Transition From School to Young Adulthood: Four Case Studies of Young Adults Labelled Mentally Retarded

Facilitating Participation: Parents' Perceptions of Their Involvement in the IEP/Transition Planning Process

“…Our results, along with the results of previous studies (e.g., Boone, 1992;Lichtenstein & Michaelides, 1993), suggest that a more in-depth understanding of parent participation and the development of strong parent/professional relationships could be examined through studies that interview parents directly and use qualitative research methods to analyze interview results. Through a qualitative lens, it may be possible to more fully understand how parents define participation in the ideal, what constitutes parent satisfaction with participation, how parents and professionals develop and maintain good communication and relationships, and why some parents do not attend IEP/transition planning meetings.…”

“…Studies of transition planning practices suggest that parents lack the information they need regarding the concept of transition planning and the availability of community resources (Gallivan-Fenlon, 1994). It appears that strategies are not being successfully employed to promote active parent roles in developing and implementing transition plans (Boone, 1992;McNair & Rusch, 1991), and that transition plans are not being developed based on students' individual interests, preferences, and needs (Lichtenstein, 1993;Lichtenstein & Michaelides, 1993). It has been suggested that further studies need to be conducted on parent participation in the IEP/transition planning process and that such studies need to include direct inquiry of parents regarding their perceptions of participation (Boone, 1992).…”

TAKE CHARGE for the Future: A Controlled Field-Test of a Model to Promote Student Involvement in Transition Planning

“…Case studies suggest that, following high school, many young adults with disabilities find themselves confused about the future, socially isolated, and unable to get jobs and establish independent residences. Prior to leaving school, youth often are disengaged from their high school experience and transition planning activities, and they receive little assistance to formulate and implement individualized goals for independent living, employment and post-secondary education (Lichtenstein, 1993;Lichtenstein & Michaelides, 1993;Zetlin & Hosseini, 1989).…”

Strategies and Barriers in Facilitating Natural Supports for Employment of Adults with Severe Disabilities

“…There is some evidence of a significant discrepancy between the rhetoric of family and coworker involvement and actual practice. Studies of the transition process by Lichtenstein and Michaelides (1993) and Gallivan-Fenlon (1994) found little involvement of families or friends in transition planning. And on the job, there is evidence that individuals with disabilities have only limited inclusion in the social networks of the workplace (Barber & Hupp, 1993;Chadsey-Rusch, 1992;Storey & Knutson, 1989;Yan, Mank, Sandow, Rhodes, & Olson, 1993).…”

“…Family and friend networks contribute in concrete ways to employment success through such supportive activities as assisting with career planning, providing job leads and supporting job search efforts, and providing support to maintain employment (Knox & Parmenter, 1993;Lin & Dumin, 1986;O'Brien & Lovett, 1993;Silliker, 1993). Family involvement, in particular, is an important factor contributing to an individual's employment status as students exit high school (Lichtenstein & Michaelides, 1993).…”