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Initial Thoughts
Perspectives & Resources

What is the transition planning process for students with disabilities?

  • Page 1: An Overview of Secondary Transition
  • Page 2: Person-Centered Planning
  • Page 3: Transition Planning

What is the school counselor's responsibility in the transition planning process?

  • Page 4: Overview of a School Counselor's Roles for Transition
  • Page 5: Transition Assessments
  • Page 6: Post-Secondary Preparation: Education/ Training
  • Page 7: Post-Secondary Preparation: Employment
  • Page 8: Post-Secondary Preparation: Independent Living
  • Page 9: Referrals to Other Agencies

How can school counselors further support successful transition planning?

  • Page 10: Communication and Collaboration
  • Page 11: Collaborative Activities for Families
  • Page 12: Communication with Community Organizations and Other Agencies

Resources

  • Page 13: References & Additional Resources
  • Page 14: Credits
Wrap Up
Assessment
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Resources

Page 13: References & Additional Resources

To cite this module, please use the following:

The IRIS Center. (2007, Rev. 2016). School counselors: Facilitating transitions for students with disabilities from high school to post-school settings. Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/cou2/

References

American School Counselor Association. (2004). Ethical standards for school counselor.Retrieved July 20, 2007, from http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=127&sl=173&contentid=173

Cavin, M., Alper, S., Sinclair, T., & Sitlington, P. L. (2001). School to adult life: An analysis of transition programs serving youth with disabilities between 1986 and 1999. Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education, 23(3), 3–14.

Clark, G. M. (2007). Assessment for transitions planning, 2nd edition. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Clark, G. M., Patton, J. R., & Moulton, L. R. (2000). Informal assessments for transition planning. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Cozzens, G., Dowdy, C. A., & Smith, T. E. C. (1999). Adult agencies: Linkages for adolescents in transition. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Cronin, M. E., & Patton, J. R. (1993). Life skills instruction for all students with special needs: A practical guide for integrating real-life content into the curriculum. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Elksnin, N., & Elksnin L. K. (1998). Teaching occupations social skills. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Fabian, E. S., & MacDonald-Wilson, K. L. (2005). Professional practice in rehabilitation service delivery systems and related system resources. In R. S. Parker, E. M. Syzmanski, & J. B. Patterson (Eds.), Rehabilitation counseling: Basics and beyond, 4th edition (pp. 55–87). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Fields, S., Hoffman, A., & Spezia, S. (1998). Self-determination strategies for adolescents in transition. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Garfinkel, L. (2000). Transition services under the IDEA: A practical guide to legal compliance. Horsham, PA: LRP Publications.

Grigal, M., Neubert, D. A., & Moon, S. (2005). Transition services for students with significant disabilities in college and community settings: Strategies for planning, implementation, and evaluation. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Johnson, D. R., Mellard, D. F., & Lancaster, P. (2007). Road to success: Helping young adults with learning disabilities plan and prepare for employment. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(6), 26–32.

Lindstrom, L., Doren, B. Metheny, J., Johnson, P., & Zane, C. (2007). Transition to employment: Role of the family in career development. Exceptional Children, 73(3), 348–366.

Martin, J. E., Van Dycke, J. L., Christensen, W. R., Greene, B. A., et al. (Spring 2006). Increasing student participation in IEP meetings: Establishing the self-directed IEP as an evidenced-based practice. Exceptional Children, (72)3, 299–317.

Mattessich, P. (2003, May/ June). Can this collaboration be saved? National Housing Institute and Shelterforce, 129. Retrieved July 26, 2007, from http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/129/savecollab.html Michaels, C. J. (1998). Transition to employment. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Miller, R. J., Lombard, R. C., & Corbey, S. A. (2007). Transition assessment: Planning transition and IEP development for youth with mild to moderate disabilities. New York: Pearson.

National Alliance for Secondary Education and Transition (NASET). (n.d.). National standards & quality indicators: Transition toolkit for systems improvement. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Special Education.

