The existing literature on transition programs suggests that for effective transition of individuals With developmental disabilities, the programs must place emphasis on both the social and the vocational goals of these students. This article describes a pilot project that brought transitioning young adults With disabilities to a college campus for job-sampling. Seventeen high school students With developmental disabilities participated in this program and Were mentored by 23 college students attending a small, private university in suburban NeW Jersey, some of Whom Were planning to become teachers. In total, students With and Without disabilities spent 9 hours together. Preliminary data included university students' journals, special education students' journals, college faculty field notes, and questionnaires and anecdotal data collected from the college community and the local school district. Data indicated that this project had benefits for young adults With and Without disabilities and supported the use of a community-based service-learning model. This study holds implications for prospective special education teachers and the college community.
Increasing demand for effective transition programs for individuals with disabilities has created a need for more comprehensive teacher preparation. Community and service learning experiences may be effective ways to accomplish this task. This article describes the planning and implementation of an on-campus transition project for students with disabilities and its impact on preservice teachers who participated in the project as job-sampling mentors. Data sources included university student journals, instructor field notes, course assignments, and open-ended questionnaires. Emergent themes indicated that university students gained new expectations of individuals with disabilities, became more aware of attitudes toward and treatment of individuals with disabilities,
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