• Opening News Doors: What's New in Transition?

Kansas Resources

• KSDE Resources -

  • KSDE Memorandum – Transition Planning and Services (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

  • Kansas Transition Model 2005 (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

  • Kansas Sample IEP Form for Students in Transition (ages 14+) (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

  • KSDE Summary of Performance (SOP) - A Summary of Performance (SOP) is required under the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 for students who are graduating or aging out of Special Education. The language “For a child whose eligibility under special education terminates due to graduation with a regular diploma, or due to exceeding the age of eligibility, the local education agency shall provide the child with a summary of the child’s academic achievement and functional performance, which shall include recommendations on how to assist the child in meeting the child’s postsecondary goals” §Sec. 614(c)(5)(B)(ii). This requirement applies only to children with disabilities, therefore, an SOP does not need to be completed for students in gifted education. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

    • KSDE Summary of Performance Example - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

    • Nationally Ratified Summary of Performance Example - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

    • Summary of Performance O'Leary Kampa Example - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

  • Roles in Transition Planning

• Coalition for Independence

• Disability & Fair Housing Project-About Us - The Disability & Fair Housing Project (DFHP) provides education and outreach on the fair housing rights of people with disabilities throughout Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Funded by a Fair Housing Initiatives Program grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Project aims to reduce housing discrimination against people with disabilities in the four-state region.

• Independence, Inc. (Lawrence Independent Living Resource Center) -Empowering people with disabilities to control their own lives and to advocate for integrated and accessible communities.

• Independent Living Center of Northeast Kansas - The Independent Living Center of Northeast Kansas is  not-for-profit agency providing services within the State of Kansas.  Funding for programs and services comes through grants from the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Division of Community Supports and Services, and also the Kansas Department of Rehabilitation Services

• InterHab - InterHab is founded upon certain shared beliefs and values which are an
  expression of our mission and purpose as individuals, as professionals,
  as organizations and as a voluntary association

• Kansas Accessibility Modifications Program - The Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing (KDCH) announced on May 30th that the Kansas Accessibility Modifications Program (KAMP) is scheduled to begin on July 3, 2000. Warren Jones is the KDCH staff person in charge of this new program that will assist people with disabilities of low income pay for needed accessibility modifications in their homes. Eligible people with disabilities are those with incomes at or below 80% of medium income.

• Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living - The Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL), represents 12 Centers for Independent Living (CIL’s).  Centers provide services to people with disabilities of all ages.  Centers for Independent Living also provide assistance to businesses and all other entities in the community to assist them in offering services to people with disabilities.  We advocate at a state and national level for the rights of all people with disabilities to live in the communities of their choice.

• Kansas Centers for Independent Living - statewide listing

• Kansas Commission on DisabilityConcerns Employment Resources

• Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns (KCDC)

• Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD)

• Kansas Sample Transition Plan - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Kansas Transition Model 2005 (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• KSDE Memorandum – Transition Planning and Services (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• People Make It Happen - What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?” is a question asked of millions of young adults each year. This question is not always asked of young adults with disabilities. All students have dreams about the future including going to college, having a job and career, having friends, and living a lifestyle that they enjoy. Students with disabilities may need support to make decisions and take the steps necessary to accomplish their goals and reach their dreams. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Person-Centered Planning - Person-Centered Planning is an outward sign of the presence of respect for the value of all persons. The basic beliefs at the root of the Person-Centered Planning process are that: All people have the right to plan lives for themselves that are personally meaningful and satisfying and All people have talents and strengths that they have the responsibility to develop. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Planning for the Future - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Positive Behavioral Support as a Means to Enhance Successful Inclusion for Persons With Challenging Behavior: Getting a Life - By Rud & Ann Turnbull. We want to share with you one of the fundamental approaches that has made all the difference in our family by supporting the actualization of the first JT and minimizing the actualization of the second: Positive behavioral support. Positive behavioral support is a value-based approach to addressing challenging situations that builds 0n a long history of behavioral research.  Positive behavioral support avoids the traps of treating individuals mechanistically--of  looking only at the challenging behavior and not the lifestyle of the individual. It recognizes that the "problem" often resides in the failure to provide personally tailored and comprehensive support. Thus, efforts to eliminate challenging behavior are primarily directed at creating responsive systems and environments rather than attempting "to fix" the person. Rather than being a single -shot approach, positive behavioral support usually requires many different supports and radical changes from the traditional service mode. In a nutshell, positive behavioral support is aimed at supporting individuals with challenging behavior to "get a life." Thus, positive behavioral support is an approach compatible with the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in typical home, school, and work settings. It also fosters inclusion, because challenging behavior is the one reason that causes many individuals to experience segregation. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Resource Center For Independent Living, Inc. (Osage City)- The purpose of the Resource Center for Independent Living, Inc. is to enhance the capacity of persons with disabilities to the maximum extent possible to control their lives and live independently within their respective communities served by RCIL, Inc.

• SACK (Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas) - SACK is the statewide self-advocate group.  SACK is made up of over 20 member local self-advocate groups from all over Kansas. A self-advocate group is a civic organization for adults with developmental disabilities. The purpose of self-advocate groups is to provide leadership experience, community involvement opportunities and to support the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in the community.

• Secondary Transition Requirements Checklist (Kansas State Department of Education) - This checklist is recommended as a tool to guide the development of the IEP for students age 14 and over. The purpose of this checklist is to provide the user with additional information on the specific requirements and where it should be located in the IEP form.

• Self-Help Network of Kansas - At Self-Help Network, we are committed to serving others. While our roots are as a self-help group clearinghouse and research center, experience with other community based organizations provided the insight that many of the principles of effective self-help groups (such as the importance of shared leadership, the power of experiential knowledge) and the focus that comes with a shared vision were also principles useful to non-profits, community coalitions, and other grassroots community change initiatives. Based on this experience, we utilize a “guide on the side” or “invisible partnership” approach that allows us to create sustainable change through a variety of efforts that involve enhancing the capacity of others to share their strengths in the community. We also proactively monitor the outcomes of our efforts as a way of insuring that we continue to make a positive difference in Kansas.

• Statement of Needed Transition Services at Age 16 - An important purpose of an IEP for a student age 16 and older is to identify and develop a long-range plan for adult life including supports and services that will be necessary in order for the student to achieve post-school outcomes. Transition services are based on the student’s needs, taking into consideration preferences and interests. Planning is done with active involvement of the student, family, school, and other agency representatives and promotes movement from school to desired post-school outcomes. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas - Independent living demands consumer empowerment, control, equal access, and integration. The plan shall insure that there are civil rights in place for total integration.

• TILRC Links of Interest

• Three Rivers Independent Living Resource Center (Wamego) -

• Topeka Independent Living Resource Center (TILRC) - The Topeka Independent Living Resource Center is a civil and human rights organization. Our mission is to advocate for justice, equality and essential services for a fully integrated and accessible society for all people with disabilities.

• Transition Coalition - The Transition Coalition provides online information, support, and professional development on topics focusing on the transition from school to adult life for youth.

• The Transition-Focused IEP Process - Many districts and educators have had difficulty in the development, writing and implementation of the transition provisions in IEPs for students with exceptionalities. The purpose of this document is to increase the understanding of exactly “what” must be done, as well as to provide a clear understanding of “how” transition planning can be done through the IEP process. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Transition Post Test - a checklist to determine if all the students needs are being addressed. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Secondary Transition Requirements Checklist - This checklist is recommended as a tool to guide the development of the IEP for students age 14 and over. The purpose of this checklist is to provide the user with additional information on the specific requirements and where it should be located in the IEP form.  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

Other Resources

• Accommodations & Modifications for Students with Disabilities - Vocational Education & Adult General Education - This brochure identifies accommodations and modifications that may be needed by students with disabilities in mainstream and specialized secondary and postsecondary vocational education and adult general education programs. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• ADAPT - There's no place like home, and we mean real homes, not nursing homes. We are fighting so people with disabilities can live in the community with real supports instead of being locked away in nursing homes and other institutions.

