1. The Transition to Adulthood
Supporting the Dreams of Youth and Families with Complex Needs

2. I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly because you tread on my dreams. -W.B. Yeats

3. The Transition to Adulthood is a Natural Process
“If you live long enough, you cease being a child and become an adult, with all the attendant privileges (often fewer than hoped) and responsibilities (often more than imagined) conferred by that status”.
(Ferguson& Ferguson)

4. Transition Defined
Refers to a change in status from behaving primarily as a student to assuming adult roles in the community
Involves the participation and coordination of school programs, adult agency services and natural supports within the community
(Halpern)

5. The Role of Educators in Transition
Assisting youth and their families to make informed choices about the future
Anticipating the demands of future roles and environments and helping youth prepare for them

6. The Focus on Transition
Has resulted in significant gains in most domains of adult life for youth with disabilities
However, to some degree, we have separated the transition to adulthood from it’s natural processes by making it “special”
We have made transition our process

7. Part of the problem.. Educators become prisoners of accountability
In the case of transition, youth and families become spectators of their own process

8. The Historical Context
Independent Living Movement
Career Education Movement
OSERS Federal Transition Programs
IDEA (PL )

9. Genesis of the problem
Progressive disability movements supported by government funding
Government funding attached to procedural regulation
Result: an obsessive focus on regulations and procedures
Multiple intiatives schools are confronted with (NCLB, etc.)

10. Regulatory compliance trumps practice
The result…
Regulatory compliance trumps practice

11. Yet experience tells us…
Compliance does not necessarily produce quality

12. The Big Ideas
All students leave school systems equipped to be successful, interdependent adults
Schools cannot possibly be responsible
for all the activities necessary to achieve the successful transition from childhood to adult roles

13. Involve students and families
Planning should begin no later than age 14
Students should encouraged to the fullest extent of their ability to assume responsibility for their transition planning
Family participation should be encouraged
Educators facilitate this process
Use person centered planning processes

14. Collaboration Networking Coordination Cooperation
Ongoing activities that save time and resources

15. Networking
Gain awareness of available resources (community asset mapping)
Learn how to access or refer individuals to services
Leverage generic resources through typical community groups (Rotary, Elks, C of C)

16. Coordination Assisting in the selection and scheduling of services
Communication between agencies with responsibility for transition services

17. Cooperation Finding ways to support and complement each other’s roles
Example: Schools conduct assessments that are useful in determining adult agency eligibility

18. It’s about relationships
Schools with quality transition service programs have strong linkages to community resources
School personnel establish and nurture personal connections with families, local business, post-secondary institutions, and adult service agencies

19. Transition Coordination
Reflects the connection between knowledge and skills domains and the range of services and supports a student may need
Requires a team effort

20. Knowledge and Skills Communication and Academic Performance
Post-Secondary Education and Training
Employment
Leisure and Recreation
Independent Living
Health and Fitness

21. Knowledge and Skills Community Participation
Interpersonal Relationships
Self Determination

22. Transition Services: A Shared Responsibility
Instruction
Related Services
Community Experiences
Development of Employment
Post-School Adult Living
Daily Living Skills
Functional Vocational Evaluation

23. Transition Teams Education serves as the lead agency
By generating ideas, tackling barriers, and opening doors, local transition teams provide the mechanism through which successful student outcomes are achievable
(Blalock & Benz)

24. Benefits of Teams
Team approach distributes work across many instead of a few
Many minds generate more and better ideas
Design unique delivery systems that meet local needs
Share responsibility and ownership
Improve accountability and follow through

25. Benefits of teams
Team composition affords “reality checks”, dispels myths, and offers firsthand information
Encourage local employers to become school to career advocates

26. Team Activities Involve students and former students
Self advocacy conferences
Host a futures conference where students can learn about post-school options

27. Team Activities Actively involve family members
Establish a parents as partners program, or parents as faculty
Encourage parent participation in organization of events, networking
Conduct topical parent training

28. Team Activities School and Employer Partnerships
Host career talks and fairs, set up workplace tours, job shadowing, internships or mentoring

29. Student Self Advocacy
Learn about their strengths and skills and be able to tell others
Learn about their disability, including how to talk about to to others
Learn what accommodations are, and what types benefit them
Learn how to express themselves

30. Student Self Advocacy
Learn about the IEP and how this forms the basis of their education
Understand their rights
Develop a future focus

31. Insanity is… -Einstein
Doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result.
-Einstein

32. Some Final Thoughts Transition is a shared responsibility
Educators need to learn skills of collaboration
Transition should drive the secondary curriculum
Knowledge and skills areas should be infused within GE curriculum
Students and families own the process