Transition Resources

Reference to these resources is not intended to be an endorsement by DCDT of any specific organization or developer.

Brand New Resources

The National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2)

Wave 3 2005 data tables of the parent and youth interviews are now available on the study website. NLTS2 has recently updated the website and features a keyword search function to help access topics of interest in the many reports currently available on the site.

IDEA (2004) Regulations Related to Secondary Transition
On August 14, 2006, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) released the official regulations for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004). This document is designed to provide a quick reference to regulations, comments, and discussions related to secondary transition. Also see www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html#final-regs for additional information.

Federal Agencies

Federal agencies establish policy, provide grants and funding opportunities, and administer many vocationally oriented programs at the federal, state, and local levels.

Department of Education
This Department of Education site is designed to help pursue the President's initiatives, including No Child Left Behind, and advance the mission of the Department - to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. It also supports the work of ED offices, led by senior ED officials.

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts and administering the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). OSEP's IDEA 2004 News, Information, and Resources page lists helpful information on the implementation of the Act including the final regulations for Part B.

The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) oversees formula and discretionary grant programs that help individuals with physical or mental disabilities to obtain employment and live more independently through the provision of such supports as counseling, medical and psychological services, job training and other individualized services.

Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) administers Career and Technical Education, commonly known as vocational education, is a massive enterprise in the U.S. Thousands of comprehensive high schools, vocational and technical high schools, area vocational centers, and community colleges offer vocational education programs.

Department of Labor
Getting people back to work is what this Department does. Giving people hope in their future is its job. Comprehensive Regional Laboratories.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy provides national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment policy and practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities

Social Security Administration
SSA's Work Site offers employment support for people with disabilities by providing a focus on matters affecting the employment of Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities. There is a separate page for youth.

Organizations

There are many non-profit and for-profit organizations and agencies that administer programs and/or websites related to transition.

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)
AHEAD is the premiere professional association committed to full participation of persons with disabilities in postsecondary education.

Center for Law and Education
CLE strives to make the right of all students to quality education a reality throughout the nation and to help enable communities to address their own public education problems effectively, with an emphasis on assistance to low-income students and communities.

Regional Resource and Federal Centers - A program of the Academy for Educational Development (AED), the Disabilities Studies and Services Center (DSSC) designs programs that meet the unique information, technical assistance, training, and research needs of professionals and programs who serve to improve the lives of infants, toddlers, children, youth, and adults with disabilities, and their families.

Gallaudet University's Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center shares the concerns of parents and professionals about the achievement of deaf and hard of hearing students in different learning environments across the country. Transition is one of the three priority programs at the Clerc Center.

The HEATH Resource Center of The George Washington University, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, is the national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. Support from the U.S. Department of Education enables the clearinghouse to serve as an information exchange about educational support services, policies, procedures, adaptations, and opportunities at American campuses, vocational-technical schools, and other postsecondary training entities.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN), funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability and Employment Policy is a free consulting service that provides information about job accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the employability of people with disabilities.

Mobility International USA (MIUSA)
MIUSA's mission is empowering people with disabilities around the world through international exchange and development to achieve their human rights. Many of MIUSA's programs are designed for youth and in cooperation with a postsecondary institution.

National Business and Disability Council
The Council is a resource for employers seeking to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace and companies seeking to reach people with disabilities in the consumer marketplace.

National Center for Educational Outcomes
NCEO provides national leadership in the participation of students with disabilities and limited English proficient students in national and state assessments, standards-setting efforts, and graduation requirements.

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
NCSET is center on transition issues for youth with disabilities, funded by the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
NCWD/Youth is your source for information about employment and youth with disabilities. Our partners - experts in disability, education, employment, and workforce development - strive to ensure you will be provided with the highest quality, most relevant information available.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)
NICHCY is a comprehensive information resource center for children with disabilities and provides information to the nation on: disabilities in children and youth; programs and services for infants, children, and youth with disabilities; IDEA, the nation's special education law; No Child Left Behind, the nation's general education law; and research-based information on effective practices for children with disabilities.

National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC)
NSTTAC To assist states to build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities.

Pacer Center
Our mission is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life of children and young adults with disabilities and their families, based on the concept of parents helping parents.

ThinkCollege.net
Youth with intellectual disabilities have not had many chances to go to college. This is changing as individuals across the country begin to create opportunities for these youth to reap the benefits of postsecondary education. This website will provide information and links to anyone interested in finding out more about the possibilities.

TransCen
A national, non-profit organization whose name was adopted to illustrate its role as a "transition center," is known nationally for its expertise in training and technical assistance, as well as advocacy efforts to improve educational and employment outcomes for all individuals.

Human Rights and Cultural Diversity

What Works Clearinghouse – English Language Learners
This website provides an overview of selected academic interventions for English Language Learners. The authors do not address transition-related instruction, however, many academic skills are directly related to post-school goal attainment, making this information relevant. As the authors note, they omit recommendations of interventions regarding language of instruction.

Resputas a las Preguntas mas Comunes sobre los Servicios de Transicion y el Programa de Educacion Especializada (IEP).
The Transition Coalition at the University of Kansas has created a publication entitled, "Resputas a las Preguntas mas Comunes sobre los Servicios de Transicion y el Programa de Educacion Especializada (IEP)." This Spanish language text explains transition components of IEPs and provides answers to frequently asked questions.

Youth at Work
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's website for Youth provides detailed information in English and Spanish about youths' responsibilities and rights in the workforce. Making sure that youth have access to information about is one important step in culturally responsive transition planning.

National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities
This website provides a list of scholarships available to youth with LD who are transitioning to college and university. Click on the scholarship and Financial Assistance link to learn more.

Publications and Products (don't forget to consider DCDT publications)

There are many publications regarding the topic of transition. In making your decision to use specific materials, consider the audience to which the product is targeted, who developed the materials, the publication date of the materials, and how relevant the materials are to your specific purposes.

Early Career Awareness and Development for Students with Disabilities in Elementary and Middle Schools: An Overview of Early Career and Transition Programs. (2002). Shanley, J. & Gerver, M. Elementary and Middle Schools Technical Assistance Center (EMSTAC) at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) in Washington, DC. Microsoft Word version. PDF version.

Parenting Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities: Becoming the Mentor, Advocate, and Guide Your Young Adult Needs. (1992). National Center on Secondary Education and Transition.

Parents and the School-to-Work Transition of Special Needs Youth. (1993). Lankard, Bettina A. ED363798. Eric Digests - ED363798

School-to-Work Transition in Language Arts Classrooms: School-Based Learning Approaches and Practices. (1998). Ngeow, K. Y.H. ERIC Digest - ED424590.

What Does Research Say About School-to-Work Transition? C. Law, R.A. Knuth, and S. Bergman. NCREL, Oak Brook, 1992

University Programs and Personnel Preparation

Learn about university programs that can prepare you to become a transition educator or specialist. Talk with students and faculty affiliated with the college program to learn more about the quality and requirements of the program. Ask questions about the program's accreditation and the licensure requirements in the state in which you want to work.

There are many programs at colleges and universities around this country that offer a specialty in school to work transition. Visit the National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education (NCPSE) at the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) to learn more about these university programs.

DCDT is a Division of the

Top | Home | Officers | Join DCDT | Publications
Professional Development Calendar | Transition Resources
DCDT Subdivisions | Contact | Search