By their sophomore or junior year of high school, kids with disabilities will have begun to hear teachers and administrators talk about “transition.” What they are talking about is the “transition” of the student from the public school system into the world of work, higher education, training or other post-high school activity.

According to the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, “Transition services is a term used in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that defines a coordinated set of activities that may address, among others, the assessment, planning process, and educational and community experiences for youth with disabilities as they turn age 14. The intent of transition is to create opportunities for youth with disabilities that result in positive adult outcomes for life.”

There are many excellent sources of information on transition planning (in contrast to the complete absence of information on disability friendly colleges). Some useful links are the NCSET referenced above http://www.ncset.org/topics/ieptransition/default.asp?topic=28; the National Association of Parents with Children in Special Education http://www.napcse.org/transitionservices/planning.php; the U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transitionguide.html; and theHEATH Resource Center http://www.heath.gwu.edu/index.php/Download-document/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1119&Itemid=57

So our purpose here is merely to explain what transition planning is and to encourage parents and students to take the lead role as the planning team is assembled.

“Transition planning” does not seem to be a term used with non-disabled students, but at this point they probably have had guidance counselors and interested teachers who have encouraged them in preparing for college, artistic training, technical training, entering the military services, studying abroad, and the entire range of options traditionally available to the graduating senior in America.

Sometimes, it is harder for students with physical disabilities to find guidance in preparing for college or technical programs because it is assumed that they are not interested in college at all, especially colleges outside their city or state.

Sometimes families have been so focused on the day-to-day aspects of a student’s education that the concept of transition to another stage of life, whether college or work, can seem frightening. And, leaving the cocoon of the public school system may actually seem frightening, too. This is because, even though families may have had issues or conflicts with their student’s school system, they also had a legally mandated process (the Individual Education Plan) in which all parties would work together to provide appropriate education and needed special services. In college, this type of process is no longer available.

The best guarantee of a successful transition is to know what to expect from the process right from the start – and to have at least some idea of where you want to go. The worst way to start is to get to your first transition planning/IEP meeting and let school administrators and state vocational counselors, however well-intentioned, tell you what your options are.

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• |168.167.93.xxx |2009-11-10 16:41:41 Motshe  - transition plan
  How can i design a transition plan for a student with physical disabilities
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