Sharon H. deFur

Listening to Student Voices

Abstract This study explores the perspectives of rural and suburban adolescents on the nature of schools, teaching, and leadership that influences learning. Middle and high school students with and without disabilities offer relevant insights to educators who are seeking to promote greater engagement, community, and success in their schools. Results suggest that student voices can be a powerful tool for school improvement.

IEP Transition Planning-From Compliance to Quality

Transition planning and Individual Education Programs (IEP) evolved as two distinct processes prior to the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990. Integrating transition planning into the IEP process creates both quality and compliance challenges, as well as opportunities, for practitioners and for families and students. This article presents a model for integrating transition into the IEP with a focus on developing quality student-centered strategic plans. Strategies for developing effective transition practices, following meaningful processes, and creating efficient and effective IEP products are described.

Individual Transition Plans

A descriptive analysis of transition plans for students with learning disabilities was conducted across 14 school divisions in Virginia. The results indicate that community representatives rarely participate in formal transition planning meetings for these individuals. In light of what is known about the postschool educational and employment outcomes of these students, it is essential that educators, family members, and students themselves receive training and technical assistance on how to use individual transition plans as planning tools for schools and community organizations to guide students with learning disabilities through the transition process.

Parents as Collaborators: Building Partnerships with Schooland Community-Based Providers

Parental involvement and parent–school–community partnerships receive wide acclaim for making a positive difference in the educational and transition outcomes for youth with and without disabilities (Epstein, 2005; Family Strengthening Policy Center, 2004; Harvard Family Research Project, 2007; Lindstrom, Doren, Metheny, Johnson, & Zane, 2007; Wood, Rogers, & Yancey, 2006). Although the impact of parental involvement in education remains undisputed, secondary education traditionally emphasizes the emerging adult independence of adolescents as developmentally appropriate. Consequently, the role of parents in secondary education often receives diminished attention. For example, participation in student individualized education program (IEP) meetings, attendance at optional parent–teacher conferences, back-to-school night meetings, or other traditional family involvement indices frequently decrease during high school (Harvard Family Research Project, 2007). At the same time, the majority of families, with and without children with disabilities, take for granted that there will be a lifetime relationship among family members. Some families presume this care-giving responsibility relationship extends to all members of the family. Adopting a family-collaboration perspective, the transition field must recognize that families continue to influence and support their children with disabilities well into adulthood, and that seeking adult independence for young adults with disabilities while establishing interdependence with families is not a contradictory strategy. In fact, partnerships between parents and service providers during the transition period represent a critical strategy toward achieving student transition goals. Partnerships between families and transition service providers serve two primary purposes: (a) to improve transition services and outcomes for youth with disabilities, and (b) to develop within each family the knowledge and skills that will be needed for families to continue in an appropriate support role for their adult son or daughter with a disability.

The Evolution Toward Lifelong Learning as a Critical Transition Outcome for the 21st Century

Forces including legislation, policy, standards-based educational reforms, and changing economic and social conditions have dramatically altered the conversation and practices around postsecondary transition. This article traces the development of postsecondary transition as it is reflected in the professional literature and federal legislation since 1975. Over time, increasing expectations, access, and outcomes for students with disabilities are moving the goals for transition toward postsecondary education and lifelong learning to help graduates achieve continuing success in employment and adult life.

Supporting Student Self-Regulation to Access the General Education Curriculum.

During a fall co-planning meeting, Ms. Williams (fourth-grade teacher) and Mr. Garcia (special education co-teacher) were discussing three students with disabilities who were exhibiting challenging behaviors. Peter, who has a learning disability in reading, gives up easily and seldom completes tasks. Juan, a student with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has difficulty with organization. Mara, who has autism spectrum disorder, has difficulty with changes in classroom routines and transitions, resulting in frequent outbursts. Ms. Williams said, “For goodness sake, they are in fourth grade and should be developing responsibility—how will they ever learn!?”

Transition to Postsecondary Education

With the most recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004), concerns were expressed in the transition field that the Act deemphasized the focus on transition. In contrast, I am proposing that transition and transition outcomes have become a primary accountability measure for the education that special education students receive while in public schools. For example, The IDEA of 2004 requires states to develop and report on performance measures that operationally describe the effectiveness of special education for students in that state. States must develop performance indicators and report on (a) the percentage of youth aged 16 and older with an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) that includes coordinated, measurable, annual IEP goals and transition services that will reasonably enable the student to meet his or her postsecondary goals; and (b) the percentage of youth who have had IEPs, are no longer in secondary school, and have been competitively employed, enrolled in some type of postsecondary school, or both, within one year of leaving high school. An unspoken expectation of both policy and policymakers is that schools will be preparing students for transition to postsecondary education. Unquestionably, the increased emphasis on academic standards has forced some students and their families to choose between two courses of study: one, a primary focus on occupational preparation in high school; or, two, a course of study that follows expectations of applying for postsecondary programs. This special issue examines current issues in the transition to postsecondary education for youth with disabilities. Across all four articles the case is made that youth and young adults with disabilities need services and preparation both for postsecondary education and occupational