Aligning Transition Services with Secondary Educational Reform: A Position Statement of the Division on Career Development and Transition

Policy and Practice Considerations to Support College and Career Readiness for Youth With Disabilities: A Systematic Mixed Studies Review

Youth with disabilities must be college and career ready to be prepared for adult life. Policy efforts confirm this prioritization (Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA], 2015; Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act [IDEIA], 2004). Parallel to the emergence of college and career readiness (CCR), transition planning and service requirements have promoted successful transitions to postschool education, employment, and community living (IDEIA, 2004). However, not all high schools provide a range of CCR supports for these students. We conducted a systematic mixed studies review to investigate the prevalence of five domains of CCR identified in the literature. Findings revealed the five domains had a range of coverage across the literature with academic engagement and process-oriented skills comprising more citations and transition competencies least likely to be included. In addition, across the CCR literature, data for students with disabilities were rarely disaggregated, which confirms that we know even less about the effectiveness of the five domains for these students. Clear gaps were identified and suggests research often does not inform CCR policy and/or practice decisions.

Interventions for Transition-Age Youth With Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis of Group Design Studies

This meta-analytic review investigated interventions for transition-age youth diagnosed with autism, intellectual disability, or extensive support needs. Nineteen group design studies with 215 effect sizes met inclusion criteria. A robust variance estimation procedure that accounts for the clustering effect sizes within studies was used to synthesize effect sizes within each intervention and outcome type. Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy interventions have significant and positive effects on gross motor outcomes (g = 0.73, p < 0.01). All remaining interventions and outcomes could not be synthesized due to a limited number of studies, but are further described in a narrative manner. Recommendations for future research include improving the methodological quality of intervention studies and further analyzing the effects of interventions for transition-age youth.

How Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Specialists Influence Curricula for Students With Severe Disabilities

According to decades of research on secondary transition for individuals with disabilities, cross-agency collaboration with adult service providers is an integral element of positive post-school outcomes. While much has been written about the general functions of vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals and their part in the transition planning process, limited research has explored the role these professionals play in curriculum decisions, particularly for students with the most significant disabilities. Through the use of semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, the authors explain the work of six transition specialists in a midwestern state who are jointly funded by VR and the respective local education agencies with which they work. Specifically, their influence on the development and implementation of transition-related curricula for students with severe disabilities is addressed. Participating VR transition specialists reported that they influence curricula through a collaborative approach, and focus on resource and knowledge sharing. These professionals also reported delivering several direct-service activities to students inside and outside of the school environment.