Education Commons^™

The Transition To Adulthood For High School Students With Special Needs, Athena Hays, Mary Jan Greer, Jinna Danser

Spring 2024 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

The reason for many special needs students not engaging in occupations after high school is because many guardians have not had to navigate this type of transition before and are not provided enough education on what these opportunities include before their students graduate. Many students with special needs do not optimize their engagement in the community because guardians are not being provided with education on post-graduate opportunities.

The purpose of my Doctoral Capstone Project is to develop an educational transition service program for special needs students as well as guardians and teachers of these students preparing for high school graduation …

Implications Of Inclusive Postsecondary Education Programs (Ipses) On Quality Of Life For Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Sarah K. Eggleston

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Students with intellectual disability (ID) who are aging out from qualifying for special education services through the public school system often encounter difficulty in the transition to early adulthood. While students with disabilities in Virginia have access to employment and transition services to aid them in seeking job placement, some students with ID still carry aspirations of going to college like many of their peers without disabilities. College is an experience that allows emerging adults to gain independence, social skills, pivotal identity development, and opportunities to explore academic and professional interests, while increasing their qualifications for more competitive employment. In …

Transition Guide And Supports For Families Of Adolescents With Disabilities, Chelsey S. Traut

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Often when individuals with disabilities transitioned out of high school, there were a variety of repeated questions that teachers and administrators seemed to constantly be answering each year. The first goal of the project was to answer those questions and potentially serve as a resource for teachers and other professionals to answer the questions parents/guardians were asking them. Another goal was that even if the information was different for their district it could at the very least guide professionals and families in the right direction to find answers and support. The literature review provides information about parent/guardian and teacher collaboration …

Parental Stress Factors During The Cpse To Cse Transition: A Quantitative, Quasi-Experimental, Static-Group Study, Christine Elizabeth Iturriaga

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to determine if a statistically significant difference existed between parental stress factors related to the transition process between pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, using the Committee on Preschool Special Education to Committee on Special Education transition process, of parents who were exposed to a workshop and those who were not. The study administered a parent survey from the Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition Professional Manual. The research addressed if exposure to a workshop on the transition process would decrease stress factors in parents of children who attended a self-contained setting (4410 programs). The study …

Systematic Literature Review Of Experiences And Supports For Students With Asd Post Hoc: Findings Regarding Diversity And Implications For Research And Educator Preparation, Eric J. Lopez, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

The following post hoc analysis examines cultural and/or linguistic information from a previous systematic literature review of 24 studies investigating demographic information, encounters, assists and suggestions of study participants enrolled in post-secondary education institutions with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The analysis and discussion of results appeal for the need to not only include and focus on diversity but to refocus on cultural consciousness. Implications and future directions for research and for educator preparation programs are proposed.

Transition: Early Intervention To Preschool, Kim Thiesse

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) requires all Individualized Family Service (IFSP) plans to address transition. Early Intervention programs must initiate and discuss the transition process from early intervention to school-based services with each family at least 90 days before the child’s third birthday. Transition should be a process of information sharing and planning for each individual family. The transition process can be very stressful for many families because services, service providers, location, and delivery of services change. Preschool is often a family’s first experience with a school environment, successful collaboration and communication through the transition phase enhances the …

Autism To Higher Education: Tools For Parents, Amber L. Jordan, Shannon Emery

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Over the years, a marked increase in the number of students with High Functioning Autism (HFA) attending colleges and universities has occurred. This can be attributed to: (a) the passage of legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); (b) revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM); and (c) early intervention and treatment (Pillay, 2012). Although the increase in enrollment may be an indicator that a more welcoming climate for individuals with HFA has been created, many institutions are not adequately prepared to accommodate these students and parents have …

Self-Advocacy And Postsecondary Program Achievement In Students With High-Incidence Disabilities, Alyssa Nelson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This literature review examines studies that investigated and evaluated the relationship between self-advocacy and college program completion in postsecondary students with disabilities. Research was reviewed that used school-aged participants with disabilities, postsecondary-aged students with disabilities, high school faculty, postsecondary faculty, parents of the students with disabilities, and two and 4-year college Disabilities Services staff. Many factors are involved in why students with disabilities tend not to self-advocate for themselves or ask for support or assistance in secondary and postsecondary educational institutions. Inversely, some motivators promote students’ self-advocacy decisions, which has sparked interest in this area of study. The studies reviewed …