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET). (2005). Community services. Retrieved July 10, 2007, from http://www.ncset.org/topics/community/default.asp?topic=21

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET). (2005). IEP & transition planning. Retrieved July 11, 2007, from http://www.ncset.org/topics/ieptransition/default.asp?topic=28

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET). (2005). Parent/ professional collaboration. Retrieved July 10, 2007, from http://www.ncset.org/topics/family/default.asp?topic=29

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET). (2006). Parent brief. Retrieved July 12, 2007, from http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=2844

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY). (1990). Vocational assessment: A guide for parents and professionals. Retrieved July 11, 2007, from http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/outprint/ts6txt.htm

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC). (n.d.). Age appropriate transition assessment. Retrieved July 25, 2007, from http://www.nsttac.org/pdf/trans_fact_sheet.pdf. No longer available.

O’Leary, E. (2005, February). IEP process for transition services. PowerPoint presentation delivered at The Mechanics of a Transition Focused IEP, Calhoun, MI.

PACER Center. (n.d.). Self determination. Retrieved August 9, 2007, from http://www.pacer.org/tatra/self.htm

PACER Center. (2007). Vocational rehabilitation offers transition support. Pacesetter, 30(2), 4.

Patton, J. R., Cronin, M. E., & Wood, S. J. (1999). Infusing real-life topics into existing curricula: Recommended procedures and instructional examples for the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Patton, J. R., & Dunn, C. (1998). Transition from school to young adulthood: Basic concepts and recommended practices. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Scarborough, J. L., & Gilbride, D. D. (2006, October). Developing relationships with rehabilitation counselors to meet the transition needs of students with disabilities. Professional School Counseling, 10(1), 25–33.

Storms, J., O’Leary, E., & Williams, J. (2000, May). Transition requirements: A guide for states, districts, schools, universities and families. Developed by the Western Regional Resource Center, Eugene, Oregon; and the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah.

Synatschk, K. O. (1999). Counseling. In S. H. deFur & J. R. Patton (Eds.), Transition and school-based services: Interdisciplinary perspectives for enhancing the transition process (Chapter 8). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Tennessee State Department of Education. (2004). Individual education program (IEP). Retrieved on August 27, 2007, from http://tennessee.gov/education/speced/doc/51409sampleeasyIEP.pdf

Transition Coalition. (n.d.). Vocational assessment. Retrieved July 11, 2007, from http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/tcfiles/files/docs/ voctransassess1213220296.pdf/voctransassess.pdf

Transition Coalition. (2004). People make it happen. Retrieved July 16, 2007, from http://www.transitioncoalition.org

Transition Coalition. (2005). Best practices in planning for transition. Retrieved July 16, 2007, from http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/module_home.php No longer available without password.

Transition Coalition. (2005). The big picture. Retrieved August 9, 2007, from http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/module_home.php No longer available.

Webb, K. W. (2000). Transition to postsecondary education: Strategies for students with disabilities. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Wehman, P. (Ed.). (1998). Developing transition plans. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

Wehmeyer, M. L., Morningstar, M., & Husted, D. (1999). Family involvementin transition planning and implementation. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.

Additional Resources

Articles and Books

Durodoye, B. A., Combes, B. H., & Bryant, R. M. (2004). Counselor intervention in the post-secondary planning of African American students with learning disabilities. Professional School Counseling, 7(3), 133–140.

This article addresses the awareness and flexibility required of school counselors who work with African American students with learning disabilities as they plan to transition from high school to post-secondary education. Appropriate interventions for ethnically diverse students are also discussed.

Gillis, L. L. (2006). Effective transition services for students with disabilities: Examining the roles of building principals and school counselors. Journal of School Counseling, 4(25). Retrieved August 3, 2007, from http://www.jsc.montana.edu/articles/v4n25.pdf

This article emphasizes the important roles building-level administrators and school counselors play in ensuring that students with disabilities are included in the many opportunities available to secondary students. It stresses the importance of the collaborative effort between students, parents, teachers, counselors, and principals.

