The current study supports finding of several prior studies and fail to support others, such as the importance of self-determination for adult success. The findings highlight two aspects of the transition process that are critical for success: employment training and work experiences in high school, and high parental expectations for their child's future.
This article presents findings from research that identifies key issues influencing the implementation of the federal transition requirements of the IDEA Amendments of 1997 and policies at the state and local levels; examines the impact and implications of recent general education reform initiatives on secondary education and transition services; and presents major policy, system, and other challenges that must be addressed over the next several years. Specific strategies and recommendations are offered in relation to each of the major challenges examined in this article.
This article presents information on the characteristics and postschool outcomes of youth who participated in the Marriott Foundation's Bridges... from school to work internship program at seven national sites from 1993 to 1997. A comprehensive database of 3,024 participants was analyzed to determine the extent to which participant and programmatic variables predict post-school employment status at 6, 12, and 18 month follow-up intervals. Neither gender, race, or primary disability made a significant difference in employment status at six months post-internship. Work behaviors during the internship were highly predictive of postschool employment at 6 and 12 month follow-up intervals. A disparity between disability groups and racial categories was noted in post-school employment rates the further out from school exit. The implications of this program model and these findings for future research and practice are discussed.
The amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) in 2004 reiterate the significance of producing real postsecondary education, employment, and independent living outcomes. However, current employment data continue to show widespread unemployment and very limited access to inclusive community environments and services for adults with severe intellectual disabilities. On the contrary, data from the Transition Service Integration Model (N. J. Certo et al., 2003) demonstrate that these recalcitrant problems could be attenuated if two changes are implemented: The transition from school to adulthood components of IDEIA be strengthened to explicitly authorize school districts to subcontract with appropriate private agencies at the point of transition to produce direct-hire, individualized employment and adult living outcomes and that the federal government amend the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act to provide an entitlement to long-term support, creating a service system which parallels the functions of IDEIA after school exit.
Post-school employment rates for youth with significant disabilities remain intractably low. An important policy concern is whether youth who receive disability cash benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) are obtaining the necessary supports to make a successful transition to adult life. The SSA initiated the Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) projects in an attempt to develop services and supports to assist youth in making a successful transition into adulthood. This article provides a detailed description of the intervention components for the YTD projects and presents three case descriptions to illustrate how youth can potentially benefit from these services. The selected cases in this paper illustrate the potential for youth with disabilities to leverage project services and move into employment.
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