• The ARC - The Arc of the United States works to include all children and adults with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities in every community.

• Accessing Students with Disabilities: Transition Planning & the IEP - The purpose of this website is to provide information and resources to persons wanting to do assessment for transition planning. Good assessment is the basis for meaningful planning for students, families, and schools as they consider transition needs and needed transition services in the IEP process.

• Age of Majority - Parents want their children to have the skills they need to succeed as adults. While this is important for every young person, youth with disabilities often face extra challenges. That’s why they need to be actively involved in setting their high school goals and planning for their transition to adulthood well before they reach the age of majority. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Answers to Commonly Asked Questions - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) - AAPD is the largest national nonprofit cross-disability member organization in the United States, dedicated to ensuring economic self-sufficiency and political empowerment for the more than 56 million Americans with disabilities. AAPD works in coalition with other disability organizations for the full implementation and enforcement of disability nondiscrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

• Assistive Technology for Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities - An increasing number of students with learning disabilities are attending postsecondary institutions. To meet the educational demands of these students, support service providers will likely rely on assistive technology. This article lists types of assistive technology appropriate for use with persons with learning disabilities at the postsecondary level and discusses ways in which assistive technology enhances learning. Additionally, an overview of legislation that has had an impact on assistive technology at the postsecondary level is presented. Issues involving assistive technology programs at the postsecondary level are discussed. Postsecondary assistive technology program components, device selection, and training guidelines also are outlined.

• Assistive Technology - Meeting the Needs of Adults with Learning Disabilities - Assistive technology, sometimes referred to as adaptive or access technology, includes a whole realm of high and low technology devices designed to increase the independence of individuals with learning disabilities by enabling them to compensate for deficits, enhance self-confidence, and participate more fully in all settings - work, school, home, and leisure. While not exclusively so, these technologies tend to be electronically sophisticated and largely computer-based. Assistive technology can enhance the quality of life for a person with a learning disability by enabling the individual to circumvent specific deficits, while capitalizing on given strengths.

• Autism and Transition -The national Association of Special Education Directors offers a document to assist administrators, adult service personnel, educators, and families to address the needs of transition-aged students with autism. "Autism: Challenges relating to Secondary Transition" highlights the barriers to providing transition services to students exiting high school and offers recommendations for policy reform and systems change.

• Excerpts from “Strategies for Transition Planning for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)”

• Breaking Down Technological Barriers- This brief describes assistive technology
  and accessible information and gives policymakers information on federal and state accessibility legislation, laws and requirements.  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Checklist of Steps in Developing the Transition IEP - This is a checklist that you might use to prepare for the transition IEP meeting. It reviews what needs to be done before, during and after the IEP meeting. This may be used as a checklist that teachers, families, and students can use during the transition planning process.  (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• College Opportunities for Students With Learning Disabilities - During the last quarter century, the inclusion movement has had a profound effect on access to college for students with learning disabilities (LD). Federal law has required that students with disabilities be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). Almost 30% of students with LD are now graduating from high school with a diploma, and 56% of these graduates enroll in college. The percentage of full-time college freshmen with a disability increased from 2.3% in 1978 to 9.8% in 1998. College enrollment of students with LD alone has grown from 1.2% of the freshmen class in 1984 to 3.5% in 1998. Given that students with LD in the public schools increased by 37% in the 1990s and that the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (IDEA) have put greater emphasis on transition planning for students with disabilities, we can expect to see growing numbers of students with LD attending postsecondary education. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• College Planning for Students with Learning Disabilities - High school personnel, as well as students with learning disabilities and their parents, are often frustrated in searching out a suitable postsecondary setting that will afford opportunity for success. While there are many directories of postsecondary college programs (Hartman & Krulwich, 1984), they often result in more confusion than clarity. Since there is no consistent pattern of programming for students with learning disabilities at the college level, selecting an appropriate college is often an overwhelming task. (Microsoft word document)

