Jennifer+Senkel


 * The Process and Importance of Transition for Students with Disabilities**



Transition planning and services are mandated by IDEA for students with disabilities because before any services were available, these students experienced: poor integration on graduation, higher dropout and unemployment rates than typical peers, low rates of postsecondary education entrance and completion, low-quality independent living experiences, and limited participation in the community. Now that there are transition services for these students, they have more opportunities to succeed because they are given the necessary guidance to help them achieve excellence, which is why the transition process is so important. Most students with disabilities don't have the knowledge to plan for their future, so as educators it is our job to direct them in the right place. By having transition services, we are enabling students to have a better future because we are exposing them to the real world by teaching them vocational skills, community living skills, personal and social skills, and self-determination skills that they will need in every day life.

Transition planning begins when a student is 14 years old. This is when their IEP changes because it then has to include a statement of transition needs. When the student reaches the age of 16, the IEP must include two items. First is a statement of transition services, which is a planned set of activities that promote the movement from school to postschool activities. This may include postsecondary education, vocational training, employment, continuing and adult education, independent living, adult services, or community participation. Through my transition field experience visit, I was able to see students working at a grocery store, which would act as training for employment in order to help them get a real job after they graduate from high school. The next item that the IEP must identify is interagency responsibility and community links to address students' needs and interests, independent living, community participation, and opportunities in postsecondary education and employment.

In order to ensure the proper planning of transition services, the process must include the efforts of not only us as special education teachers, but also general education teachers, community service agencies, the students involved, and their parents. I think it is so important for students to be involved in the planning so that they are given choices on what they want to do instead of just placing them somewhere. For example, a student may want to receive vocational training rather than go to a postsecondary education facility so it is necessary for us to communicate with the students in order to find out what their goals are. However, some students may not be capable enough to plan their future goals so that is why parents should be involved. It gives them the chance to learn about the different options available for their child and they can help make decisions in the process.

Pg. 280 of the text lists an Action Plan that describes the recommended steps for developing a transition plan. I think the most important step for planning on the list is to conduct an individual assessment of the student. This should be done to find out vocational interests, vocational aptitudes, occupation skills, and employability skills of the student. By doing this it would be a lot easier to create a transition plan for each student because the results would address what they already know and what their interests are. Once placement is determined, it is critical to provide support services at the location. When I was in high school I had an opportunity to go to Publix with one of the special education classes, and I noticed that the students had their teachers there to help them and an associate or manager at the store to assist them as needed, which acts as support. For example, one of the students was bagging groceries and their teacher stood beside them and helped them decide which items to place in each bag. The cashier was also there to help bag groceries to make the job easier for the student so that he wouldn't have so much to do.

Overall, the main goal of transition planning is to provide students with the chance to lead a successful life after graduation, whether it includes employment, continuing their education, vocational schooling, etc. Our goal as teachers is to be there to help them by giving them the support they need as well as the appropriate training to assist them to get where they want to be after high school. According to the text, "Best practices in transition would allow students to earn a diploma, attain successful employment, succeed in postsecondary settings, and enjoy a suitable quality of life." I personally think that all students will have a better life in general if they finish high school and attend a postsecondary education setting because they will be more likely to obtain a good job and receive a decent pay, which will help them to enjoy life more because they won't be struggling to make a living. However, if postsecondary education isn't the best option for the student, there are other options that the student can pursue to still have a suitable quality of life.



To get a better idea of transition services, watch this video from Montgomery County Public schools to see how their transition program works for students with disabilities.

[]

media type="youtube" key="sdA92E4ggzk" height="344" width="425"


 * Transition Resources for Students with Disabilities**

[|National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center] (NSTTAC) [|The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition] (NCSET) [|National Dropout Prevention Centers][|**Job Accommodations Network**]