Charlotte Y. Alverson

Methods for Collecting Postschool Outcomes Data on Young Adults With Disabilities: A Literature Synthesis

The current U.S. federal mandate for educational accountability requires state departments of education to collect data on the postschool employment and postsecondary school and/or training enrollment of young adults with disabilities. To examine how these data have been collected, we conducted a literature synthesis of follow-up and follow-along studies to answer four critical questions: (a) What data collection methods were used? (b) What were the sample characteristics? (c) What variables were examined? (d) What postschool outcomes were identified? We report the answers to these questions, discuss the limitations of our synthesis, outline implications for stakeholders, and make recommendations for state researchers collecting postschool outcomes data and for education professionals using these data to improve secondary transition programs for students with disabilities.

A Delphi Study to Operationalize Evidence-Based Predictors in Secondary Transition

Although there are many activities (e.g., transition services), derived from correlational research, that occur while students are in school that increase the likelihood of positive post-school outcomes, many teachers continue to provide services shown to have little to no effect on outcomes of students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to operationally define the predictors of post-school success for educators to understand what is necessary to develop, implement, and evaluate secondary transition programs based on predictor research. Results conclude experts in the field reached consensus on an operational definition and set of essential program characteristics for each predictor of post-school success to aid practitioners in implementing these practices.

Successful vocational outcomes: A multilevel analysis of self-employment through U.S. vocational rehabilitation agencies

The last sentence of the first full paragraph on page 19 of section 2.3.2 HLM statistical analyses should read: A population-average model would answer a different question, for example, of how unemployment or being male affects the nationwide log odds of self-employment closure, holding constant other predictors, and averaging the random effects value across all states (i.e., nationwide average). The last sentence of the third and final paragraph of section 4.3.1 Implications for Researchers should read: Thus, moving forward, self-employment should be studied with longitudinal research designs, spanning several years.

“Just Having a Job”: Career Advancement for Low-Wage Workers With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This study examined career development and early employment experiences for four young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Researchers used a multiple-method, multiple case-study longitudinal design to explore career development within the context of family systems, high school and transition programs, adult services, and early and continued experiences in the labor market. Data sources included school and rehabilitation records, job observations, and interviews with young adults, family members, high school special education personnel, employers, and adult agency staff (N = 39). During the early career years, participants maintained stable employment, but earned annual wages well under the federal poverty line. Employment opportunities seemed to be influenced by family advocacy and expectations, school-based work experiences, job development services, and work environments.

Employment Outcomes of Vocational Rehabilitation Clients With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Research has consistently documented poor employment outcomes for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Vocational rehabilitation (VR) services provide substantial federal and state commitments to individuals with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment. To date, little research has examined the relationship between VR services and employment outcomes of clients with ASD. The purpose of this descriptive study was to better understand employment outcomes of individuals with ASD. Data spanning 10 years from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 911 database were analyzed to identify characteristics of VR clients with ASD and the services they received. The percent of individuals who achieved competitive employment averaged 37% across the 10 years. Those who achieved an employment outcome participated in twice as many services as those who did not achieve an employment outcome.

Assessing Transition Skills in the 21st Century.