• The College Search - Finding the right college for your child can be an overwhelming, stressful process; if he or she has a disability there are even more factors that you need to consider in your search. I can’t profess to have all the answers, nor can I conclude that there is a right or wrong way to go about it, but I can relate the steps we went through looking for a college that would be a good match for our son who has Tourette Syndrome (TS), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Hopefully, our experiences will help others who will be going through the college search process. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Community College: A Pathway to Success for Youth with Learning, Cognitive, and Intellectual Disabilities in Secondary Settings - Traditionally, youth with learning, cognitive, and intellectual disabilities (LCID) have not been given the option of participating in and thus benefiting from a postsecondary education. There are school districts and community colleges across the country, however, that are creating opportunities for these youth to have the option of meaningful participation in a postsecondary education while still in secondary school (i.e., Dual Enrollment). The present study involved a national survey of 25 postsecondary education options that support youth with LCID in postsecondary education while still enrolled in secondary school as an empirical foundation for future research on these service models. The main findings indicate that although most programs provide some combination of “life-skills” training and community-based instruction combined with employment training, some innovative service models (i.e., Inclusive Programs) focus primarily on inclusive postsecondary educational services for students with LCID. Inclusive programs tend to be relatively new, to serve fewer individuals than other service models, and are more collaborative (i.e., high schools, colleges and adult service agencies support students). Main survey findings are presented and discussed, followed by detailed profiles of six programs, and recommendations for future research are presented. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Cultural and Linguistic Diversity: Implications for Transition Personnel - provides current information and research focused on students with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The document provides advice on how the transition team can support youth who are preparing for adult life by identifying student strengths and using natural supports in the community. other Essential Tools publications from nCSET include: "Community resource Mapping," "Handbook for Implementing a Comprehensive Work-Based Learning Program According to the Fair Labor Standards Act," "Interagency Transition Team Development and Facilitation," "In Their Own Words: Employer Perspectives on Youth with Disabilities in the Workplace," and "Increasing Rates of School Completion-Moving from Policy and Research to Practice."

• Customized Employment Q&A:  Disclosure - A key component of customized employment involves negotiating an individualized employment relationship between a job seeker and an employer in ways that meet the needs of both. The process involves identifying tasks that must be completed to effectively conduct business and matching them to the unique abilities and interests of the job candidate. This will require employers to consider how existing tasks or unmet needs in the workplace can be accomplished in new or different ways than have traditionally occurred. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Customized Employment Q & A: Employment Negotiations - While there is no magic formula for negotiating customized employment positions, there are some basic principles and strategies on how to negotiate. The job seeker may negotiate with employers, or a support person such as an employment specialist or job developer can represent the individual. When a seasoned job developer or employment specialist is asked if negotiating employment is more of an “art than science”, the reply most likely will be “it is both an art and a science.” Implementing strategies, such as the ones presented in this fact sheet, can lead to an employment relationship that mutually benefits both the job seeker with a disability and the employer who needs an employee.

• Description of the Sample Statement of Needed Transition Services - This refers to the expectation that all of the services and supports needed for transition are coordinated. Coordinating services insures that services not only meet the student's needs, but are not duplicated by several agencies.

• Designing Individualized Education Program Transition Plans - Generally, an IEP addresses services to be provided to the student during one school year. But when it comes to transition requirements, the IEP team must think and plan several years ahead. The highest incidence of dropping out and of disciplinary actions such as suspension or expulsion occurs during the first two years of high school. To combat this pattern, IDEA requires that the IEP team carefully consider post-school goals when the student is about to enter high school at age 14. Beginning at age 16 (or younger, if appropriate) a statement of transition services needed by the student must be included in the IEP.

