Transition Guide

A GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO PREPARE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TO ENTER POST-SECONDARY ENVIRONMENTS

WorkAbility I
Lisa Hartman Stie, Program Manager
Christine W. Pittman, Program Manager
Robert Lee Snowden, Ed.D., Consultant, WorkAbility I and Transition Services
Linda A. Marcarian, Field Coordinator
Patricia Dougan, California Department of Education
Consultant for Transition Services and WorkAbility

California Department of Education
Special Education Division, Secondary and Personnel Development Unit
515 L Street, Suite 270
Sacramento, California 95814

(916) 323-3309

Fall 1995

Table of Contents

Note: Sections 1 - 4 are contained on this page, Section 5 is in Workability Guide Part 2, Sections 6 - 8 in Part 3, Appendix Part I in Part 4 and Appendix Parts II - VI in Part 5.  This was done to make it a little easier for your browser to load these pages.

1. Forward

2. Cultural Diversity

3. Purpose

4. What Is Transition?
Philosophy
Transition: An Overview
Transition Defined
Individual Transition Plan (ITP)
In Addition
Operational Definitions

5. Where Are We Going?
From Heartache to Hope
The Feeling Stages
Where Do We Go From Here?
Consider Options
Determining Outcomes
Develop Activities
Begin Transition Planning
The IEP/ITP Meeting
Participation in the IEP/ITP Meeting:
a. Prior to the Meeting
b. At the Meeting
c. After the Meeting

6. Who Can Help Us Get There?
Levels of Planning
Roles:
a. Student
b. Family
c. Special Education Personnel
d. General Education Personnel
e. Community Service Agency

7. What Can You Do?
Start Transition Four Years Before Graduation
How Can Families Help with the Transition Process?
What is Advocacy?
Keys to Effective Advocacy
What Can I Do Right Now?
What to Include in Your Child's Home File
Tips on Working with Professionals
Telephone Tips
Tips When Meeting with Agencies/Professionals

8. Resources

9. Appendix

I. Survey Samples:
Family Transition Planning Questionnaire
Student Transition Survey
Determining Student References, Interests and Transition Needs
Student/Family Transition Questionnaire
Family Member Transition Questionnaire: A Guide for Transition Planning
Needs Assessment for Transition Planning From School to Community
Transition Checklist for Family/Advocates
Our Community Resource Information
Family/Student Checklist for Transition Planning Areas

II. Glossary

III. Acronyms

IV. State Resource Directory (omitted)

V. WorkAbility I Family Transition Guide Evaluation Form

VI. Inspiration

1. FOREWORD

WORKABILITY I began with thirteen pilot sites in 1981 and expanded to 154 projects by 1990. Annually, projects provide services to approximately 30,000 students in 57 of the 58 California counties. The target group for project participation is 14-21 year old special education students. Entry can occur at freshman through senior year, with the majority entering at the age 16 or in the junior year.

THE GOAL OF WORKABILITY I is to provide a comprehensive employment preparation program which enables secondary special education students to secure and maintain competitive and supportive employment in the public and private sectors while completing their education. The primary focus of the model is to actively involve employers, parents/families, educators, community, and interagency support personnel in providing individual transition planning, pre-employment and skills training, and paid employment placement for WorkAbility I students.

The FAMILY TRANSITION NETWORK was formed as one step towards the WorkAbility I goal to increase the involvement of the parents and family of students. The mission of this committee is defined as follows:

Families, professionals and individuals with disabilities will work together to smoothly transition individuals from special education to adult life. People with disabilities will have access to a full array of adult options and will be supported in the process of choosing those which best meet their needs.

The FAMILY TRANSITION GUIDE is one outcome of this mission. Many people (WorkAbility I staff, parents, students, professionals, and others) contributed to this effort. As the guide has evolved over the past three years, it is impossible to accurately list all contributors. However, our sincere appreciation goes to all contributors.

WorkAbility I offers this document in the hope that it will ease the transition process of students from school to the world of work and adult life.

CHRISTINE W. PITTMAN, Program Manager WORKABILITY I

Top of Page

2. CULTURAL DIVERSITY

WorkAbility I Working with Diverse Students and Families

California is a mix of people from every corner of the world. In some WorkAbility I projects there are a multitude of languages, skin colors, customs, foods, literature, myths, holidays, and much more.

The challenge of living and working in this multicultural environment brings with it enormous richness and equally enormous challenges. There is much to be gained from this cultural mix, but the task is far from easy. It calls on us to bring understanding and cooperation out of confusion and uncertainty.

The tradition of WorkAbility I is to see differences as assets, not as problems. This can be accomplished by taking a common sense approach. Listed below are four points to remember when dealing with students, families and professionals whose cultures may not be familiar to us:

1. Base interactions on respect. All beings thrive on respect and bloom when treated with respect. This is especially true across cultures!
2. Base relationships on goodwill and an honest desire to help. The desire to help and the efforts made will be rewarded even if we are unsure of each cultural difference.
3. Learn about cultures. Ask for information about customs, holidays, food, and other aspects of heritage. Try to see things through others eyes, minds, and hearts. Most people feel complimented when they are asked to talk about themselves.
4. Emphasize friendliness and a sense of humor. These are two of the most important allies available as we encourage others to partake of what WorkAbility I has to offer.

There is sometimes fear associated with the interaction of persons from cultures other than our own. It is mistakenly assumed that one may unknowingly cause offense. Reaching out to others is a sign of concern, and is the cornerstone of WorkAbility I tradition.