Individualized Education Plan (Iep) Goal Ideas To Support College Readiness, Kathleen Becht

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This resource includes over 100 ideas for possible IEP goals to help prepare students for college. The ideas fall into four categories: education, career and employment, community engagement and services, and independence. Educators and families are encouraged to use this resource once students have identified personal strengths and interests, goals, and areas for improvement.

Improving Transition Services For Students With Intellectual Disability At Giles County High School, Catherine Claire Paul

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project was to improve transition services available to high school students with intellectual disabilities in Giles County, Tennessee. The problem was there is a lack of consistent transition planning in Giles County, Tennessee. The central research question was, “How can transition services for students with intellectual disabilities be improved at Giles County High School in Giles County, Tennessee?” This project was conducted through interviews with administrators and educators, surveys of parents, and a document analysis of available information in Giles County for transition services. The information was then coded and analyzed for a mixed-methods research design. …

Paid Employment Of Transition-Age Youth With Intellectual Disability And Autism Compared With Other Youth, Belkis Choiseul-Praslin, Clare K. Papay, Meg Grigal, Alberto Migliore, Jie Chen

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Employment is one of the most significant markers of independence and success for a person. One’s ability to secure and maintain employment in a paid position can have a significant impact on their overall quality of life, community participation, financial self-sufficiency, and pathway to a long-lasting career. Unfortunately, the paid employment rate for youth and adults with a disability remains markedly lower than their peers without a disability. Our understanding of national employment trends and outcomes for youth with disabilities has been heavily informed by the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) and NLTS2, with data gathered in 1987–1991 and 2001–2009 …

The Why, The Who, The How… A Guide To Planning Effective, Collaborative, Person-Centered Transition Services For Students With Disabilities, Kristie Covington, Lorita Rowlett

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Providing effective transition services and plans for students with disabilities can seem like a daunting task to special education teachers and supporting agencies. Planning effective collaboration and coordination between stakeholders increases the likelihood that students with disabilities will graduate high school and participate in desired postsecondary activities, be it paid employment or postsecondary education (NTACT, 2019). Many special education teachers and supporting agencies are unsure where to start when planning and coordinating transition services; in response we created a document that can be used as a guidance and planning tool to design effective, person-centered, collaborative transition services. The planning tool …

Enhancing Job Performance For Students With High-Incidence Disabilities, Randa Arvold

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Not submitted

Young Adults With Disabilities Acquire Vocational Skills With Video Modeling, Carly Schroeder-Mackay

Dissertations

Students with disabilities often require substantial support to acquire the skills needed to secure work experience and paid employment. Special education transition programs have an obligation to utilize evidence-based practices to facilitate the acquisition of such skills. In the present project, three studies were conducted to examine the effects of video modeling on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of job-related tasks taught in a classroom setting to young adults with developmental disabilities. In Study 1, a multiple baseline across behaviors experimental design with four participants was used to assess the effects of video prompts on the percentage of correctly completed …

Community College Success Of Students With Disabilities, Shayne Brophy-Felbab

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify aspects of home life, college life, or high school preparation that supported the success of students with disabilities at community colleges. As students with disabilities are rarely represented in the literature, this study offered a space for students with disabilities to share their voice and further develop their sense of agency. The six participants had a range of disabilities and enrolled in Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) at their community college. They had all completed at least one year and three students were completing their final year and had plans in …

Review Of Schooling Of Learners With Disabilities And The Manifestation Of The Hidden Curriculum Of Time, Theodoto Ressa

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Postsecondary outcomes remain difficult to attain despite their significance to learners with disabilities. This qualitative study investigated the impact of a hidden curriculum of time on the education of five undergraduate students with disabilities at a Carnegie Research One institution in the midwestern U.S. Participants in their quest for an education experienced a hidden curriculum of time in the form of physical impairments, educational costs of ill-health, and disability discrimination. The academic barriers participants encountered in reaching their educational goals suggest that addressing the hidden curriculum of time is essential for authentic inclusion and achievement of postsecondary education outcomes.