• Differences in Laws between High School and College - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• The Differences in Legal Rights & Responsibilities in Secondary & Postsecondary Education - In order to understand the differences between being a student in special education in high school and being a college student with a disability, you have to have a basic understanding of the legislation that dictates how each of those educational settings operates. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Disability Advocacy Work With Networking -Disability Advocacy Work With Networking is here to supply you with information to help you self advocate. What is found on these pages are links to guide you to sources you can use to your own benefit and any people you know who would like to have it.

• Disability Legislation affecting youth with disabilties- No one piece of legislation defines government services to youth with disabilities or for that matter, any youth. Instead, there are a number of acts that impact youth with disabilities. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Employer Perspectives on Youth with Disabilities in the Workplace - Work experience for youth with disabilities is one of the most critical factors that sets the stage for their postsecondary employment success. Research and practice show that youth benefit from frequent and continuous exposure to real work environments throughout the secondary school years and beyond. These experiences, however, occur only when employers are available, willing, and prepared.

• Europe Anyone? Experiencing different cultures and landscapes is what excites many high school students about the idea of studying abroad. Learning a second language, gaining travel experience, and acquiring cross-cultural skills are building blocks to successful post-school outcomes. Students with disabilities and their families can explore the options of studying abroad by reading "Transition Planning Tips for Parents" published by Mobility International, USA.

• The Family as a Critical Partner in the Achievement of a Successful Employment Outcome (Pacer Center) - This document is to assist vocational rehabilitation administrators and counselors, consumers of rehabilitation services and their families, and other rehabilitation professionals, including advocacy groups, the State Rehabilitation Council, and members of service support teams, to understand how the consumer’s family can be a critical partner in the achievement of successful employment outcomes. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• ForEmployers.com - helps businesses tap into a growing workforce that has emerged as a result of rapid and innovative developments in technology-- a workforce that includes people with disabilities...

• Four Strategies to Find a Good Job: Advice from Job Seekers with Disabilities - Finding a job is hard work. Even though there are a lot of agencies out there that can provide help, it can still be a difficult process. The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) talked to adults with disabilities who used a state or local agency to find a job. ICI asked these individuals about their experience using an agency. ICI also asked them to explain other things that were helpful while they searched for a job. These nineteen job seekers told ICI that the following strategies helped them to find jobs that they liked. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• GLADNET - The Network brings together research centers, universities, enterprises, government departments, trade unions, and organizations of and for persons with disabilities. Their common goal is to advance competitive employment and training opportunities for persons with disabilities.

• Goals and Objectives -

• "Guideposts for Success," a product of the Youth Division of the national Collaborative on Workforce and Disability, is a synthesis of information about transition from youth to adulthood. The result is a product that provides educators, vocational specialists, families, and individuals with information about common trends, lessons learned, and the most widely used effective practices in transition planning.

• Helping Students with Cognitive Disabilities Find and Keep a Job - This Technical Assistance Guide is written for those involved in helping students with cognitive disabilities such as mental retardation or autism find and keep a job. This includes parents, family members, teachers, transition specialists, job development specialists, employers, and others. This guide talks about the processes involved in finding and keeping employment; it is not intended as a guide to the laws and policies associated with transition planning. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Helping Students Develop Their IEPs - This guide is written for parents and teachers who would like to help students with disabilities become involved in developing their own Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). It is accompanied by an audiotape of teachers and parents discussing how they have helped students become active participants in the IEP process.

• The High School/High Tech Program (HS/HT) provides opportunities for students with all types of disabilities to explore exciting careers in science, mathematics, and technology. The program is one of several initiatives of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

• Higher Education's Obligations Under Section 504 And The American with Disabilities Act - The Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education (Department) enforces regulations implementing Section 504 with respect to programs and activities that receive funding from the Department (34 C.F.R. Part 104 [1988]). The Section 504 regulation applies to all recipients of this funding, including colleges, universities, and postsecondary vocational education and adult education programs. Failure by these recipients to provide auxiliary aids to students with disabilities that results in a denial of a program benefit is discriminatory and is prohibited by Section 504.

