
Menu Home Overview of Transition Services Transition and Self-Determination CIL Roles and Services for Transition-Aged Youth Self-Determined Career Development Model CIL's Transition Best Practices Links References Credits	Overview of Special Education Transition Services What is 'Transition' for Youth with Disabilities? For students in special education, transition is the movement from school into post-school activities that encompass adult living (Halpern, 1994; Morningstar, Kleinhammer-Tramill and Lattin, 1999). It is an outcome-oriented process that involves the youth as the leader in identifying what is needed to plan and prepare for a successful and meaningful adult life and what is needed to change from one stage to another. Transition focuses on a change in a person status; moving out of the school environment and into the realm of adulthood, where youth learn how to make more significant and more meaningful life decisions. Ideally, youth and their support team comprehensively plan for the services and supports they will need to meet their adult roles in life. Youth in special education have complex needs and their future success depends upon how well they can identify the people, supports, and adult service agencies they might need throughout adulthood. Transition refers to a change in status from behaving primarily as a student to assuming emergent adult roles in the community. These roles include employment, participating in post-secondary education, maintaining a home, becoming appropriately involved in the community, and experiencing satisfactory personal and social relationships. The process of enhancing transition involves the participation and coordination of school programs, adult agency services, and natural supports within the community. The foundations for transition should be laid during the elementary and middle school years, guided by the broad concept of career development. Transition planning should begin no later than age 14, and students should be encouraged, to the full extent of their capabilities, to assume a minimum amount of responsibility for such planning (Halpern, 1994, HP. 117). The transition from high school to adult life is an exciting time for youth. It is a time filled with dreams and hopes of who they will become and what they will accomplish as adults. As they approach graduation, youth begin to consider and decide upon where they want to live, the type of work they want to do, the type of social life they will have, and the kind of lifestyle they will lead. The transition from school to adult life is a time when youth can gain greater control over their lives and become more independent and self-sufficient as individuals. But for many youth with disabilities, making decisions during this time can be difficult as well as troubling. Like many youth, they leave behind the structured school environment and are challenged by the responsibility and obligations of adulthood. Facing the transition into adulthood can be daunting for many youth with disabilities because they lack the skills (and have not had the opportunities) to make decisions, choices, and govern their own lives. A Historical Perspective of Transition In the mid 1980s the director of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), reported that although many students with disabilities were graduating from high school, they were not performing well in adulthood. Specifically, youth were having immense difficulty finding and maintaining jobs and were experiencing high rates of underemployment and job turnover. Youth were in jeopardy of becoming (or staying) financially, socially, and emotionally dependent on others. To remediate some of the barriers that youth were facing, the director summoned school officials and personnel to concentrate their efforts on improving adult outcomes by focusing predominantly on instruction in employment related skill areas and linking school-based employment programs to community agencies (Will, 1984). The 1990s introduced legislation that changed how school personnel would help prepare youth to transition into adulthood. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 was the first piece of legislation to mandate transition services for students with disabilities. It contained language that held educators responsible for managing the preparation and implementation of school transition services by creating and monitoring an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). One intended outcome of the legislation was to increase the demand for students with disabilities to have equal access to school and post-school activities by shifting transition planning to a more outcome-oriented process that involved the collaboration of many different individuals from different agencies (e.g., school personnel, centers for independent living, vocational rehabilitation providers, and employers)(Sitlington, Clark and Kolstoe, 2000). Transition, as defined in IDEA, is: A coordinated set of activities: designed as an outcome-oriented process that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including: post- secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation It is based upon the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests; and includes: instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation (Section 300.29). The amendments to IDEA (1997) broadened the scope of transition by emphasizing that all students with disabilities should have access to the same standards and educational opportunities as other students (Tashie, 1999). Among other provisions, the amendments also include that youth in special education have greater access to the general curriculum, begin planning for transition service needs at an earlier age, consider related services, and evaluate goal progress (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2000; Sitlington, Clark and Kolstoe, 2000). Transitioning into Adult Outcome Areas Transition goals in the 1990s shifted from an employment-driven process to more outcome-oriented services (Browning, 1997). Today, transition planning for students with disabilities should center on improving key areas that include (but are certainly not limited to): Employment, Community Participation, Adult Living, and Post-Secondary and Continuing Education (Clark, Patton and Moulton, 2000; Halpern, 1994; Patton and Blalock, 1996). The provision of transition services to youth with disabilities has historically been the responsibility of the public schools, but CILs and other community agencies can also provide programs that help support transition-aged youth. (Wehmeyer and Gragoudas, 2004; Wilson, 1998). Below are some examples of the variety of services and programs included in the adult outcomes areas. Agencies that work with transitioning youth might find the list helpful in creating programs. Employment Vocational Evaluation and Assessment Building Vocational Skills through Academic Coursework Career Awareness and Exploration (academic