Transition To Adulthood: Preparing Students With Specific Learning Disabilities, Mariya T. Davis, Theresa Garfield

Special Education Faculty Publications

With early student‐centered transition planning and interagency collaboration efforts, schools can be better equipped to prepare students with specific learning disabilities for effective transition to post‐school environments.

Project Search: Analysis Of Employment Outcomes For Students With Disabilities Across Two Districts, Mariya T. Davis, Ingrid K. Cumming, Nicole M. Park, Carl J. Sheperis

Special Education Faculty Publications

Rehabilitation professionals have a major focus on competitive employment, which is a central component of adult life that provides not only economic benefits, but also a social network and enhanced self-esteem. The employment gap for individuals with disabilities has remained consistently high despite concerted efforts to provide access to quality job readiness training and a simultaneous increase in awareness of the value of diversity in the workforce. This study examined the outcomes of Project SEARCH, an employer-based transition program for young adults with disabilities that promotes partnerships among the school and community by utilizing a unique collaborative approach that brings …

Inclusive Academic Education & Vocationally-Oriented Transition Predictors’ Association With Post-Secondary Outcomes Of Youth With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Joshua P. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Despite efforts through legislation to increase the engagement of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in competitive integrated employment (CIE) and post-secondary education, outcomes remain poor. However, recent policy has emphasized CIE as a preferred outcome and created new opportunities to engage individuals with IDD in post-secondary education. Likewise, research into the transition of youth with disabilities has revealed several predictors of post-school success including inclusive education and a variety of vocationally-oriented experiences. Previous research had not determined whether students with IDD received both inclusive academic education and vocational transition experiences or how these predictors might interact. The purpose …

Success In Transition Preparation For Post-Secondary Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Sophie Scrimgeour

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Students with disabilities face a wide range of barriers in their transition from school-to-work that their family and community can help them to overcome. The transition from school-to-work has become a heightened topic of interest, especially when it comes to the transition of a student with a disability.

Job Satisfaction For Individuals With Disabilities: Youth One Year Out., Katherine Michelle Cooper Phd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Even though there have been decades of research, practice, and legislative efforts in the field of secondary transition, it is believed that students with disabilities are still less likely to enroll in postsecondary education or training, secure competitive employment, and live independently than their nondisabled peers. One of the reasons for this might be the lack of understanding students’ perceptions of employment opportunities. Much of the early vocational legislation focused on the needs of adult workers injured during a war or in civil employment. The last iteration of the Rehabilitation Act in the 1990s described disabilities, even the most significant …

Post-Secondary Employment And Education Outcomes Of Young Adults Reporting Both Vision And Hearing Impairments In The High School Longitudinal Study Of 2009, Emily M. Lund

JADARA

This article reports the post-secondary education and work activities of 43 young adults who reported a history of both hearing and vision disabilities (i.e., deafblindness [DB] in Wave 4 of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Most of the sample reported having worked, attended post-secondary education, or both since completing secondary education. Approximately half of the sample still lived with their parents, and most reported receiving financial support from their parents. Thus, although engagement in work and education was relatively high, most participants had not achieved financial independence.

National Survey Of Professional Development On Writing Compliant Transition Individualized Education Programs, M. Faith Thomas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A national survey of special education administrators was conducted on current special education teacher trainings, the internal monitoring processes on transition IEPs, and the effect training has on compliance with federal law. In addition, this student researcher examined training and internal monitoring systems to determine if there were any similarities or differences between rural, suburban, and metropolitan school districts. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design gathered survey data from 147 special education administrators from across the U.S. and conducted interviews with 14 participants representing rural, suburban, and metropolitan school districts. When combining survey and interviews data, the results showed that …