Top of Page

3. PURPOSE

The WorkAbility I Family Transition Guide is intended for the following audiences:

1. Students between the ages of 14 and 21 years, who have a disability or who are in special education.
2. Parents and families of students with disabilities.
3. Professionals and other individuals interested in students with disabilities ages 14 - 21 years.

Students: Use this guide to assist you in developing a plan of action that will prepare you as a high school student to successfully access and enter post high school environments. These environments may include college, training, work, adult agency, and/or community living.

Family Members and Parents: This guide covers the major issues related to the transition of secondary students with disabilities from high school to the post-secondary environment. Refer to this guide as a resource on a regular basis as your child progresses through high school.

Professionals: Not all information contained in this guide will be applicable to every situation because each student is unique and has different needs. There are many laws and policies written to protect the rights of students with disabilities. Several are included in this guide along with additional resources.

Top of Page

4. What is Transition?

PHILOSOPHY

In this case, as with other movements, the push for transition services was provided by the parent of a child with a disability, Madeline Will. Following is the conceptual model on transition which Ms. Will presented while with the Federal Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation.

The philosophy underlying transition from school to adult life is summarized in the following:

1. recognizes that active involvement of students and parents is central to the decision-making process;
2. emphasizes that planning and preparation for student independence must occur around all aspects of adult living in order for students to understand their options, raise their aspirations, choose a lifestyle; and
3. requires that participants in the planning share the responsibility for the total process and facilitate removal of barriers to cooperation and communication.

There is a value-base to the transition movement in both federal policy and legislation that:

1. Persons with disabilities have valued roles in the same community living and working environments in which we all participate.
2. All transition can be planned with the cooperation of the individuals, families, and agencies involved.
3. The effectiveness of transition can be measured by the community environments into which individuals transition. In other words, is this where persons with disabilities and their families were heading or is it simply what's available?

The movement brought attention, legislation and funding to the transition process. In 1983 with amendments to Public Law 94-142, transition was formally written into federal legislation with funding for demonstration models, research and evaluation. In the 1990 re-authorization of P.L. 94-142, transition services language was finally mandated in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) (P.L. 101-476, IDEA).

TRANSITION: AN OVERVIEW

As students with disabilities and their families enter the period of their secondary educational years, the transition planning that occurs during this time is crucial to the success of the student to fulfill his or her potential. The youth, parents, other family members, educators, service providers, and community members are part of a transition team committed to working collaboratively toward developing and implementing a high school program, individualized to meet the students needs and desires.

For youth with disabilities and their families, the transition from high school to independent living can be a complicated process. When students are in school, their service needs are provided through their school district. Upon leaving the special education system, services required to meet their changing needs may become fragmented. The school will no longer be providing these services, and young adults must contact several agencies to receive needed support. For example, employment support services may be provided by one agency, residential services by another, and income support and medical coverage by yet another. Application procedures, funding sources, and eligibility requirements differ for each agency.

Because of the complexities of the adult service system, families, educators, and other professionals have recognized the importance of comprehensive and cooperative planning DURING high school. This transition planning will help ensure that the necessary services are in place and the student has developed the skills he or she will need to be successful upon graduation from high school.

TRANSITION DEFINED

The definition of transition has evolved over the past few years. Nationally, it has been perceived as a period of time which includes high school, graduation, post-secondary education/training options, adult services, and the initial years of employment. Public Law 101-476, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), defines transition services as:

A coordinated set of activities for a student, designed within an outcome-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation. The coordinated set of activities shall be based upon the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests, and shall include instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and a functional vocational evaluation.

INDIVIDUAL TRANSITION PLAN (ITP)

An articulated, interagency educational plan designed to facilitate a student's move from school to employment and a quality adult life. The Individualized Education Plan/Individualized Transition Plan (IEP/ITP) addresses critical aspects of a student's transition, including employment goals, residential placement, guardianship, transportation, independent living, and income support. Ideally, an ITP should be done in conjunction with an IEP.

IN ADDITION

Transition is also the:

1. Culmination of the individual's childhood
2. Construction of the individual's life as an independent, contributing adult
3. Continuation of the educational process for the individual and family
4. Change of roles and responsibilities for the individual, family and friends, as well as for agencies serving the individual and family
5. Challenge for the individual and for all involved

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

I. The student's Preferences and Interests begin the process for students/families to:

1. Participate in career planning activities.
2. Participate in formal/informal assessments.
3. Consider student's present level of performance in relation to desired outcomes.
4. Make informed decisions about post-secondary outcomes.

II. A Coordinated Set of Activities can be operationally defined through the following key descriptors:

1. Activities are planned by teachers, families, students, and when appropriate, other school and agency personnel.
2. Multiple activities with identified timelines.
3. Relationships among school activities and the desired student results in the community.
4. Identity of responsible agencies.
5. Activities reviewed at least annually, or as necessary, in compliance with Individualized Education Program (IEP) regulations.

This coordinated set of activities shall include instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, daily living skills and functional vocational education.

III. Designed with an Outcome-Oriented Process:

1. Employment
2. Post-secondary vocational training or college
3. Independent living
4. Supportive employment worksites
5. Other post-secondary options

IV. Promotes Movement from School to Post-School Activities:

1. Linkages with adult service providers while still in school, when appropriate.
2. Training and experiences that relate to the desired result.
3. Appropriate community services and activities needed to accomplish preferences and how they link together with the post-secondary activities.

Post-school activities may include: post-secondary education, vocational training, competitive employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation.

Top of Page

Page updated: 04/07/2008