Secondary Transition: Helping Students with Disabilities Plan for Postsecondary Settings
Challenge
View the movie below and then proceed to the Initial Thoughts section (time: 2:12).
Transcript: Challenge
Secondary Transition: Helping Students with Disabilities Plan for Postsecondary Settings
Meet Carly and Omar. Although both are high school students with disabilities, they each possess a unique set of strengths and needs and have very different goals for their lives.
Carly is a rising ninth grader with an intellectual disability and cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair for independent mobility. Throughout middle school, she received special education services in reading, writing, and math along with occupational and physical therapy. Carly received most of these services in the general education classroom thanks to strong collaboration between the general education teachers, special education teacher, and related service providers. She will continue receiving these services in high school, in addition to working with her IEP team to begin the process of planning for her life after graduation. Carly, who is very sociable and empathetic, has her heart set on working in a hospital or other setting where she can help sick people.
Omar is a rising twelfth grader who has autism and ADHD. Throughout middle and high school, he has received accommodations and special education services to support his social, time management, and organizational skills. Beginning in middle school, Omar’s IEP team began working collaboratively to prepare him for success after high school. Omar has already identified a four-year university he would like to attend and plans to major in applied mathematics, an area in which he excels. His long-term goal is to pursue a career in a mathematics field that leverages his skills and problem-solving abilities.
As you can see, Carly and Omar have very different strengths, needs, and goals for their lives. Yet they both need support to achieve these goals and to make a successful transition from high school to adulthood.
Here’s your challenge:
What is secondary transition, and why is it important for students with disabilities?
How can educators help support students in the transition planning process?
