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