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Transition Planning in Special Education
Transition planning is one of the most critical components of effective special education policy and program design. In fact, transition planning is required by law, ensconced in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (Carter, Brock & Trainor, 2012). Due to IDEA’s provisions for special education transition planning, the number of students with disabilities and special needs enrolling in colleges and universities has increased (Hamblet, 2014). Successful transition planning should also include college-level supports that extend special education services. As Hamblet (2014) points out, students with disabilities have a much lower rate of college completion rates versus the general population. Transition planning in special education warrants further study to improve outcomes for students with special needs whose successes in high school can and should carry over into higher education.
Self-Determination
One of the prevailing themes in the research on transition planning in special education is the role of self-determination. Self-determination has been shown to be instrumental in adult success in terms of employment achievement and community integration after the completion of high school (Shogren, Wehmeyer, Palmer, et al., 2013). Therefore, effective transition planning strategies aim to stimulate self-determination and self-efficacy. Self-determination can be cultivated through...
Employment training during high school may also help to increase self-efficacy, which is linked to self-determination in terms of empowering the student to make choices that reflect their interests, needs, and strengths (Wehman, Sima, Ketchum, et al., 2015).
Expanding School-Family Partnerships
School-family partnerships are a key variable in student success, and especially with students with special needs. Stronger school-family partnerships can improve parental expectations of children with special needs; and positive parental expectation is in itself linked to student success (Wehman, Sima, Ketchum, et al., 2015). However, school-family partnerships also need to become more robust, including the input of siblings who are a critical part of the student’s social support system. As Hagiwara, Palmer & Hancock (2018) found, siblings are “frequently neglected members of family–school partnerships” even though “siblings of students with disabilities have many unique insights to offer, particularly during the transition planning,” (p. 1). In fact, research continually shows the importance of including input from multiple individuals or stakeholders in the lives of the student with special needs (Carter, Brock & Trainor, 2012). Of course, parents and teachers also have valuable input…
References
Carter, E.W., Brock, M.E. & Trainor, A.A. (2012). Transition assessment and planning for youth with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Journal of Special Education 47(4): 245-255.
Hagiwara, M., Palmer, S.B. & Hancock, C.L. (2018). Sibling roles in family-school partnerships for students with disabilities during transition planning. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, https://doi.org/10.1177/2165143418792045
Hamblet, E.C. (2014). Nine strategies to improve college transition planning for students with disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Childrean 46(3): 53-59.
Shogren, K.A., Wehmeyer, M.L., Palmer, S.B., et al. (2013). Relationships between self-determination and postschool outcomes for youth with disabilities. The Journal of Special Education 48(4): 256-267.
Wehman, P., Sima, A.P., Ketchum, J., et al. (2015). Predictors of successful transition from school to employment for youth with disabilities. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation 25(2): 323-334.
Kenny, L., Hattersley, C., Molins, B., Buckley, C., Povey, C., & Pellicano, E. (2015). Which terms should be used to describe autism? Perspectives from the UK autism community. Autism, 20(4), 442–462. doi:10.1177/1362361315588200 Autism spectrum disorders are diverse, as are the populations affected by them. Cultural diversity and additional factors like socioeconomic class can confound approaches to autism in special education programs. One of the most important issues when working in special
Special education allows children with special needs to gain knowledge and develop skills that can help them lead normal lives and gain independence. Although some consider special education as separate from the total educational enterprise, it is not. It is an integral part of it and serves the community in more ways than one. The specific function of special education in schools is to recognize the needs of children that
Special Education Transitions Transition planning is part of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process for children and adolescents with disabilities. Planning for transitions from program to program across a student's academic career provides support and modifications that might be needed in order to promote a student's progress. Each level of educational program presents its own set of challenges, and planning for those challenges -- as a student moves from pre-school, to
(4) Have participating teachers develop and lead online collaborative projects for students with emotional and behavioral disorders. (5) Develop and maintain an online community for teachers in self-contained units where ideas, lessons, and strategies can be shared. (6) Train staff on the concepts surrounding Positive Behavioral Intervention Support (PBIS) and support teachers as they develop preventative behavioral intervention plans that utilize PBIS strategies and concepts. (Rush, 2010, p.1) Rush (2010) states that the
In their study, "Thinking of Inclusion for All Special Needs Students: Better Think Again," Rasch and his colleagues (1994) report that, "The political argument in favor of inclusion is based on the assumption that the civil rights of students, as outlined in the 1954 decision handed down in Brown v. Board of Education, which struck down the concept of 'separate but equal,' can also be construed as applying to special
More importantly, our appreciative and participatory stance with our co-researchers has allowed us to witness and learn about the cutting edge of leadership work in such a way that is and feels qualitatively different from other research traditions we have used in the past, because it is built on valuing. Even though it is challenging at times (Ospina et al. 2002), our inquiry space is enhanced by our collaboration