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CLD INFOSHEETS
Transition and Individuals
with Learning Disabilities
What Is Transition?
The term transition refers to passing from one state or condition
to another. Many important transitions occur throughout each person's
life, and many of them are associated with predictable life events,
such as beginning preschool, leaving elementary school, and entering
middle adulthood. one of the most critical transition periods for
students with learning disabilities (LD) is the transition from
school to young adulthood.
The 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) defined transition services for this particular transition
as:
a coordinated set of activities for a student, with a disability,
that: (a) is designed within an outcome oriented process, that promotes
movement from school to postschool activities, including postsecondary
education, vocational training, integrated employment (including
supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services,
independent living, or community participation; (b) is based on
the student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences
and interests; (c) includes instruction, related services, community
experiences, the development of employment and other post-school
objectives, and when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills
and functional vocational evaluation (§ 602).
This concept is straightforward and fairly simple, including three
major components (Storms, O'Leary, & Williams, 2000). First, every
student and his or her family should be coached to (a) think about
post?high school goals and (b) develop a plan for how to achieve
those goals. Second, a high school experience should be designed
so that the student acquires the skills and competencies necessary
to obtain his or her desired post?high school goals. Finally, the
linkages to post?high school services, supports, and programs need
to be identified and made before the student exits high school.
Why Is Transition
Planning Important for Individuals with LD?
Even though transition planning has been mandated for all students
with disabilities for more than 10 years, transition planning for
individuals with LD has lagged behind that of other groups. A major
reason for this lack of attention has been an assumption that individuals
with LD have a mild disability that primarily affects academic achievement;
therefore, they have the ability to move from secondary to postsecondary
environments without a lot of difficulty. Unfortunately, this is
not the case for many students with LD. The results of a number
of recent studies have suggested that many adolescents with LD do
encounter difficulties in making the transition to adult life, including
problems related to unemployment, underemployment, job changes,
participation in community and leisure activities, pay, dependency
on parents and others, satisfaction with employment, postsecondary
academics, and functional skills.
Who Is Involved
in the Transition Process and What Are Their Roles?
Numerous individuals should be involved in the transition process,
with the most important being the student and his or her family.
Key participants and their roles in the transition planning and
program implementation process follow:
Student
Communicate preferences, interests, strengths, areas of need, types
of support, how progressing
Participate actively in discussions, decisions, planning activities,
IEP development, IEP meetings, and IEP implementation
Parent/Guardian
Support the student
Provide information about the student's strengths, interests,
needs, independent living skills, and kinds of support needed
to achieve desired post?high school outcomes
Be actively engaged as equal partners in planning, discussions,
and decision making
Participate in making referrals to adult service agencies and
training programs
Provide opportunities for the child to practice adult roles and
responsibilities
Special
education teacher
Provide information about the student's strengths, achievements,
progress on IEP goals, and strategies for teaching student
Assist student in identifying postsecondary goals
Prepare student and family for their leadership role in the transition
process
Suggest courses of study and educational experiences
Identify needed personnel from school, related services, and community
agencies
Provide input and incorporate into IEP transition service needs
and postschool agencies, services, and/or supports
Link student and parents to post?high school services/supports
Coordinate all people, agencies, services, or programs
Monitor student progress
LEA representative
Support special and general education staff
Provide information about programs in the school system and community
Allocate necessary resources, including technology, accommodations,
and supports
General
education teacher
Assist student in identifying postsecondary goals
Assist in planning courses of study in general education curriculum;
identify and provide modifications, adaptations, and supports;
and identify and provide positive behavioral strategies and interventions
Monitor student progress
Individual
who can interpret evaluation information
Provide assessment information about student needs, interests,
preferences, strengths, and aptitudes
Interpret assessment information for student and family
Other,
as appropriate (e.g., vocational rehabilitation, MR/DD services,
mental health, Social Security, employers, postsecondary educators,
human services)
Provide information about services and eligibility criteria
Assist in identification of community and adult services and in
the application process for services
Alert families and school to potential waiting lists for services
Provide services (e.g., functional vocational evaluation, technology
and accommodations, counseling, independent living) to student
during school, as appropriate
Note. Adapted
from Storms, J., O'Leary, E., & Williams, J. (2000). Adapted with
permission.
