A deliberate, systematic approach is presented for assisting students with handicaps through the transition process from school to adult life. The key elements of transition are identified as: longitudinal vocational and independent living skills training; cooperative and interagency transition planning; parent, student, employer, and…

Project KIT (Kids in Transition) of the Northern Trails Area Education Agency in Iowa assists in preparing for children's transition from early childhood special education programs to elementary regular/special education programs and transition from special education home intervention services to the preschool special education classroom. This…

A two-year holistic transition training program for persons with learning disabilities in Israel was carried out in a residential setting and included vocational training, activities of daily living, educational activities, and personal adjustment counseling. Follow-up two years after program completion indicated that trainees were generally…

Assessed life-skills knowledge levels among older foster adolescents in foster family homes, group homes/institutions, and apartments. Results suggest a need to improve life-skills preparation in group home/institutional settings, to target minority males for life-skills enhancement in all placement settings, and to utilize apartment placements to…

Outlines the social and practical problems faced by foster care graduates and discusses these issues in the light of recent research in England and Wales. Offers ideas on how these problems may be ameliorated in general and outlines the way the new British child care law has provided a framework for action by practitioners. (AA)

This study examined the use of a palmtop computer running a software program by transition-age students with cognitive disabilities to increase independence on vocational and independent living tasks. The purpose of this research was to test the hypotheses that a palmtop computer utilizing a Windows CE platform with touch screen capabilities and…

The transition from school to adulthood is a pivotal time in the lives of all students. For a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), change of any kind can be challenging. A transition as momentous as this can seem daunting indeed. Thoughtful planning, good information, and open communication will help parents work with their young adult and…

This publication provides information on the Alabama Transition Initiative for students with disabilities, including papers presented at two statewide transition conferences. Conference papers include: (1) "Pell City School System's Community Transition Team Model" (Deloris Frasier); (2) "Alabama's MH/MR Service Coordinators in…

This annotated bibliography includes selected books, articles, and reports on the use of technology (primarily computers and interactive video) with students displaying moderate cognitive abilities. The bibliography lists items issued between 1979 and 1990. It describes four items on vocational skills/transition; six items on academic instruction;…

The Occupational Therapy Independent Living Skills (Transition) Program was established to serve students with severe behavioral, learning, and physical disabilities and to serve as a setting for occupational therapist training in transition programming. This manual describes this model pupil personnel training program, which prepares occupational…

Project MEAL (Model for Employment and Adult Living) provides a program for post-high-school preparation of unemployed learning-disabled young adults. Its strategies and interventions can be adopted for use with learning-disabled individuals still in school and with individuals having other handicapping conditions. The program's target population…

Social incompetence is a significant cause of postsecondary maladjustment for the learning disabled. The literature is reviewed on factors critical to occupational success; social development of the learning disabled; major social incompetencies (specifically, social perception and problem solving, task-related social behaviors, and social…

This interim report summarizes the first-year findings and activities for the Adult Outcome Component of the Texas Effectiveness Study, implemented during the 1996-97 school year. The Adult Outcome component is one of three components of the Texas Effectiveness Study that will provide information about the outcomes of special education in Texas.…

A rehabilitation teacher at the Kansas State School for the Blind describes her job. Her main responsibilities are to teach a transition class to older high school students and to be at the local community college to assist students to be successful in that setting. Students are taught cooking, cleaning skills, and skills for independent apartment…

To determine the worth of leisure education for adolescents with mental retardation, this study tested a model program in the public schools of Wake County, North Carolina. Findings indicated positive changes in behaviors and attitudes. Limitations, implications, and recommendations are also discussed. (GLR)