Apply key principles and strategies from the highly successful Project SEARCH(R) model?and help young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities get, keep, and succeed at a fulfilling job of their choice.

The transition from high school is challenging for any student, but for young adults with disabilities, it can be even more difficult. In addition to adjusting to increased academic demands in an environment where there is less structure and support, students have to navigate a disability services system that is very different from the one they knew in high school. But with the proper preparation, students can enjoy success! This practical guide explains how the system for accommodations works, describes students' rights and responsibilities within that system, and employs the voices of seasoned professionals and college students to explain the skills and strategies students should develop while they are in high school to ensure success when they reach college. As a bonus, it also offers answers to questions students with disabilities frequently ask about disclosing their disability in the admissions process.

As anxieties about America's economic competitiveness mounted in the 1980s, so too did concerns that the nation's schools were not adequately preparing young people for the modern workplace. Spurred by widespread joblessness and job instability among young adults, the federal government launched ambitious educational reforms in the 1990s to promote career development activities for students. In recent years, however, the federal government has shifted its focus to test-based reforms like No Child Left Behind that emphasize purely academic subjects. At this critical juncture in education reform, Improving School-To-Work Transitions, edited by David Neumark, weighs the successes and failures of the '90s-era school-to-work initiatives, and assesses how high schools, colleges, and government can help youths make a smoother transition into stable, well-paying employment. Drawing on evidence from national longitudinal studies, surveys, interviews, and case studies, the contributors to Improving School-To-Work Transitions offer thought-provoking perspectives on a variety of aspects of the school-to-work problem. Deborah Reed, Christopher Jepsen, and Laura Hill emphasize the importance of focusing school-to-work programs on the diverse needs of different demographic groups, particularly immigrants, who represent a growing proportion of the youth population. David Neumark and Donna Rothstein investigate the impact of school-to-work programs on the "forgotten half," students at the greatest risk of not attending college. Using data from the 1997 National Longitudinal Study of Youth, they find that participation by these students in programs like job shadowing, mentoring, and summer internships raise employment and college attendance rates among men and earnings among women. In a study of nine high schools with National Academy Foundation career academies, Terry Orr and her fellow researchers find that career academy participants are more engaged in school and are more likely to attend a four-year college than their peers. Nan Maxwell studies the skills demanded in entry-level jobs and finds that many supposedly "low-skilled" jobs actually demand extensive skills in reading, writing, and math, as well as the "new basic skills" of communication and problem-solving. Maxwell recommends that school districts collaborate with researchers to identify which skills are most in demand in their local labor markets. At a time when test-based educational reforms are making career development programs increasingly vulnerable, it is worth examining the possibilities and challenges of integrating career-related learning into the school environment. Written for educators, policymakers, researchers, and anyone concerned about how schools are shaping the economic opportunities of young people, Improving School-To-Work Transitions provides an authoritative guide to a crucial issue in education reform.

Schools and community agencies must work together to provide transition services to secondary students with disabilities. Effective transition requires the resources and expertise of adult service agencies, community groups, employers, families, school transition specialists, teachers and other practitioners. This book provides a step-by-step process and concrete strategies by which secondary special educators can build collaborative relationships with service agencies and others in the community to provide transition services. 26 strategies are broken down into specific activities to bring the needed groups and individuals to the table and into transition teams, and communicate effectively to plan and deliver transition services that are collaborative, effective, and sustainable.

Addressing the full range of curricular and instructional issues that face professionals working in middle school, high school, and post-high school programs, Successful Transition Programs: Pathways for Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Second Edition is the most relevant text available for teachers and administrators. Authors John McDonnell and Michael L. Hardman take the position that the most effective transition programs are those that cumulatively build on the capacity of students for employment, community living, and citizenship. Key Features and Benefits Covers systematic transition planning, employment preparation, participation in the general education curriculum, instruction in community settings, and preparing students to live as independently as possible Aligns with recommended practice in the field and with federal legislation governing educational and community service programs Contains ecological curriculum models for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities Includes focus review questions, real-life example windows, and point/counterpoint boxes from key researchers on controversial issues to help readers connect the book's concepts with the typical needs of students

Comprehensively addressing the challenges of transition, this book provides practical knowledge and tools geared toward real-world educators. It presents clear guidelines for all aspects of team-based transition planning for individuals with various levels of disability, illustrated with vignettes of three secondary students who are followed throughout the book. The authors describe evidence-based practices for conducting assessments and promoting optimal outcomes in the areas of employment, postsecondary education, and independent living. Keys to family involvement, self-determination, interagency collaboration, and problem solving are highlighted. Several reproducible forms can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size.

"Covering transition policies and practices, Transition Planning for Secondary Students with Disabilities, 4th edition, emphasizes how to let student goals and future environments guide transition planning and programming. The text tackles a range of transition topics from legislative policies to specific transition activities. A strong theme emphasizes four essential elements of transition and connects content across chapters and topics. Unlike other books, this one offers a unique backward planning process that focuses on a student's self-determined goals and post-school environments as a basis for current transition planning."-- Back cover.