Literature Review of Interventions for Between-Task Transitioning for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Including Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Transitioning between activities or settings may pose great difficulty for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, yet engaging in independent, smooth transitions may be a requisite skill for inclusion in a number of school and community settings. In the current empirical literature review, 32 studies that focused on teaching independent transitioning skills or decreasing challenging behavior in the context of transitions were examined. Studies were divided into two general categories: (a) decreasing challenging behavior and (b) teaching independent transitions. Each general category was then divided into subcategories: antecedent-or consequence-based strategies. The goals of this review were to determine what interventions are most prevalent and effective in the current literature base, identify the extent to which effects are maintained and generalized, and suggest directions for future research.

Evidence for Transition-Related Behaviors as an Explicit Criterion for Extended School Year Services Eligibility

“…Even though all students with IEPs are supposed to have transition planning considered, transition for individuals with high incident disabilities like specific learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities would appear to pose more challenges than other groups (e.g., Lequia et al, 2015; Sullivan et al, 2017; Tullis et al, 2015); thus, transition planning is not one size fits all. The literature does appear to suggest that among some children, especially perhaps with high incidence disabilities that encounter difficulties in making the transitions that these issues with transitions may extend to adolescent and to adult life (e.g., Lequia et al, 2015; Sullivan et al, 2017; Tullis et al, 2015). Thus, issues with transition in childhood found in the current study may extend across the lifespan.…”

“…Thus, issues with transition in childhood found in the current study may extend across the lifespan. Transition problems vary considerably ranging from social skills, behavior, unemployment, underemployment, job changes, participation in community and leisure activities, pay, dependency on parents and others, satisfaction with employment, post-secondary academics, and functional skills (e.g., Lequia et al, 2015; Sullivan et al, 2017; Tullis et al, 2015).…”

Rethinking the role of transitions between activities in early childhood settings: An examination of their linguistic characteristics in two preschool classrooms

“…In this context, transitions are broadly defined as periods when children are expected to end their current activity and shift their attention to a different activity at the teacher’s request (e.g. lining up to use the bathroom when transitioning from circle time to meal time) (Tullis et al., 2014). According to the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children, best practices for such transitions include fostering interaction, communication and learning among children (Sandall et al., 2005).…”

“…Transitions tend to carry a negative reputation in the early years, characterized by little meaningful interaction between teachers and preschoolers (Cabell et al., 2013), and poor student engagement with tasks and teachers (Vitiello et al., 2012). In fact, most of the literature on transitions in preschool focuses on students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, whose challenging behaviour and/or inability to transition independently render such routine moments difficult (Tullis et al., 2014). Reducing transition time is thus a recommendation for programme improvement (Farran et al., 2017).…”

“…Despite these challenges associated with transitions, such routine moments may present opportunities for children’s development, and ‘the ability to transition independently may be essential for success in other environments’ (Tullis et al., 2014: 99). For example, even though transitions to outdoor play during winter were sometimes characterized by asynchronous communication between teachers and children (e.g.…”