AUTHOR Marder, Camille; D'Amico, Ronald TITLE How Well Are Youth with Disabilities Really Doing? A Comparison of Youth with Disabilities and Youth in General. A Report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students. INSTITUTION SRI International, Menlo Park, Calif. SPONS AGENCY Special Education Programs (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC. PUB DATE Mar 92 CONTRACT 300-87-0054 NOTE 103p. PUB TYPE Reports Research/Technical (143)

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How Well Are Youth with Disabilities Really Doing? A Comparison of Youth with Disabilities and Youth in General. A Report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students.

Many postsecondary educators, scholars, disability practitioners, and administrators make a common assumption that most first-time freshmen experience difficulty making the transition from high school to postsecondary education. It is also apparent from the literature that students with disabilities experience even greater degrees of difficulty during that transition process than do their counterparts without disabilities. Because of the numerous variables involved in the secondary-to-postsecondary transition for students with disabilities, there are few models or paradigms for students and other individuals involved in this process to follow. However, ample information exists in the literature as to the legal/social implications, transitional processes, and self-advocacy /conflict resolution skills to assist students and practitioners in the successful navigation of this complex and sometimes bewildering activity. These facets of transition are explored in terms of their availability, utility, and effect...

Transition from Secondary to Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities: An Exploration of the Phenomenon

Transition planning is an exciting process for all college-bound students. The preparation begins prior to the freshman year in high school when students choose their curriculum. Those who choose college preparatory classes will have more options in the 1990s than in the past. The process continues throughout the high-school years. Academic interests, extracurricular activities, hobbies, and work experiences help students identify their interests and aptitudes. High-school counselors help them integrate these into the exploration of career options, which guide them toward choosing a major area of study in college.

Transition Planning for College-Bound Students with Learning Disabilities

Project Excel, a six-week summer transition program for high-achieving students with disabilities at the University of Arkansas, demonstrated the usefulness of the Higher Education Transition Model as an organizational concept and framework for the administration of the transition process. The model includes psychosocial adjustment, academic development, and university and community orientation as essential considerations for students with disabilities as they enter and adjust to college life. The twelve students who participated in Project Excel received academic advising and personal counseling, enrolled in six hours of college credit, and participated in a wide range of social and recreational activities. Overall, students rated the program as a good- to -excellent college preparatory experience. The process of transition from childhood to adulthood has been a topic of keen interest among educators and social scientists for many years. Recent initiatives within special education and rehabilitation service delivery systems for individuals with disabilities suggest that students with disabilities require more support than their nondisabled peers to progress through the often traumatic adolescent years. School-to work transition programs coordinate educational and vocational rehabilitation services for youths with disabilities, which enables them to initiate the career development process within school curricula (Turner & Szymanski, 1990). Unfortunately, that transition model has not yet been fully applied to higher education, where students with disabilities often encounter a void in vocational rehabilitation where special education left off, with inadequate institutionalized services in place to meet their college transition needs. In other words, choosing to attend college rather than going directly to work after high school puts the student with a disability at a disadvantage, because no formalized transition policies have been established to address the former option.

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Project Excel: A Demonstration of the Higher Education Transition Model for High-Achieving Students with Disabilities.

A survey was conducted among special education administrators in 1,450 local education agencies (LEAs) nationwide, to determine the availability of vocational programs and transition-oriented services for handicapped youth. Results showed that most LEAs offer at least some vocational programs; transition-oriented services are not as frequently available, particularly in smaller LEAs. In addition to size of LEA, community employment opportunities and the availability of adult services were related to whether an LEA offered any transition-related services.

Transition and other Services for Handicapped Students in Local Education Agencies

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Marcia Blanding

Papers

Bridging the Gap: College Preparation for Disabled Students.