skills and real work experiences) Job Development Job Placement Supported Employment Job Seeking Skills Job Preparedness Skills Volunteering Community Participation Transportation/ Mobility Training Program and Service Accessibility Advocacy Accommodations Recreational Activities Special or Unique Interests Understanding Civic Roles and Responsibilities Adult Living Residential Living Medical/Health Awareness Body (Health and Fitness) Sexuality Personal Care Financial Money Management and Budgeting Understanding Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Income Work Incentives Cooking and Meal preparation Shopping Paying Bills Interpersonal Relationships Self-determination Communication Post-Secondary and Continuing Education 2 and 4 Year Colleges Completing Applications Completing Financial Aid Contacting Supports and Services for Individuals with Disabilities Vocational and Technical Training Apprenticeships Military Occupational Training Time Management Study Skills Summary Youth with disabilities may face certain challenges in the lifelong process of making decisions about their own lives and moving into adulthood. For youth in special education, transition is a time when they can learn how to choose what they want for themselves. Youth plan, with the support of family members, friends, and other agencies, for the types of services and supports they want for their emergent adult roles and for what they will need in order to lead a meaningful and successful adult life. The goal of transition is to provide the support needed that allows students to live life in the most inclusive community setting with the meaningful life outcomes. A 'systematic' approach to transition services means developing strategies to address the complex needs of youth with disabilities in an organized and coordinated manner to support multiple pathways to successful transition. Such an approach requires that schools reach out beyond their boundaries and seek a shared responsibility from the many agencies that provide services for students in transition. References Some of the following References and Links list websites that offer transition publications, materials, and resources. The links to Internet web sites contain articles and information about youth transition programs. These references are included to expand the knowledge and resource base of web site visitors and to present a national and international perspective. Due to the nature of the Internet, links may be broken or lead to other information not related to the content of this site. Please report broken or misdirected links to info@wnyilp.org (Note:All links open in a new browser window. To return to this site, close the new window.) Browning, P. (1997). Transition in action for youth and young adults with disabilities, (pages 39-56).Montgomery, AL: Wells Printing. Clark, G. M., Patton, J. R., and Moulton, L. R. (2000). Informal assessments for transition planning. Austin, TX: Pro Ed. Greene, G. and Kochhar-Bryant, C. A. (2003). Pathways to successful transition for youth with disabilities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. Halpern, A. S. (1994). The transition of youth with disabilities to adult life: A position statement of the Division of Career Development and Transition. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 17, 115-124. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, PL101-476 (1990, Oct.30). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, PL 105-17, 20, U. S.C. 602 (1997). Morningstar, M. E., Kleinhammer-Tramill, P. J., and Lattin, D. L. (1999). Using successful models of transition student-centered transition planning and services for adolescents with disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children, 1(9), 1-18. National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, (2000). Questions and answers about IDEA. News Digest 21, retrieved November 11, 2003 from http://www.nichcy.org/idea.htm Patton, J. R. and Blalock, G. (1996). Transition and students with learning disabilities: Facilitating the movement from school to adult life, (pages 1-18). Austin, TX: Pro Ed. Stilington, P. L., Clark, G. M., and Kolstoe, O. P. (2000). Transition education and services for adolescents with disabilities (3rd edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon Tashie, C. (1999). Transition in an era of educational reform. Parents Engaged in Educational Reform, Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire. Wehmeyer, M.L. and Gragoudas, S. (2004). Centers for independent living and transition-aged youth. Empowerment and self-determination. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 20, (53-58). Will, M. (1984). OSERS programming for the transition of youth with disabilities: Bridges from school to working life. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Education. Wilson, K. E. (1998). Centers for independent living in support of transition. Retrieved on September 29, 2004 from: http://www.worksupport.com/Archives/proed3.asp. Transition-Related Resources (Web Links) The following is a list of websites that offer transition publications, materials, and resources. Association on Higher Education and Disability http://www.ahead.org/publications/index.htm Association for Persons in Supported Employment http://www.apse.org/ Center on Disability Studies http://www.cds.hawaii.edu/activities/education/ Circle of Inclusion http://www.circleofinclusion.org/ Council for Exceptional Children http://www.cec.sped.org/ Division of Career Development and Transition http://www.dcdt.org/ Institute for Community Inclusion http://www.communityinclusion.org/publications/indexb.html National Center on Secondary Education and Transition http://www.ncset.org/default.asp National Center for Research in Vocational Education http://vocserve.berkeley.edu/ National Council on Disability http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2000/transition_11-01-00.htm National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities http://www.nichcy.org/ Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights http://www.pacer.org/ Rehabilitation Research Training Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa http://www.rrtc.hawaii.edu/ Transcen, Inc. http://www.transcen.org/ The Transition Coalition at the University of Kansas http://transitioncoalition.org/ Transition projects http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/sped/tri/projwebsites.html Transition Research Institute http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/SPED/tri/institute.html Virginia Commonwealth University http://www.worksupport.com/ Vocational and Educational Services of Individuals with Disabilities http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/do/transition.htm Work Incentives Transition Network http://www.vcu.edu/rrtcweb/witn/ssi.htm	Additional Links Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Independent Living Management KU Center on Developmental Disabilities