• IDEA and Interagency Linkages

• Implementing the Transition Planning Process - A successful transition from school to adult life will require more than just identifying post-school outcomes for students with disabilities.

• Job Accommodation Network - The Job Accommodation Network is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the U.S. Department of Labor. JAN is one of several ODEP projects. JAN's mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing employers, employment providers, people with disabilities, their family members and other interested parties with information on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects.

• Let Your Fingers Do the Walking in Transition Planning - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Letter vs. Spirit of the Law - Before we get started, let's take a moment and examine two different ways of looking at transition planning: the narrow perspective and the broader perspective

• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition  - Before we get started, let's take a moment and examine two different ways of looking at transition planning: the narrow perspective and the broader perspective.

• National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) - The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures.

• National Industries for the Severely Handicapped - NCWD/Youth is your source for information about employment and youth with disabilities. Our partners — experts in disability, education, employment, and workforce development — strive to ensure you will be provided with the highest quality, most relevant information available.

• The National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities - NISH, formerly the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped, is the national nonprofit agency designated by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind Or Severely Disabled to provide technical assistance to Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) interested in obtaining federal contracts under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Program.

• Nuts & Bolts Of Transition - Here is what the IDEA regulations say about parental notice and during transition planning.

• Opening Doors to Life After High School - This handbook is designed as a guide to help students with disabilities take another step in preparing for “life after high school.” While high school is an exciting time, what you do after high school can be just as exciting if you have done some careful and thoughtful planning. Students’ “Transition Plans” include:
  • thinking about their strengths as individuals,
  • knowing what interests them, and
  • considering different types of work and jobs.
  In addition, students must identify what knowledge and skills are needed for work and figure out how to get that knowledge and those skills. Finally, they must apply for, and get, fulfilling and rewarding work. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Parent Participation in Transition IEPs - Today, transition is seen as more than providing service routes in the individual's movement from high school to employment--it is seen as a comprehensive approach to educational program development consisting of an alignment of student goals with educational experiences and services.

• Parent Tips for Transition Planning - A truly successful and meaningful transition process is the result of comprehensive team planning that is driven by the dreams, desires, and abilities of the youth. Such planning enhances not only the youth’s participation in school but in his or her home  and community living, as well. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• The Power of Peer Support: Making Inclusion Work in High School 

• Planning for Education after High School Source: National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities, PO Box 1492, Washington, DC 20013 (800) 695-0285 (voice/TTY); NICHCY (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Planning for Employment - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Planning Student-Directed Transitions to Adult Life - The Postsecondary Education Consortium (PEC) is a federally-funded project located in the Center on Deafness at The University of Tennessee. It is one of four Postsecondary Education Regional Technical Assistance Centers funded by the US Department of Education. This web site has been developed to assist people in locating information related to postsecondary education and students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

• Planning the Transition to Adulthood - planning early for the transition from home and high school to living and working in the community helps families to be better prepared for what lies ahead. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Postsecondary Education Consortium (PEC) - Do you support school-aged individuals with disabilities? Are you looking for information on transition from school to adulthood? Well relax, we can link you to references, resources, and each other! You will also be able to chat with many experienced people including parents, professors, transition coordinators and teachers. Project TechLink offers a bulletin board, chat room, e-mail, courses and ongoing transition updates.

• Provider Transition Checklist and Timeline - The timeline provided here can be modified as developmentally appropriate for your adolescent. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Recreation in the Community - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Rehab, Research & Training Center on Supported Employment

• The Right Connections: Navigating the Workforce Development System - The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) has defined the workforce development system as organizations at the national, state, and local levels that have direct responsibility for planning and allocating resources (both public and private), providing administrative oversight, and operating programs to assist individuals and employers in obtaining education, training, job placement, and job recruitment. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Sample of an IEP using Best Practices - This recommended IEP process will help you understand the steps and decisions needed to develop a transition-focused IEP.

