Transition Planning for Adolescents with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

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Transition planning is essential for helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities transition from high school to adulthood. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA], 2004) requires transition planning for all students with disabilities beginning by age 14 (20 U.S.C. 1401(a)(19)). Transition planning includes a focus on activities as employment, recreation, postsecondary education, self-determination, and community living and participation after the student graduates (34 C.F.R. 601(d)(1)(A)). IDEA mandates transition services be part of each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Parents, the adolescents, and the educators, transition coordinators, and clinical staff (e.g. school counselor) at the school give input and develop goals to be document that will help the adolescents develop the skills, supports, and relationships they will need to achieve their desired postsecondary goals.
Despite legislation like IDEA, the post secondary outcomes for individuals with and intellectual or developmental disability have been poor. This literature review will examine the transition planning process for adolescents with an intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). For the purposes of this paper, I/DD will be defined as a disability that is manifest before the age of 22, significantly limits the individual in 3 or more areas of major life activity (self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity to live independently, and economic self-sufficiency), and will require lifelong services and supports. It will explore will give an overview of suggested tips for transition planning i...

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...://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ822562&site=ehost-live&scope=site; http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1053451208326047
Sitlington, P. L., & Payne, E. M. (2004). Information needed by postsecondary education: Can we provide it as part of the transition assessment process? Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 2(2), 1-14. Retrieved from https://auth.lib.unc.edu/ezproxy_auth.php?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ797688&site=ehost-live&scope=site; http://www.ldam.org/publications/contemporary/09-04_TOC.html
Wehman, P. (2006). Integrated employment: If not now, when? if not us, who? Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 31(2), 122-126. Retrieved from https://auth.lib.unc.edu/ezproxy_auth.php?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=22080135&site=ehost-live&scope=site

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