T EA C H IN G E xc ep ti on al C hi ld re n , V ol . 47 , N o. 6 , pp . 30 1 – 30 9. C op yr ig ht 2 01 5 T he A ut ho r( s) . D O I: 1 0. 11 77 /0 04 00 59 91 55 87 67 0 Ms. Quincy and Ms. Lorenzo are special education teachers at Cato Town High School. Ms. Quincy is a veteran teacher who has worked with students with various disabilities and a range of support needs (e.g., specific learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder) throughout her career. Ms. Lorenzo, in her first year of teaching, is mentored by Ms. Quincy. Lately, Ms. Lorenzo has been asking questions about the components of the transition assessment process. Specifically, Ms. Lorenzo does not know where to begin to determine what to assess, where to find assessments, and how to make use of assessment data when developing transition plans. As a result of the demanding 21st-century workforce, local education agencies are beginning to refocus and retool to ensure students with disabilities have the knowledge and skills to be productive adults and attain positive postschool outcomes. The skills 21st-century transition assessments address are relevant to teachers and students given the need for all students to be college and career ready. However, there is evidence that practitioners are not familiar with the transition assessment process—a process that is essential to supporting students in developing the skills they need to achieve their college, career, and life goals. When considering the transition assessment process, it is important for teachers to be aware of the multitude of skills that can be assessed to provide a comprehensive picture of a student’s abilities and needs. In the 21st century, conducting transition assessments with all students is beneficial. Transition assessments (e.g., vocational, career, selfdetermination, independent living, college readiness) provide teachers with information to ensure all students are college and career ready. Specifically, the Blueprint for Reform (hereafter Blueprint; U.S. Department of Education, 2010) outlined a plan for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and called for “better assessments” and “a complete education” for all students, including students with disabilities. Related to better assessment, the Blueprint called for assessments aligned with college and career success (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). The transition assessment process consists of five separate but interconnected processes (see Figure 1): determining what to assess, selecting appropriate assessments, conducting assessments, analyzing assessment results, and using assessment data. Transition assessment is an ongoing process of collecting information on a student’s strengths, interests, preferences, skills or aptitudes, and needs related to current demands and future career, educational, personal, and social environments (Sitlington & Payne, 2004). Transition assessment provides a foundation for defining individualized education program (IEP) goals and transition services and guides instructional decision making. The transition assessment process is strengthened when teachers across the curricula collaborate to conduct transition assessments related to specific content areas (Mazzotti & Rowe, in press). Transition assessment should include four broad topics: academic achievement, self-determination, vocational interest and exploration, and adaptive behavior and independent living (Walker, Kortering, Fowler, Rowe, & Bethune, 2013). Neubert and Leconte (2013) suggested transition assessment information is further strengthened when it includes skills and aptitudes a student has as well as the skills needed to be successful in the next environment. 587670 TCXXXX10.1177/0040059915587670Council for Exceptional ChildrenTEACHING Exceptional Children research-article2015

Factors of Successful Self-Employment Through Vocational Rehabilitation for Individuals With Disabilities

A review of empirical research on self-employment of individuals with disabilities in the United States found that success appears to be influenced most by three factors: accountability systems, level of supports, and individual characteristics. In the present study, a conceptual framework based on that review was tested on federal data on individuals with disabilities who had become successfully self-employed through Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services. Data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The initial model did not converge to an admissible solution; therefore, it was respecified. The subsequent model converged to an admissible solution, however, model fit varied across location and time. A number of factors yet remain to be uncovered and tested to explain these variations. The study concludes with a discussion of limitations, recommendations for further research, and implications for researchers, VR agencies, and policy makers.

High School to College: Transition Experiences of Young Adults With Autism

Youth with disabilities are less likely to enroll and complete postsecondary education than their nondisabled peers. Using a qualitative, cross-case design, we investigated the high school to college transition experiences of young adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS). Data sources included a family questionnaire, review of special education records, and multiple individual interviews (N = 27) with young adults with AS, family members, teachers, and rehabilitation counselors. Social skills, communication, and executive functioning challenges in high school continued into postsecondary education settings. Across cases, five reoccurring themes seemed to influence the transition from high school to postsecondary education: (a) motivation to attend college, (b) high levels of disability awareness, (c) intentional family supports, (d) coordinated transition planning, and (e) clear postschool goals.

Individuals With Disabilities in Self-Employment Through Vocational Rehabilitation: Predictors of Successful Case Closure From 2008 to 2012

Since the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal and state governments have played a significant role in the employment of individuals with disabilities. In the present study, one aspect of that relationship was analyzed—individuals with disabilities who received vocational rehabilitation (VR) services to become self-employed. The authors utilized a two-level hierarchical generalized linear modeling to analyze national data from the Rehabilitation Services Administration for fiscal years 2008–2012. Among several significant (p < .001) predictors of successful VR self-employment case closure across the years, ethnicity had the largest effect, followed by gender. Although the findings from this study build on those from a previous study, conclusions about the predictors are tentative. Nevertheless, the findings add to a sparse literature on VR self-employment of individuals with disabilities, and the authors discuss the study’s implications for researchers and VR and provide suggestions for further research.

Taking Responsibility: Preparing Young Offenders to Handle Disclosure on the Job.

In facilitating prosocial identity formation and preventing recidivism among adjudicated youth upon reentry to school and community, one key issue to address is the confidentiality of juvenile records. Educators can support young offenders by teaching youth to problem-solve the disclosure of past juvenile involvements. This article discusses two lessons that aim to help adjudicated youth take responsibility for past mistakes, use discretion when discussing their history, and communicate future goals to potential employers.