Making It More Than A Job: Self Determined Career Development Model

Overview of Special Education Transition Services

What is 'Transition' for Youth with Disabilities?

For students in special education, transition is the movement from school into post-school activities that encompass adult living (Halpern, 1994; Morningstar, Kleinhammer-Tramill and Lattin, 1999). It is an outcome-oriented process that involves the youth as the leader in identifying what is needed to plan and prepare for a successful and meaningful adult life and what is needed to change from one stage to another. Transition focuses on a change in a person status; moving out of the school environment and into the realm of adulthood, where youth learn how to make more significant and more meaningful life decisions. Ideally, youth and their support team comprehensively plan for the services and supports they will need to meet their adult roles in life. Youth in special education have complex needs and their future success depends upon how well they can identify the people, supports, and adult service agencies they might need throughout adulthood.

Transition refers to a change in status from behaving primarily as a student to assuming emergent adult roles in the community. These roles include employment, participating in post-secondary education, maintaining a home, becoming appropriately involved in the community, and experiencing satisfactory personal and social relationships. The process of enhancing transition involves the participation and coordination of school programs, adult agency services, and natural supports within the community. The foundations for transition should be laid during the elementary and middle school years, guided by the broad concept of career development. Transition planning should begin no later than age 14, and students should be encouraged, to the full extent of their capabilities, to assume a minimum amount of responsibility for such planning (Halpern, 1994, HP. 117).

The transition from high school to adult life is an exciting time for youth. It is a time filled with dreams and hopes of who they will become and what they will accomplish as adults. As they approach graduation, youth begin to consider and decide upon where they want to live, the type of work they want to do, the type of social life they will have, and the kind of lifestyle they will lead. The transition from school to adult life is a time when youth can gain greater control over their lives and become more independent and self-sufficient as individuals. But for many youth with disabilities, making decisions during this time can be difficult as well as troubling. Like many youth, they leave behind the structured school environment and are challenged by the responsibility and obligations of adulthood. Facing the transition into adulthood can be daunting for many youth with disabilities because they lack the skills (and have not had the opportunities) to make decisions, choices, and govern their own lives.

