The Transition The Transition ProcessProcess

Vickie KummerVickie Kummer

UNF SOAR ProgramUNF SOAR Program

Fall 2004Fall 2004

Mission Statement of Mission Statement of Alden RoadAlden Road

““The mission of the staff and parents The mission of the staff and parents at Alden Road Exceptional Student at Alden Road Exceptional Student Center is to provide opportunity for Center is to provide opportunity for students with disabilities to develop students with disabilities to develop their potential through appropriate their potential through appropriate educational experiences to become educational experiences to become

as independent as possible.”as independent as possible.”

What is IDEA?What is IDEA?

Individual with Disabilities Education ActIndividual with Disabilities Education Act ““a free appropriate public education a free appropriate public education

[FAPE] that emphasizes special education [FAPE] that emphasizes special education & related services prepare them for & related services prepare them for employment and independent living." employment and independent living."

Guides how states and school districts Guides how states and school districts provide special education and related provide special education and related services to more than 6 million children.services to more than 6 million children.

IDEA ‘97IDEA ‘97

Schools, families & communities Schools, families & communities must work together to:must work together to:– achieve involvement and progress in achieve involvement and progress in

school.school.– achieve improved results.achieve improved results.– prepare for post-secondary prepare for post-secondary

education, employment and education, employment and independent living.independent living.

IDEA ’97: AmendmentsIDEA ’97: Amendments

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirements requirements

Access to general education curriculumAccess to general education curriculum Increased parental involvementIncreased parental involvement Proactive approach to challenging Proactive approach to challenging

behaviorbehavior School reform efforts and assessmentsSchool reform efforts and assessments Outcome based approachOutcome based approach Focus on Transition PlanningFocus on Transition Planning

What is Transition?What is Transition?

A coordinated set of activities for A coordinated set of activities for a student with disabilities within a student with disabilities within an outcome-oriented process that an outcome-oriented process that promotes movement from school promotes movement from school to post-school activities.to post-school activities.

Must be included in IEP.Must be included in IEP.

IDEA ’97 and Transition IDEA ’97 and Transition RequirementsRequirements

Every student and family must think Every student and family must think about future plans and set goals.about future plans and set goals.

Set plans on how to reach these goals.Set plans on how to reach these goals. Provide instruction, community Provide instruction, community

experiences, employment and adult experiences, employment and adult daily living objectives.daily living objectives.

Assist students and family in linkages Assist students and family in linkages to services.to services.

Focus on success for every student.Focus on success for every student.

How do we meet the How do we meet the Transition Transition Requirements?Requirements? Individualized Education Plan Individualized Education Plan

(IEP)(IEP) Legal document designed to meet Legal document designed to meet

the unique needs of children with the unique needs of children with disabilitiesdisabilities

Should discuss services and Should discuss services and supports needed for students to supports needed for students to reach their goalsreach their goals

Transition & IEPsTransition & IEPs

5 Domains:5 Domains:1)1) Curriculum and LearningCurriculum and Learning

2)2) Social Emotional BehaviorSocial Emotional Behavior

3)3) Independent FunctioningIndependent Functioning

4)4) Health Care Health Care

5)5) CommunicationCommunication

Transition & IEPs Transition & IEPs continued…continued…

Transition Services Activity Transition Services Activity AreasAreas

1)1) InstructionInstruction2)2) Related ServicesRelated Services3)3) Community ExperienceCommunity Experience4)4) EmploymentEmployment5)5) Functional Vocational EvaluationFunctional Vocational Evaluation6)6) Post-school Adult LivingPost-school Adult Living7)7) Daily Living SkillsDaily Living Skills

Who is involved?Who is involved?

StudentStudent Parent (and family if desired)Parent (and family if desired) At least one Special Education At least one Special Education

TeacherTeacher LEA RepresentativeLEA Representative Other Agency PersonnelOther Agency Personnel

What is the process?What is the process?

Step 1: Identify the student’s Step 1: Identify the student’s goals.goals.

Step 2: Describe the student’s Step 2: Describe the student’s present levels of educational present levels of educational performance.performance.

Process continued...Process continued...

Step 3: Design a statement of Step 3: Design a statement of transition service needs.transition service needs.

Step 4: Design a statement of Step 4: Design a statement of needed transition services.needed transition services.

Step 5: Determine annual goals and Step 5: Determine annual goals and short-term objectives or short-term objectives or benchmarks.benchmarks.

When does it start?When does it start?

Beginning at age 14 and updated Beginning at age 14 and updated annuallyannually

Set plans early because many Set plans early because many services have extremely long services have extremely long waiting listswaiting lists

Transition ServicesTransition Services

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Developmental Disability ServicesDevelopmental Disability Services Housing AssistanceHousing Assistance Independent Living Skills ServicesIndependent Living Skills Services Work AssistanceWork Assistance TransportationTransportation Community AwarenessCommunity Awareness

The Transition ConceptThe Transition Concept

Three major components:Three major components:

1) Goals after high school/how to 1) Goals after high school/how to get thereget there

2) Ensure that the student gains 2) Ensure that the student gains the skills needed to achieve goalsthe skills needed to achieve goals

3) Link students and families to 3) Link students and families to post-school services post-school services beforebefore graduationgraduation

What can YOU do?What can YOU do?

