Transition activities for students with disabilities

Transition activities for students with disabilities

In order to improve outcomes for youth with disabilities, transition services requirements were included in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA P.L. 101-476).  The basic purpose of including transition components in the legislation is to better prepare students with disabilities to gain access to the supports and services necessary to reach their desired outcomes and become as independent as possible. The transition planning process should promote successful movement from school to post-secondary education and training, employment, independent living, and community participation based on students’ preferences, interests, abilities and needs.

The transition services requirements of IDEA provide opportunities to:

  • Help students and families think about the future and consider what they want to do after high school;
  • Plan how to make the high school experience most relevant to the student’s desired outcomes; and
  • Help students and families make connections to supports and services they may need after high school.

The process of planning and providing transition services based on individual student needs may be challenging in our complicated systems of education with limited resources.

Tab 1: Introduction

  • Introduction (PDF)
    • Table of Contents
    • About Transition
    • Purpose for Charting the Course
    • How to use Charting the Course

Tab 2: Discovering the Road to Transition

  • Transition Basics (PDF)
    • A Transition Story: The Dream
    • Transition: A Process, Concept, and Definition
    • Why Focus on Transition?
    • Why Start Early?
  • Transition Planning (PDF)
    • Which Students Need Transition Planning and When?
    • Transition Planning Begins
    • How Do We Organize for Transition Planning?
    • The Essential Elements for Effective Transition
    • Roles and Responsibilities
    • Age Appropriate Transition Activities
    • Transition Checklist
  • Transition Terminology (PDF)
    • Glossary of Terms
    • Acronyms

Tab 3: Identifying the Destination - Building a Body of Evidence

  • Transition Assessment - Introduction (PDF)
    • Using Transition Assessment in IEP Transition Planning
    • Career/ Vocational Assessment
    • Family Involvement
  • Methods of Gathering Information (PDF)
    • Formal Assessment
    • Informal Assessment
    • Interest Inventories
    • Situational Assessment
    • Environmental Assessment
    • Job Vocational Program Tryouts
    • Commercial Art Tryouts
    • Summarizing, Reporting and Documenting the Data
    • Examples Using Formal/Informal Assessments for Transition Planning
    • Family/ Parent Involvement in Assessment Process
    • Assessment/ Transition Meeting Tips for Parents
    • Career/ Vocational Formal Transition Assessment List
    • Career Interest Software Programs
    • Assessment Documentation Summary Sheet
  • Maintaining the Body of Evidence (PDF)
    • Transition Portfolio
    • Personnel Information Sheet
    • Credit Audit Worksheet
    • Suggested Notebook Contents

Tab 4: Designing the Map - IEP Development

  • Legal Basics (PDF)
    • IDEA Requirements
    • Transition IEP Requirements
    • Transition IEP Compliance Checklist
  • IEP Goals / Transition Meeting (PDF)
    • IEP Transition Planning Summary
    • Transition Planning Worksheet
    • Activities - Before, During, After IEP Meeting
    • Outline and Meeting Requirements
    • How to Develop the Goals - A Model
    • Transition Goals Worksheet
  • Transition Planning Examples (PDF)
    • Transition Planning Worksheet Sample
    • IEP Goals and Objectives Samples

Tab 5: Transition to Careers

  • Career Development (PDF)
    • The Process of Progression in Career Development
    • Stages of Career Development
    • Transition Continuum / Summary
  • Vocational Skills (PDF)
    • Cluster Skills
    • Career Clusters Activity
  • Fair Labor Practices (PDF)
    • Federal Labor Laws for Young Workers - Summary
    • Labor Standards Terminology
    • Checklist for Unpaid Community Work Experiences (Spanish) (PDF)
    • Fair Labor Standards Act
    • Community-Based Vocational Training Contract

Tab 6: Community Agencies

  • Agency Overview
    • Coordination Strategies
    • Sample Questions to Ask
    • Agency Planning Chart
  • Adult and Community Agencies
  • Cooperative Services Handbooks:
    • Cooperative Assessment Guidelines for School Practitioners
    • Cooperative Planning Handbook for Youth with Developmental Disabilities (UNDER REVIEW)
    • Cooperative Services Handbook for Youth in Transition

Tab 7: Tools, Templates, and Worksheets

  • Students (PDF)
  • Students, Spanish (PDF)
    • Credit Audit Worksheet
    • Student Activities/Honors/Awards
    • Student Transition Interview Form
    • Pocket Resume
    • Know Your Rights Pocket Guide
    • Learning Styles Inventory
  • Teachers/Transition Team (PDF)
    • Domain-Skill / Knowledge Inventory
    • Vocational Program Observation Form
    • Planning for Education After High School
    • Planning for Employment
    • Planning for Living Independently
    • Job / Student Match
    • Assessment Documentation Summary Sheet
    • Transition Portfolio
    • Personal Information Sheet
    • Transition IEP Checklist
    • Transition Planning Worksheet
    • Transition Goals Worksheet
    • Checklist for Unpaid Work Experiences
    • Community Based Vocational Training Contract
  • