Michael Ward, Ph. D Bridget Green

 39- credit online Master’s program  Courses focus on  Development of assessment  Professional/scholarly writing  Interagency Collaboration  Instructional methods in special education  Legal Issues and Policy for Individuals with Disabilities  Internship 300 hours in the field of transition

 20 students enrolled in the program  11 states  4 graduates as of Spring 13  6 graduates as of August 13  2 dropped out of the program  All are employed in one of the following roles related to transition:  Transition coordinator, special education teacher, general education teacher, Disability Supports Coordinator, school liaison for military families, administrative assistant, school administrators

 300 hours  6 credits  Students collaborate with current transition personnel to create a program/activity  Cannot be within his/her job responsibilities  Internships focus on students with disabilities within the classroom, adults with disabilities, interagency collaboration, and/or professional development  Since our students are current working in transition, internships are designed enhance the practitioners performance and access to resources.

Two students are currently focusing on K-12 transitioning youth:  One student is currently working with The Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences to write curricula and lesson plans focusing on vocational needs, informal and formal assessments, and self-determination skills with a vocational focus  One student received a grant to design a transition program for students with disabilities in the military.  The programs focus on social skills, acquiring, securing, and maintaining special education services during relocation, and create “Connections Club” to welcome new students and parents into the transition planning process.  The program is currently being evaluated to see how students’ behaviors have changed since the beginning of the program.

 One student is created a Summer Youth Employment Program to create e-portfolios for his students.  He is closely working with RSA to have cases opened upon graduation. The e- portfolio will contain all updated information needed by RSA and history of the students interests, preferences, and skills pertaining to future employment interests.  A student in Philadelphia is asked to be a chair of a Transition Work Group which will focus on monthly support meetings for parents of transitioning youth with disabilities.  She is finishing her film project on “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, which is a film that focuses on employment goals of youth with and without disabilities.  Finally, she is working with special education personnel in charter schools to teach them about transition requirements, expectations if IEP, transition goals, and creating a collaborative on charter schools and transition.

 One student worked with her regional transition team to create video modeling for students with disabilities assisting in learning and retaining social and job skills.  She also worked with Wright State University to assist in college readiness for students with disabilities in their first year of college  One student has created a resource website for three local transition councils in Pennsylvania  Created a database that allows councils to communicate ideas, share information with parents, and a transition- focused resource for youth in the transition process