• Social Security Administration

• Social Security Work Incentives as a Means of Support for Students with Disabilities In Postsecondary Education - Many students will finance postsecondary and continuing education through employment. In addition to the financial benefits of employment during postsecondary education, students can gain valuable work experience, build their resume, expand their social network, and gain independence and confidence. Individuals with disabilities who receive Supplementary Security Income (SSI) may think that postsecondary education is beyond their reach because their SSI benefits do not provide them with enough income for living and medical expenses after the costs of education have been met. Part-time employment may not seem a viable option because earned income can result in a decrease in, or disqualification from, the receipt of SSI and related medical benefits. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities - More and more high school students with disabilities are planning to continue their education in postsecondary schools, including vocational and career schools, two- and four- year colleges, and universities. As a student with a disability, you need to be well informed about your rights and responsibilities as well as the responsibilities that postsecondary schools have toward you. Being well informed will help ensure that you have a full opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the postsecondary education experience without confusion or delay.

• Technical Assistance on Transition and the Rehabilitation Act (TATRA) - Families provide important supports for their sons and daughters with disabilities long after they reach adulthood. Because they know their family member's strengths, they help make critical contributions to employment. Current vocational rehabilitation policy emphasizes the preferences of individuals with disabilities and recognizes the importance of family expertise. A generation of parents active in special education anticipates active partnership in the vocational rehabilitation process as well.

• "Ten Tips That May Help Ease Your Child’s Transition to Adulthood"

• Through the Looking Glass - Through the Looking Glass (TLG) is a nationally recognized center that has pioneered research, training, and services for families in which a child, parent or grandparent has a disability or medical issue. TLG is a disability community based nonprofit organization, which emerged from the independent living movement, and was founded in 1982 in Berkeley, California. Our mission is "To create, demonstrate and encourage non-pathological and empowering resources and model early intervention services for families with disability issues in parent or child which integrate expertise derived from personal disability experience and disability culture."

• Transition Checklist - from age 12 (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Transition and the IEP - Until 1990, the special education law was more process-oriented; it set out rules that told Local Education Agencies and State Education Agencies what procedures to follow to develop an IEP. If schools accurately completed the IEP document and students were progressing toward individualized goals, that was considered good enough. It did not require schools to be accountable for long-term outcomes.

• Transition: Preparing for a Lifetime - Each year, multitudes of students prepare to leave school in search of the perfect job, place to live, relationships, and lifestyle. For a person without a disability, this dramatic change from the secure world of school to the uncertainty of adulthood can be stressful and challenging. For a person with autism, Asperger's syndrome, or other pervasive developmental disorders this shift can seem even more complex and demanding. Across the nation, a strategy called "transition planning" is being used to ease the move from school to adulthood for students with autism spectrum disorders.

• Transition Planning for Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities: For Families and Students - This fact sheet on health care transition explains important issues and lists practical steps that should be addressed in adolescence. The fact sheet discusses two aspects of health care transition. The first aspect is the need for increased responsibility by the adolescent for his/her own health care. The second is the need for families to plan for transfer of care from the pediatric provider to the adult provider. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Transition Services - Training to deal with life after high school - Your school district has a duty to prepare your child for life after high school. Depending on the needs of your child, the school district may have to provide an array of services. These can include assistance in employment, training, a supportive assisted living program (such as a group home where the students learn the basics of how to cook, clean and care for one's self), assistance in adjusting to a college, learning transportation such as the bus system or how to drive, and many other things.

• Transition and Self-Advocacy - Developing self-knowledge is the first step in self-advocacy skills. Learning about one's self involves the identification of learning styles, strengths and weakness, interests, and preferences. For students with mild disabilities, developing an awareness of the accommodations they need will help them ask for necessary accommodations on a job and in postsecondary education. Students can also help identify alternative ways they can learn.