Foster Self-Determination: the Foster Self-Determination: the belief that all individuals have the belief that all individuals have the right to direct their own lives.right to direct their own lives.

Students must be prepared to Students must be prepared to participate in planning for their participate in planning for their future.future.

Those who do are more Those who do are more successful in the transition successful in the transition process.process.

Self-DeterminationSelf-Determination

A self-determined person:A self-determined person:– Sets goalsSets goals– Makes decisionsMakes decisions– Sees optionsSees options– Solves problemsSolves problems– Speaks up for himself or herselfSpeaks up for himself or herself– Understands what supports are needed for Understands what supports are needed for

successsuccess– Knows how to evaluate outcomesKnows how to evaluate outcomes

Self-DeterminationSelf-Determination

For the student, it involves:For the student, it involves:– taking riskstaking risks– making mistakesmaking mistakes– reflecting on outcomesreflecting on outcomes– real-world experiencesreal-world experiences– understanding their disabilityunderstanding their disability

Self-DeterminationSelf-Determination

For the educator, it involves:For the educator, it involves:– being open to new possibilitiesbeing open to new possibilities– taking seriously student’s dreams taking seriously student’s dreams

for the futurefor the future– discussing how a disability might discussing how a disability might

affect learning, relationships, and affect learning, relationships, and employmentemployment

Promoting Self-Promoting Self-DeterminationDetermination

Facilitate development of self-Facilitate development of self-esteemesteem– Create a sense of belongingCreate a sense of belonging– Provide opportunities for Provide opportunities for

individuality and independenceindividuality and independence– Model a sense of self-esteem and Model a sense of self-esteem and

self-confidenceself-confidence

Promoting Self-Promoting Self-DeterminationDetermination

Promote self advocacyPromote self advocacy– Encourage communicationEncourage communication– Praise efforts of assertiveness and Praise efforts of assertiveness and

problem solvingproblem solving– Provide opportunities for leadership Provide opportunities for leadership

rolesroles– Encourage participation in classEncourage participation in class

Promoting Self-Promoting Self-DeterminationDetermination

Encourage Exploration of Encourage Exploration of PossibilitiesPossibilities– Talk about future jobs, hobbies, and Talk about future jobs, hobbies, and

family lifestylesfamily lifestyles Promote Reasonable Risk TakingPromote Reasonable Risk Taking

– Help students evaluate Help students evaluate consequences and problem solving consequences and problem solving skillsskills

ReferencesReferences

Bremer, C. D., Kachgal, M. & Schoeller, K (2003). Self-Determination: Bremer, C. D., Kachgal, M. & Schoeller, K (2003). Self-Determination: Supporting successful transition. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from Supporting successful transition. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=962http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=962..

Heumann, J. (1998). Transition and IDEA ’97. Retrieved November 9, 2004, Heumann, J. (1998). Transition and IDEA ’97. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from from http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/transition/lda_transition_idea97.htmlhttp://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/transition/lda_transition_idea97.html..

Lipton, D. J. (1999). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments Lipton, D. J. (1999). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 and IDEA regulations of 1999: Summary of changes. Retrieved of 1997 and IDEA regulations of 1999: Summary of changes. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from November 9, 2004, from http://www.dredf.org/idea10.htmlhttp://www.dredf.org/idea10.html..

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition. (n.d.) IEP & National Center on Secondary Education and Transition. (n.d.) IEP & Transition planning: Frequently asked questions. Retrieved November 9, Transition planning: Frequently asked questions. Retrieved November 9, 2004 from 2004 from http://www.ncset.org/topics/ieptransition/faqs.asp?topic=28http://www.ncset.org/topics/ieptransition/faqs.asp?topic=28..

A National Organization on Mental Retardation. (2000). The Individuals with A National Organization on Mental Retardation. (2000). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Transition from school to work and Disabilities Education Act: Transition from school to work and community life. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from community life. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www.thearc.org/faqs/qa-idea-transition.htmlhttp://www.thearc.org/faqs/qa-idea-transition.html..

Storms, J., O’Leary, E. & Williams, J. (2000). Transition requirements: A Storms, J., O’Leary, E. & Williams, J. (2000). Transition requirements: A guide for states, districts, schools, universities and families. Retrieved guide for states, districts, schools, universities and families. Retrieved November 9, 2004, from November 9, 2004, from http://interact.uoregon.edu/wrrc/trnfiles/trncontents.htmhttp://interact.uoregon.edu/wrrc/trnfiles/trncontents.htm..