Exploring the applicability of occupational therapy transition assessments for students with disabilities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Young adults with disabilities often require extensive support and planning to ensure that they have a successful transition from the secondary education setting to the postsecondary work, education/training, and living environment. The purpose of this study was to improve occupational therapy support to transition teams by evaluating feedback from transition team members (teachers, therapists, psychologists, and administrators) about occupational therapist conducted postsecondary transition assessments. These occupational therapist transition assessments were conducted for individuals with developmental disabilities who were preparing to transition from high school to the postsecondary community setting. The occupational therapist conducted 18 transition assessments and collected 71 feedback surveys from the interdisciplinary special education team members during the district’s special education transition programme planning and evaluation process. This study examines the feedback from these special educators about those evaluations. The study results yielded useful information regarding the agreed value that occupational therapy conducted transition assessments bring to the transition team for transition planning. This study also identified four foundational assessment areas that occupational therapists should always consider when conducting a transition assessment. These areas include the student’s sensory processing, occupational performance, vocational interests, and self-determined postsecondary goals.