Employment is one of the biggest contributors to quality of life for people with disabilities--and that means well-planned work experiences should be an integral part of transition preparation for every secondary and postsecondary school aged youth. Make that happen with this practical guide, developed to help educators, transition specialists,…

To make a smooth transition to a fulfilling, self-determined adult life, young people who use Augmentative-Alternative Communication (AAC) need effective services that meet their individual needs and make the most of advances in technology. Professionals will provide these critical supports with the help of this book, the first complete guide to…

This book offers a business-centered approach to obtaining employment for people with disabilities. Using examples and anecdotes from the business world, the book focuses on business concepts such as mutual return on investment, high quality service, and customer satisfaction. Building on these concepts, job-placement professionals will be able to…

A compilation of three papers commissioned by the National Institute of Education, this study discusses the use of community education and work councils (CEWCs) as ways to improve school-to-work and work-to-school transitions for youth and adults. The first paper (1) elaborates the idea of councils comprised of business, industry, education, labor…

This book contains career advice for job-seekers and employees about locating, getting, keeping, and changing jobs. The titles of its five chapters are as follows: (1) "So You've Graduated from College, Now All You Need Is...More Advice?" (2) "Moving Up: How To Travel Vertically in a Horizontal World"; (3) "Difficult Bosses, Toxic Coworkers, and…

Designed for practitioners, this book provides ideas and strategies for designing, developing, and implementing the Youth Transition Program (YTP) for students with disabilities and special needs in Oregon. Chapter 1 describes the following: background and need for collaborative school-to-work (STW) programs; STW program purposes and components,…

There are great parallels between the School-to-Work Opportunities Act and the legislation which produced transition services for individuals with disabilities. The rationale is clearly the same: a real recognition and concern exists about the difficult transition that faces all high school graduates as they prepare to live on their own, assume…

This text is intended to provide new and practicing professionals with an introduction to the strategies necessary to support the transition of students with moderate and severe disabilities from school to community life. It offers recommendations for designing and implementing middle school, high school, and post-high school programs, addressing…

This book provides a history and overview of transitional services and educational programs provided for high school students with disabilities and proposes a new model of comprehensive transition education and services. The book is organized in 12 chapters: (1) "Secondary Special Education in Perspective"; (2) "Transition Education and Services…

This book provides a policy update on the school-to-work (STW) transition in a wide range of countries. Fourteen chapters give a comprehensive overview of the main issues in policy formulation and a detailed consideration of how policies have been considered and implemented in those countries. The chapters are: "Introduction: STW Policies in…

This document, which was developed through a decade of research and field testing involving more than 700 people, offers step-by-step strategies that educators, employment specialists, occupational therapists, and other professionals can use to help youths and adults with mild, moderate, or severe disabilities make their own employment choices.…

This book discusses the evolution of workfare policies in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Chapter 1 defines the term "workfare" and examines the concepts of transnationalizing workfare and workfarist labor regulation. Chapter 2 establishes workfare's theoretical context and explores the relationship between welfare…

This document profiles nine youth programs, illustrating concepts, strategies, and lessons available to communities as they start to form an integrated network of essential services designed to prepare out-of-school youth for success in the job market of the 21st century. "Introduction" (Marion Pines) lists considerations when planning a…

The effectiveness of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 was critiqued. WIA was praised for providing an avenue for communication among state and local agencies during development of workforce development plans, potentially allowing individuals to choose from a wider array of services and service providers, spreading the concept of one-stop…

The 36-year effort to provide a second chance at labor market success for disadvantaged and dislocated youth and adults was reviewed. The following issues were considered: (1) current legislative proposals; (2) lessons from past employment and training programs; (3) the labor market challenges faced by young adults, older workers, dislocated…