• Transition Services in the IEP - Since the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA), Public Law 94-142, in 1975, Individualized Education Programs (IEP) have been a requirement of law for all children and youth with disabilities found eligible for special education. Each students IEP must list goals and objectives for educational activities and include information about the student's assessment and educational placement, the instructional content areas to be addressed throughout the year, the timelines and persons responsible for activities corresponding to the goals and objectives, how student progress will be evaluated, and the related services that each student needs in order to benefit from his or her special education. With the newest amendments to the EHA -- now entitled the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA (Public Law 101-476) -- a new component has been added to the IEP. Beginning no later than age 16, each student now must also have included in the IEP a statement of the transition services that he or she needs in order to prepare for such postschool outcomes as employment, postsecondary education, adult services, independent living, and community participation [The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Chapter 33, Section 1401(a)(19)]. When appropriate, these statements must be also included in the IEPs of younger students [34 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 300.346(b)(1)].

• Transition Statements in IEP - As you know, beginning at age 14 the IEP must identify the transition service needs that includes the following two components.

• Transition Technical Assistance Centers - The TASSEL model is designed to assist all students with disabilities in making a smooth transition from school to adulthood. The model is designed to provide students with options within their educational setting to assist them in meeting their chosen post-secondary goals for employment, living arrangements, education, and recreation/leisure activities.

• Transition Timeline  "The Transition Timeline for Children and Adolescents with Special Health Care needs" provides ideas and strategies for families who want to encourage their child with special health care needs to become more independent. Developed by the adolescent health transition project of the Center on Human Development and Disability at the University of Washington,

• "National Standards and Quality Indicators: Transition Toolkit for Systems Improvement" (2005) is a publication developed by the national Center on Secondary Education and Transition and national Alliance for Secondary Education Transition that includes national standards and quality indicators, research findings, information on effective practices, and tools that are designed to help facilitate interagency planning. An assessment tool developed to assist state and local needs is also included.

• Transition Planning for Adolescents with Health Care Needs and Disabilities The Institute for Community Inclusion offers a booklet for families of adolescents who have health care needs and those with disabilities to assist them in planning for the transition from school to adult life. Included in the booklet are ideas, strategies, tools, and resources for both parents and teens. To access the resource "Transition Planning for Adolescents with Special Health Care needs and Disabilities: Information for families and Teens" (2000),

• UCPA - United Cerebral Palsy Associations - United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is the leading source of information on cerebral palsy and is a pivotal advocate for the rights of persons with any disability. As one of the largest health charities in America, the UCP mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network. Learn more about UCP..

• The Vocational and Rehabilitation Research Institute - The Vocational and Rehabilitation Research Institute assists people with disabilities to live with dignity and value as contributing members of the community and to make informed and responsible choices in all aspects of their lives.

• What are Transition Services? - Transition services are highly individualized and what might work for one student may not be appropriate for another. Essentially, transition services can be considered to be services and supports needed by a student with disabilities in order to make a successful transition from school to adult life. These services and supports can be provided by a variety of agencies as well as community members and individuals. In general, the people who are most closely involved in providing transition services are students with disabilities, family members, school personnel, and a variety of adult agency providers, (e.g., independent living centers, postsecondary education personnel, etc.).

• What is in the Statement of Needed Transition Services? - According to IDEA, transition services must be based upon "student needs, taking into account student preferences and interests."

• Who Attends Transition IEP Meetings? -

• Who is Responsible for Transition Outcomes- In the transition process, Parents, Schools, Students, and Community agencies come together as partners to plan for a student's transition to adult life.

• When Existing Jobs Don't Fit: A Guide to Job Creation- Successful job development for people with disabilities is about meeting the specific and often unique needs of each job seeker. Job creation is a way to modify or restructure existing jobs or bring together a combination of job tasks that fill the work needs of an employer while capitalizing on the skills and strengths of workers with significant disabilities. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader )

• Why Transition is Included in the Law - Before we actually get into the intricacies of best practices, we should first address why we have transition requirements in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Cli