Nearly four decades have passed since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensured access to public education for students with disabilities in the United States. During the years following its introduction, there was a growing recognition that helping students, especially students with disabilities, in their transitions from…

Deciding what to do after high school is a daunting task for any young person, but for students on the autism spectrum, the thought can be paralyzing. Additional questions need to be asked and answered to insure a goodness of fit between the student's strengths, goals, and weaknesses and a post secondary educational program's strengths, goals, and…

Increased emphasis has been placed on children's ability to enter kindergarten ready to learn, a concept referred to as "school readiness." School readiness has been defined by the Maryland State Department of Education as "the stage of human development that enables a child to engage in, and benefit from, primary learning…

Background: Few studies have investigated transition programs and outcomes for young adults with disabilities as viewed from the parent perspective. The current Australian study provided a voice for parents to report on the experiences of and outcomes for young adults following their recent transition from school into post-school life. Method: A…

As more and more children are being diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS), more parents are wondering what the future will be like for their child. Because of the challenges faced by youth with AS, it is important for parents and teachers to work together to guide high school students with AS through a successful transition to the adult world.…

In 1981, Lighthouse Youth Services, a private nonprofit agency in Cincinnati, Ohio, began one of the first independent living programs for adolescents in the state. The local county children's services supervisors and Lighthouse administrators had been hearing numerous stories of youth who had left the county's foster and group homes and were…

Professionals who work with young adults will get hard-to-find information on how specific social, behavioral, and cognitive characteristics of people with autism affect the transition to adulthood, exploring potential challenges and traits that can be powerful assets. Compelling stories throughout this book illustrate how successful transition…

The purpose of this workbook is to help youth to take the lead in planning for their adult lives. The workbook shares important information, encourages youth to begin thinking about life after high school, and offers ideas they can use to plan routes to reach their goals. This is not a workbook parents, educators or others should hand to young…

Increased attention has been given recently to the needs of students with learning and developmental disabilities who are transitioning from high school to college. This is especially important for students with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (ASD), who are likely to experience significant and unique challenges in adjusting to…

It may seem that deaf-blindness refers to a total inability to see or hear. However, in reality deaf-blindness is a condition in which the combination of hearing and visual losses in children cause "such severe communication and other develop mental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for…

Transition from secondary education to adulthood represents a period during which adolescents with disabilities face multiple responsibilities and changing roles that include establishing independence, attending postsecondary education or training, developing social networks, choosing a career, participating in their communities, and managing…

Successful transition programs for students with learning disabilities have some common elements: job-related academic instruction, interpersonal skills development, vocational education, and follow-along counseling after formal schooling ends. (SK)

Background information on transitional rehabilitation for adults with severe physical disabilities is presented, and the transitional rehabilitation program offered by Courage Residence, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is described. (SEW)

Discussion of transition for students with disabilities emphasizes transition skills needed for life beyond work. The importance of assisting students in planning for their life roles as workers, family members, friends, consumers, and community members is discussed. Suggestions are offered to better prepare students for all their life roles by…

The article proposes a transition program for mildly handicapped students which stresses appropriate placement and ongoing support systems. Following intensive remedial academic instruction in junior high school, students would be tracked into either the traditional high school program (with ongoing support) or an alternative program designed to…