentally ill individuals are intended to achieve 3 goals: (1) job readiness (reality of work, integration of mental illness and employment, on-the-job behavior); (2) career decision making (self-assessment, occupational information, career choice); and (3) getting and keeping employment (job…

Provided is information that may enable minority students and land grant faculties and administrators to more effectively deal with the academic, financial, and emotional needs of minority students who are making the transition to graduate school. Highlighted are networking, mentoring, financial aid, and increasing sensitivity to the adjustment…

The article describes Project M.E.A.L.(Model for Employment and Adult Living) in Phoenix, Arizona, designed to move unemployed young learning disabled adults recently out of school to employment and community living. Training and support services link clients with available community training or education programs and sustained employment in…

High school administrators, counselors, and teachers can support, assist, and nurture incoming ninth graders. Principals should share middle-level and high school buildings, teachers, and preparation time; organize ninth-grade students and teachers into interdisciplinary teams; conduct regularly scheduled advisory programs; assign upperclass…

This article presents a framework for preservice or inservice development of transition personnel. The framework focuses on working with others, knowledge of agencies and influencing systems, development of individualized services, professionalism, job training and support, assessment, administrative functions, philosophical considerations, career…

The Community Observation Project in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) has helped more than 100 secondary students with disabilities to learn prevocational skills and behaviors through observation and hands-on experience at 20 local businesses. Details of program implementation, including recordkeeping forms, are provided. (DB)

Experimental Transitional Program designed in accord with current transition years philosophy for grade-nine students (n=137) was evaluated to examine impact on student attitude. No attitudinal benefits were evident on a variety of measures. In fact, student attitude was seen to deteriorate over the course of the year regardless of type of…

This paper outlines the arrangements for assessing school leavers under Sections 5 and 6 of Great Britain's Disabled Persons Act, summarizes the results of research in Avon (England) following the lives of 50 people with severe learning difficulties just before and after they left school. Presents a model for individual and strategic planning to…

Comparison of hearing (n=222) and deaf (n=217) young adults on employment, independent living, and social experience outcomes found that the hearing group was generally more successful than deaf persons from mainstream or residential schools. Gender differences did not uniformly favor men. Suggestions for improving transition programs for the deaf…

This article describes service outcomes for people with disabilities, achieved by local Oregon communities during the past five years as they have implemented a community capacity building model called the Community Transition Team Model. Principles of successful programs included active participation of diverse stakeholders, change viewed as a…