Lyman L. Dukes

Transition to Postsecondary Education: A Call for Evidence-Based Practice.

Transition policy and programs have primarily focused on preparing students with disabilities for employment. Public policy over the last three decades has gradually broadened to include increasing emphasis on transition to postsecondary education. To date, the literature has primarily addressed matters related to demographics, legislation and policy, and the differences in expectations between secondary and postsecondary education. The authors call upon the field to set a transition research agenda resulting in evidence-based practices that will support the postsecondary educational goals of all students with disabilities.

How to Complete a Summary of Performance for Students Exiting to Postsecondary Education

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 mandates that students with disabilities graduating or aging out of the P—12 school system be provided with a summary of academic achievement and functional performance (SOP). The SOP should provide the student with one document that summarizes available formal and informal assessment data. This article presents an overview of the SOP, as well as an example SOP for a hypothetical student. The SOP form used in this article is based on the template developed by the National Transition Assessment Summit, which has been ratified by seven national and international professional disability organizations.

Not just children anymore : Personnel preparation regarding postsecondary education for adults with disabilities.

Given the significant growth in the number of adults with disabilities pursuing postsecondary education, it has become necessary to not only prepare more people to assume professional roles at the college and university level to work with this population, but also to enhance the knowledge of secondary-level special education personnel regarding the needs of students with disabilities who choose to pursue higher education following high school. The professionalization of postsecondary disability services, the changes in services available to students in postsecondary education, and suggestions to improve personnel preparation related to the transition to postsecondary education for students with disabilities are discussed.

Making Blended Instruction Better: Integrating the Principles of Universal Design for Instruction into Course Design and Delivery

Abstract Online instruction in general and blended instruction in particular have gained a sizable and permanent foothold in postsecondary educational environments. In addition, student diversity has become the norm. Universal design for instruction is a framework that consists of nine principles for instructional design and delivery; it proposes that course designers proactively consider the needs of all students. The present article discusses the convergence of blended instructional techniques with universal design for instruction, which provides a unique opportunity for course designers to address the needs of a diverse student population.

Perceived Personnel Development Needs of Postsecondary Disabilities Services Professionals

Students with disabilities have begun to make significant strides with regard to the fulfillment of traditional adult roles. Though not perfect, transition planning has improved the outcomes for students with disabilities who enter college and matriculate. However, many barriers still exist for students with disabilities who have a desire to continue their education following high school. There has been a significant increase in the supports available for students with disabilities at the postsecondary level, but these services are rarely appropriately planned or validated as effective. An important step toward well-planned and empirically validated services is the appropriate professional preparation of the staff who oversee services for students with disabilities at colleges and universities. In fact, the Presidents Commission on Excellence in Education has recommended that all relevant postsecondary level personnel be provided supports that will allow greater numbers of students with disabilities to successfully complete a postsecondary education. This manuscript describes postsecondary disability service providers and the supports their offices need to offer. It reviews the evidence that training is necessary and recommends methods for improving personnel preparation.

Higher Education and Disability: A Systematic Review of Assessment Instruments Designed for Students, Faculty, and Staff.

In this study, the literature in disability and higher education was examined, with a specific focus on assessment instruments. Published articles (n = 203) on development of new or refinement of existing instruments were reviewed for traits measured and psychometric rigor reported. Findings showed instruments are intended for professionals and students, and of the student instruments, broad categories are academic, nonacademic, and specific to a disability diagnosis. Not all instruments are limited to students with disabilities; many of the reviewed instruments can be utilized in higher-education settings on all students, faculty, and staff, regardless of disability. The implications of the findings undergird the urgency to prioritize disability as a facet of diversity within higher-education scholarship, and furthermore aid this prioritization by providing a catalogue of robust instruments to researchers and practitioners.

Thirty-Five Years of Transition Topics A Review of CDTEI Issues From 1978 to 2012

A systematic review was conducted of 581 articles published in 76 issues of Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals from the journal’s initial issue in 1978 to the final issue of its 35th year in 2012. Articles were coded based on inclusion of original or secondary data and if not, what type of information the article contained. In the case of articles that presented data, statistics were collected related to sample demographics and the location of the study. In addition, the topic of each article was coded. The most common topical areas were program descriptions and professional development. Trends throughout the analysis are discussed to forecast topical areas needing study as the journal goes forward.

Literature on postsecondary disability services: A call for research guidelines.

Support services for students with disabilities is now a distinct field of practice in higher education, with a significant increase in the number of students receiving services, programs to serve them, and professionals who oversee the programs. The field has professional and program standards, a code of ethics, and a disability service specific professional organization. Correspondingly, an extensive corpus of professional literature has emerged. However, though the research base has great breadth, it lacks significant depth, has poor sample and setting descriptions, and lacks methodological rigor. The result is that there is insufficient evidence spelling out what practices work with which students and in which settings. Guidelines intended to steer future research could have significant impact upon scholars conducting research and, subsequently, higher education. The present article describes the current state of the research base and proposes future directions to guide research.