What Are
IDEA's Requirements Concerning Transition Planning?
The IDEA 1997 amendments outlined regulations concerning transition.
Final regulations for IDEA were published in the March 11, 1999,
Federal Register and took effect on May 11, 1999. Highlights of
the major requirements of IDEA that relate to transition and a brief
explanation follow.
Purpose
The Act's purpose includes ensuring that students with disabilities
are provided with a free, appropriate education that emphasizes
special education and related services designed to meet their
unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living
Content
of the IEP
The IEP must include:
(a) beginning at age 14 (or younger, if appropriate), a statement
of transition service needs that focuses on the course of study
(e.g., required, elective, other educational experiences) the
student needs to help move him or her toward the desired post?high
school goals
(b) beginning at age 16, a statement of needed transition services
Transition
services
Transition services must:
(a) be based on the individual student's needs, taking into account
his or her preferences and interests
(b) include
?instruction
?related services (if needed beyond school, should identify and
make linkages)
?community experiences (provided outside of school building or
in community settings)
?development of employment and other post?high school adult living
objectives (related to desired post?high school goals), and
?acquisition of daily living skills (things do every day such
as cooking, budgeting, and grooming) and functional vocational
evaluation (assessment process providing information about interests,
aptitudes, and skills), if appropriate
Agency
notification, participation, and responsibilities
The school shall:
(a) invite to transition meetings representatives of other agencies
who are likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition
services
(b) take steps to obtain the participation of agency personnel
who have been invited to transition meetings but do not attend
The IEP shall include:
(a) if appropriate, a statement of interagency responsibilities
and/or needed linkages
(b) the commitment by a participating agency to meet the financial
responsibility associated with the provision of services
Parent
notification
Parent notification of the IEP transition meeting must:
(a) indicate the purpose of the meeting (i.e., development of
a statement of transition service needs or consideration of needed
transition services)
(b) indicate that the student will be invited to the meeting
(c) identify any other agencies that will be invited to send a
representative to the meeting
Student
notification and participation
Beginning no later than age 14 (or earlier if appropriate):
(a) a student must be invited to attend his or her IEP meetings
that consider transition service needs, needed transition services,
or both
(b) schools must take steps to ensure that the student's preferences
and interests are considered in transition planning if the student
does not attend his or her IEP meeting
Transfer
of rights
At least 1 year before a student reaches the age of majority under
state law:
(a) the IEP must include a statement that the student has been
informed of his or her rights under Part B of IDEA that will transfer
to the student at age of majority
What Are
Transition Planning Areas or Domains?
Clark and Patton (1997) examined the transition guides of 17
states in order to identify core transition planning areas. They
noted that although there was interstate variation in transition
planning areas, a common core of important planning areas emerged.
Transition planning domains that were included in more than half
of the state guides they examined were:
-community participation
-daily living
-employment
-financial/income management
-health
-independent living (include living arrangements)
-leisure/recreation
-postsecondary education
-relationship/social skills
-transportation/mobility
-vocational training
What Is
the Timeline for Transition Planning and Preparation?
Even though transition planning does not have to be addressed
in the IEP until a student is 14 years old, teachers and families
must begin providing experiences and instruction to help students
develop critical knowledge and skills during the elementary years
that will help lay the foundation for the process. Examples of goals,
objectives, and activities that can be considered at different age
and grade levels follow.
Level
Primary
level: Grades 1?4
Goals and objectives
Employability and independent living skills and attitudes
Obj. 1: To develop positive work habits
Obj. 2: To appreciate all types of work
Obj. 3: To develop disability awareness
Possible activities
-career field trips
-discussions of interests and aptitudes
-decision-making and problem-solving activities
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