This report presents findings of a 5-year study on the transition of youth with disabilities from secondary school to early adulthood. The study included more than 8,000 youth with disabilities who were aged 13 to 21 and receiving special education in 1985-86. It examined experiences of the students in education, employment, and personal independence. Data included interviews with students' parents in 1987, analysis of school records, and a survey of educators, followed up by 1989 interviews with a subsample of 800 parents and/or youth. An executive summary reports major findings addressing: characteristics of youth with disabilities, secondary school programs of students in regular schools, secondary school programs of students in special schools, secondary school performance, secondary school completion, social integration, personal and residential independence, employment, enrollment in postsecondary schools, engagement in productive activities outside the home, youth with emotional disturbances, youth with visual impairments, severely impaired youth, young women with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged, the link between secondary school and postschool outcomes, occupationally oriented vocational training, regular education placements, work experience during high school, and social activities. The report provides narrative analysis and many tables detailing findings in 11 chapters: "Introduction" (Mary Wagner); "More Than a Label: Characteristics of Youth with Disabilities" (Camille Marder and Robert Cox); "Secondary School Programs" (Mary Wagner);"Secondary School Performance" (Mary Wagner); "Sticking It Out: Secondary School Completion" (Mary Wagner); "Social Activities" (Lynn Newman); "Growing Up, Moving On: Aspects of Personal and Residential Independence" (Lynn Newman); "The Working World Awaits: Employment Experiences during and Shortly after Secondary School" (Ronald D'Amico); "Enrollment in Postsecondary Schools" (Paul Butler-Nalin and Mary Wagner); "A Broader Look at Outcomes: Engagement in Productive Activities after Secondary School" (E. Deborah Jay); and "Reflections" (Mary Wagner.) Five commentaries by leading professionals (Alan Abeson, Bud Fredericks, Teresa Middleton, Irving Kenneth Zola, and Jeffrey V. Osowski) and four appendixes conclude the report. References are provided for most chapters. (DB)