A Historical Perspective of Transition

In the mid 1980s the director of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), reported that although many students with disabilities were graduating from high school, they were not performing well in adulthood. Specifically, youth were having immense difficulty finding and maintaining jobs and were experiencing high rates of underemployment and job turnover. Youth were in jeopardy of becoming (or staying) financially, socially, and emotionally dependent on others. To remediate some of the barriers that youth were facing, the director summoned school officials and personnel to concentrate their efforts on improving adult outcomes by focusing predominantly on instruction in employment related skill areas and linking school-based employment programs to community agencies (Will, 1984).

The 1990s introduced legislation that changed how school personnel would help prepare youth to transition into adulthood. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 was the first piece of legislation to mandate transition services for students with disabilities. It contained language that held educators responsible for managing the preparation and implementation of school transition services by creating and monitoring an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). One intended outcome of the legislation was to increase the demand for students with disabilities to have equal access to school and post-school activities by shifting transition planning to a more outcome-oriented process that involved the collaboration of many different individuals from different agencies (e.g., school personnel, centers for independent living, vocational rehabilitation providers, and employers)(Sitlington, Clark and Kolstoe, 2000). Transition, as defined in IDEA, is:

A coordinated set of activities:

designed as an outcome-oriented process
that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including:
- post- secondary education,
- vocational training,
- integrated employment (including supported employment),
- continuing and adult education,
- adult services,
- independent living, or
- community participation

It is based upon the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests; and includes:

instruction,
related services,
community experiences,
the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and
when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation (Section 300.29).

The amendments to IDEA (1997) broadened the scope of transition by emphasizing that all students with disabilities should have access to the same standards and educational opportunities as other students (Tashie, 1999). Among other provisions, the amendments also include that youth in special education have greater access to the general curriculum, begin planning for transition service needs at an earlier age, consider related services, and evaluate goal progress (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2000; Sitlington, Clark and Kolstoe, 2000).

Transitioning into Adult Outcome Areas

Transition goals in the 1990s shifted from an employment-driven process to more outcome-oriented services (Browning, 1997). Today, transition planning for students with disabilities should center on improving key areas that include (but are certainly not limited to):

Employment,
Community Participation,
Adult Living, and
Post-Secondary and Continuing Education

(Clark, Patton and Moulton, 2000; Halpern, 1994; Patton and Blalock, 1996).

The provision of transition services to youth with disabilities has historically been the responsibility of the public schools, but CILs and other community agencies can also provide programs that help support transition-aged youth. (Wehmeyer and Gragoudas, 2004; Wilson, 1998). Below are some examples of the variety of services and programs included in the adult outcomes areas. Agencies that work with transitioning youth might find the list helpful in creating programs.

Employment

Vocational Evaluation and Assessment
Building Vocational Skills through Academic Coursework
Career Awareness and Exploration (academic skills and real work experiences)
Job Development
Job Placement
Supported Employment
Job Seeking Skills
Job Preparedness Skills
Volunteering

Community Participation

Transportation/ Mobility Training
Program and Service Accessibility
Advocacy
Accommodations
Recreational Activities
Special or Unique Interests
Understanding Civic Roles and Responsibilities

Adult Living

Residential Living
Medical/Health Awareness
Body (Health and Fitness)
Sexuality
Personal Care
Financial
- Money Management and Budgeting
- Understanding Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Income
- Work Incentives
Cooking and Meal preparation
Shopping
Paying Bills
Interpersonal Relationships
Self-determination
Communication

Post-Secondary and Continuing Education

2 and 4 Year Colleges
- Completing Applications
- Completing Financial Aid
- Contacting Supports and Services for Individuals with Disabilities
Vocational and Technical Training
Apprenticeships
Military
Occupational Training
Time Management
Study Skills

Summary

Youth with disabilities may face certain challenges in the lifelong process of making decisions about their own lives and moving into adulthood. For youth in special education, transition is a time when they can learn how to choose what they want for themselves. Youth plan, with the support of family members, friends, and other agencies, for the types of services and supports they want for their emergent adult roles and for what they will need in order to lead a meaningful and successful adult life. The goal of transition is to provide the support needed that allows students to live life in the most inclusive community setting with the meaningful life outcomes.

