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Chapter 15
Transitioning to Adulthood
How Do Former Special Education Students Fare as Adults?
• Completing high school – Only 25% of the students with disabilities exited high school with a diploma
in the 1999-2000 school year
• Employment status– The unemployment rate for young adults with disabilities is 36.5% when
they have been out of school for 3-5 years. Worst for students with sensory disabilities.
• Postsecondary education– 27% of young adults with disabilities enrolled in postsecondary education
compared with 68% of the general population
• Overall adjustment and success– 37% live independently compared to 60% of the general population– 4 out of 5 former special education students had still not achieved the
status of independent adulthood after being out of high school for up to 5 years
What does it mean to be adjusted?
• Independent functioning in three domains:
– Employment
• full time job, or job training
– Residential arrangement
• living alone, with spouse or roommate
– Social activities
• having friends, belonging to social groups
Transition Services• Transition is a process involving the coordination, delivery,
and transfer of services from school to post-school agencies
Definition of Transition Services in IDEA
• Outcome-oriented process based upon the student’s individual needs and preferences
• Includes:– Instruction
– Related services
– Community experiences
– Employment
– Daily living opportunities
– Functional vocational evaluation
Transition Services Models
• Funding authorized for secondary education and transitional services
• Will’s bridges model of school-to-work transition (secondary ed to work)
– Three levels of service:• No transition services• Time-limited transition services• Ongoing employment services
• Halpern’s three-dimensional model (not only working is important !)– Three domains:
• Quality of residential environment• Adequacy of social/interpersonal network• Meaningful employment
Individualized Transition Plan
• When a student reaches age 14, IDEA requires the IEP team to consider post-school goals
• When a student reaches age 16, an individualized transition plan must be developed
• Appropriate transition-related objectives should be selected at each age/grade level, beginning in elementary school
Employment
• Preparing students for life after school– Three characteristics to good secondary programs:
• Functional (vocational) skills curriculum• Integrated settings• Community-based instruction
• Competitive employment – Performs work valued by an employer– Functions in an integrated setting with non-disabled
coworkers– Earns at or above the minimum wage
Employment (cont.)
• Supported employment for adults with moderate and severe MR– Small business enterprise
• New business use individuals with disabilities as part of their workforce
– Mobile work crew• E.g., construction, maintenance
– Workstation• Specific projects performed by a group of workers (e.g., paper
shredding) – Individual placement
• E.g., jobs at large organizations such as Starbucks, Target, etc.
Employment (cont.)
• Natural supports?
• Co-workers?
• Natural and contrived cues?
Employment (cont.)
• Sheltered employment– Vocational setting for adults with disabilities, offer
transitional and extended employment– Similar to a small business enterprise providing rehab,
training, and employment– Business partnerships enable people with disabilities to
contribute to society through meaningful employment and increased independence, self-confidence, and dignity.
– The problems with sheltered employment include limited opportunities for job placement and low pay
– Not staffed or equipped for sophisticated work
Employment (cont.)
• Work Activity Program (WAP) services through the Department of DDS include paid work, work adjustment and supportive habilitation services in a sheltered work shop setting.
• WAPs provide paid work in accordance with Federal and State Fair Labor Standards. They are required to provide work at least 50% of the time.
• Work adjustment services may include developing good work safety practices, money management skills, and appropriate work habits.
• Supportive habilitation services may include social skill and community resource training as long as the services are necessary to achieve vocational objectives.
Residential Alternatives
• Group homes– Provide family style living for a small group of individuals
• Foster homes– As part of a family unit, the adult with disabilities also has
more opportunities to interact with and be accepted by the community at large
• Apartment living– Three types of apartment living arrangements:
• Apartment cluster• Coresidence apartment• Maximum-independence apartment
Residential Alternatives (cont.)
• Supported living– Helping people with disabilities live in the community as
independently and normally as they possibly can
• Institutions– Deinstitutionalization - the movement of people with MR out
of large institutions and into small, community-based living environments - has been an active reality for the past 35 years
Recreation and Leisure
• Recreation and leisure activities do not come easily for many adults with disabilities
• Special educators must realize the importance of including training for recreation and leisure in curricula for school- age children with disabilities
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