Appendix C Family Involvement in the Transition Process for Von Steuben Families Samantha Estrada SPED 591

What is Transition? Transition is the process of preparing for adulthood after students leave high school. “The term transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities” (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.).

Historical and Legal Background The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) a special education law, requires parental involvement throughout the development of the student’s IEP and in the transition planning process. IDEA mandates that assessment information is gathered from parents and that there are services to facilitate transition from school to post-school opportunities. “To ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment and independent living” (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 20 U.S.C § 300 et seq., 2004).

Why This is an Issue? Our students will graduate ◦ Timing ◦ Transition to various settings ◦ Location IDEA Where will they go? ◦ Not a clear and easy path ◦ Segregated vs. inclusive options exist Normalization

Check Out These Statistics Williams-Diehm & Benz (2008) found almost half (47%) of graduates with disabilities in our study are unemployed six months after leaving high school compared with a third (32%) of graduates without disabilities. Similarly, half (54%) of graduates with disabilities are not participating in any form of post-secondary education compared to 26% of graduates without disabilities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (2010), individuals with disabilities had lower rates of employment compared to individuals without disabilities. When comparing full time and part time status among individuals with and without disabilities findings showed that individuals with disabilities usually work part time more often “among workers with a disability, 32 percent usually worked part time in 2010, compared with 19 percent of workers without a disability” (BLS, 2010, para. 7). Lastly, the BLS (2010) showed that the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities was higher than those without a disability at 14.8 percent compared to 9.4 percent for those with no disabilities.

Best Practice Strategies Participation and roles: ◦ Families become involved through assessment, decision-making, policy development, and by teaching their children valuable skills. Empowerment: ◦ Meaningful family involvement in transition-focused activities. Which can be:  Determining the needs of your child and the family as a whole  Researching and visiting possible settings for your child  Researching and contacting agencies for resources and support Training: ◦ Family-focused training increases family members’ abilities to work effectively with educators and other service providers and vice versa.

How to become involved Attend all IEP meetings and other educational meetings. Provide your input. Collaborate with school staff regarding future goals. Open and productive dialogue with school staff and other parents. Gather resources for transition planning. Contact agencies. Visit and apply to post secondary. education, work, and living settings.

Based on your needs Resources: ◦ PUNS ◦ Guardianship ◦ Work settings Your Next Steps: ◦ Think about your child’s interests and needs. ◦ Based on those factors where do you see your child working? Where do you see your child living? ◦ How can we enhance their Recreational/ Leisure /Social Activities? ◦ What are some places you can research and contact for more work/training information.  Ex: Big companies Target, Jewel, Subway. Smaller family owned businesses. Sheltered Workshops. Colleges or Universities.

Parent Networking/Discussion Please share with others about great resources or agencies that have helped you in the transition process. Share improvements that parents and school staff can implement to create the best transition environment. Feel free to exchange contact information and stay in touch with one another! **Fill out feedback form**

References Bureau of Labor Statistics Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics (2010) Retrieved June 23, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 20 U.S.C § 300 et seq. (2004). Retrieved June 22, 2011, from Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. (2004). Retrieved June 22, 2011, from Williams-Diehm, K. L., & Benz, M. R. (2008). Where are they now? lessons from a single district follow-up study. Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education, 30(2), 4-15.