A 'systematic' approach to transition services means developing strategies to address the complex needs of youth with disabilities in an organized and coordinated manner to support multiple pathways to successful transition. Such an approach requires that schools reach out beyond their boundaries and seek a shared responsibility from the many agencies that provide services for students in transition.

References

Some of the following References and Links list websites that offer transition publications, materials, and resources. The links to Internet web sites contain articles and information about youth transition programs. These references are included to expand the knowledge and resource base of web site visitors and to present a national and international perspective. Due to the nature of the Internet, links may be broken or lead to other information not related to the content of this site. Please report broken or misdirected links to info@wnyilp.org

(Note:All links open in a new browser window. To return to this site, close the new window.)

Browning, P. (1997). Transition in action for youth and young adults with disabilities, (pages 39-56).Montgomery, AL: Wells Printing.

Clark, G. M., Patton, J. R., and Moulton, L. R. (2000). Informal assessments for transition planning. Austin, TX: Pro Ed.

Greene, G. and Kochhar-Bryant, C. A. (2003). Pathways to successful transition for youth with disabilities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Halpern, A. S. (1994). The transition of youth with disabilities to adult life: A position statement of the Division of Career Development and Transition. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 17, 115-124.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, PL101-476 (1990, Oct.30).

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, PL 105-17, 20, U. S.C. 602 (1997).

Morningstar, M. E., Kleinhammer-Tramill, P. J., and Lattin, D. L. (1999). Using successful models of transition student-centered transition planning and services for adolescents with disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children, 1(9), 1-18.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, (2000). Questions and answers about IDEA. News Digest 21, retrieved November 11, 2003 from http://www.nichcy.org/idea.htm

Patton, J. R. and Blalock, G. (1996). Transition and students with learning disabilities: Facilitating the movement from school to adult life, (pages 1-18). Austin, TX: Pro Ed.

Stilington, P. L., Clark, G. M., and Kolstoe, O. P. (2000). Transition education and services for adolescents with disabilities (3rd edition). Boston: Allyn and Bacon

Tashie, C. (1999). Transition in an era of educational reform. Parents Engaged in Educational Reform, Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire.

Wehmeyer, M.L. and Gragoudas, S. (2004). Centers for independent living and transition-aged youth. Empowerment and self-determination. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 20, (53-58).

Will, M. (1984). OSERS programming for the transition of youth with disabilities: Bridges from school to working life. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. of Education.

Wilson, K. E. (1998). Centers for independent living in support of transition. Retrieved on September 29, 2004 from: http://www.worksupport.com/Archives/proed3.asp.

Transition-Related Resources (Web Links)

The following is a list of websites that offer transition publications, materials, and resources.

Association on Higher Education and Disability
http://www.ahead.org/publications/index.htm

Association for Persons in Supported Employment
http://www.apse.org/

Center on Disability Studies
http://www.cds.hawaii.edu/activities/education/

Circle of Inclusion
http://www.circleofinclusion.org/

Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org/

Division of Career Development and Transition
http://www.dcdt.org/

Institute for Community Inclusion
http://www.communityinclusion.org/publications/indexb.html

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
http://www.ncset.org/default.asp

National Center for Research in Vocational Education
http://vocserve.berkeley.edu/

National Council on Disability
http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2000/transition_11-01-00.htm

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
http://www.nichcy.org/

Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights
http://www.pacer.org/

Rehabilitation Research Training Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa
http://www.rrtc.hawaii.edu/

Transcen, Inc.
http://www.transcen.org/

The Transition Coalition at the University of Kansas
http://transitioncoalition.org/

Transition projects
http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/sped/tri/projwebsites.html

Transition Research Institute
http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/SPED/tri/institute.html

Virginia Commonwealth University
http://www.worksupport.com/

Vocational and Educational Services of Individuals with Disabilities
http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/do/transition.htm

Work Incentives Transition Network
http://www.vcu.edu/rrtcweb/witn/ssi.htm

Additional Links

Rehabilitation Research
and Training Center on
Independent Living
Management

KU Center on
Developmental
Disabilities