Kosine, N. (December 16, 2005). Effective college transition planning for students with learning disabilities: What does the research tell us? (Center for School Counseling Outcome Research). School Counseling Research Brief 3.4.

This research brief reviews the implications of current research on transition procedures for students who have learning disabilities and who wish to move into post-secondary education. It also outlines a three-year program developed at the University of Minnesota that began in the students’ junior year of high school and continued through their first year of post-secondary education.

Luft, P., Brown, C. M., & Sutherin, L. J. (2007). Are you and your students bored with the benchmarks? Sinking under the standards? Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(6), 39–46.

This article describes and provides supporting research for the importance of incorporating students’ individual transition plans into daily instructional practices. It argues that, because transition plans address the individuals’ interests, needs, and preferences, using these plans will make instruction relevant to students’ lives. Therefore, students are more likely to be motivated and engaged while using authentic problem-solving strategies. The article offers many examples and other resources.

Milsom, A. M., & Hartley, M. T. (2005). Assisting students with learning disabilities transitioning to college: What school counselors should know. Professional School Counseling, 8(5), 436–441.

This article emphasizes the importance of the role of the school counselor in the successful transition to post-secondary education by high school students with learning disabilities. The authors examine the role of the counselor as an advocate, collaborator, and direct-service provider, and they review a sample implementation plan for the transition process.

Myers, H. N. F. (2005). How elementary school counselors can meet the needs of students with disabilities. Professional School Counseling, 8(5), 442–450.

This article presents the results of a study examining how elementary-school counselors meet the personal and social needs of students with disabilities. The study follows the ASCA National Model’s guidelines for meeting the diverse needs of all students. That is, the counselors work toward collaboration, serving in leadership roles, advocating for students, and using a variety of strategies to meet students’ needs.

Online Resources

College & Career Readiness & Success Center https://ccrscenter.org/

The College and Career Readiness and Success Center develops tools and products based on the latest practices and information related to college and career readiness and success issues. This center provides publications, reports, and other resources searchable by the Hot Topics drop-down menu of the Resource Database. Such Hot Topics include Data-Driven Decision Making and School Improvement as well as transition in the areas of middle school to high school, high school to college, high school to career, and college to career.

Division on Career Development and Transition https://dcdt.org/

An organization whose goal is to provide information and assistance to increase efforts at aiding individuals with disabilities in career development and the transition to the world of work, DCDT offers resources on transition in practice, research articles, and overviews of relevant state and federal agencies, among much more.

Institute of Education Sciences. (2009, September). Helping students navigate the path to college: What high schools can do. Retrieved from https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/PracticeGuide/higher_ed_pg_091509.pdf

Among the most persistent problems in education are the barriers to higher education that exist for various groups of students, including those with disabilities. In response, the Institute of Education Sciences has produced this guide to help schools ameliorate many of these barriers. A panel of experts presents evidence-based recommendations on curricula, assessments, and assistance for families, among many others. Suggestions for how to carry out the recommendations include a wealth of helpful information.

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition http://www.ncset.org

This center provides resources on secondary education and transition.

National Parent Center on Transition and Employment https://www.pacer.org/transition/

An outgrowth of the PACER Center, the National Parent Center on Transition and Employment offers an extensive array of resources for visitors that include video series, a resource library, an online learning center complete with information on legal rights for students and workers, and a lot more.

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition https://transitionta.org/

Dedicated to assisting state and local education agencies to facilitate greater and more efficient secondary transition, NTACT offers visitors to its online home a wide variety of resources and information, including transition planning resources, practice guides and data tools, practices and programs to increase the likelihood post-school success, among much else.

Occupational Information Network https://www.onetonline.org/

A search engine and occupational skills catalogue available for use by public employment agencies, jobseekers, teachers, and businesses, O*Net describes itself as “the nation’s primary source of occupational information.” Created as a replacement for the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (established in 1939), the Occupational Information Network cross-references job descriptions with the skills and attributes needed to carry out those occupations.

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