Factors Influencing The Adoption Of Immersive Virtual Reality For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parents Perceptions, Fahad Abdeen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify factors that affect the adoption of a spherical video virtual reality (SVVR) mobile application among parents of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The study used the diffusion of innovation theory by Rogers (2003) as a framework to explore parents’ perceptions of an SVVR transportation model designed to improve the quality of life of adults with ASD. In addition, the study sought to learn what might increase adoption of VR technology among other parents of individuals with ASD and what life skills that might be addressed using VR technology in the …

Preparing Students With Disabilities For Adulthood, Catherine Moos

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Post-secondary education for students with a learning disability is a gateway to having a successful life providing security and independence, with the ability to earn more money and have higher job satisfaction. The special education teacher should write detailed transition IEP that involve the student, including post-secondary education. Their transitional IEP can help guide them with class in high school, by taking career and technical training and is an introduction to a career path. In addition to more rigorous general education classes that will prepare them for college. Students must demonstrate knowledge of their disability and disability laws to know …

Summary Of Performance: Bridging The Transition From High School To Post-Secondary Education For Students With Sld, Julie D. Southward, Mariya T. Davis

Special Education Faculty Publications

Transition for students with disabilities has been the focus of educational policies for several decades. Still, students with disabilities, including those with a specific learning disability (SLD), continue to experience difficulties transitioning to post-school environments, particularly post-secondary education (PSE). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) requires schools to provide a Summary of Performance (SOP) to students receiving special education services during their final year of high school. Although the SOP must include recommendations for helping students meet their post-secondary goals there is little guidance leading to inconsistencies across states. The purpose of this article is to review …

Interagency Collaboration In Local Partnership Agreements: A Qualitative Case Study Identifying And Describing The Perception Of Preparedness Of Transition Specialists Working In Workability I Projects, Barbara Boyd

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe the preparedness of transition specialists working in WorkAbility I (WAI) projects as perceived by transition specialists using Kohler’s Taxonomy for Collaborative Transition Programming. In addition, its purpose is to explore the perceptions of transition specialists regarding interagency collaboration in local partnership agreements (LPAs).

Methodology: This qualitative case study identified and described WAI transition specialists’ perception of transition programming and interagency collaboration. It employed the use of semi-structured interview questions consisting of open-ended questions. Using this methodology promoted the extraction of high quality information from the transition specialists. …

The Comparison Of Video Modeling And Task Analysis To Teach Daily Living Skills To Non-Verbal Students With Developmental Disabilities In A Transition Program, Kasey Anderson

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the comparison of using video modeling and task analysis to teach independent living skills to students in a transition program. Two non-verbal students with developmental cognitive disabilities participated in this study. The students were taught daily living skills that are part of a functional curriculum (e.g., loading and unloading the dishwasher, brushing their teeth, washing their face, sweeping, and cleaning a table). The first student (Student A), was shown a pre-recorded video of the task being performed and asked to perform the task. The second student (Student B) was presented with a …

Special Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Predictors For Improving Post School Outcomes For Students With Disabilities, Ann Marie Wilkinson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Students with disabilities are faced with overwhelming challenges as they transition from high school to postsecondary education, careers, and independent living. Legislation has mandated that schools provide services for students with disabilities to prepare them for these transitions into adult life (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004). To assist schools in providing more meaningful services, the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) identified and defined 20 predictors for post-school success (Test, Mazzotti et al., 2009, Test & Cook, 2012, Rowe et al., 2015, & Mazzotti et al., 2016). This study examined the perceptions of high school special education teachers …

Effects Of Behavioral Skills Training With In Situ Training On Workplace Conversational Skills Of Transition-Aged High School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Holly N. Whittenburg

Theses and Dissertations

Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience high rates of unemployment in the years immediately following high school (Hendricks & Wehman, 2009; Roux et al., 2015), yet very few studies to date have investigated approaches to teaching transition-aged high school students work-related social skills within competitive, integrated workplace settings. Furthermore, difficulties in developing relationships with coworkers within the workplace may negatively affect employment (Baldwin et al., 2014; Sperry & Mesibov, 2005). Research is needed that examines methods for improving interactions with coworkers.

This study investigated the effects of a behavioral skills training (BST) with in situ training intervention package …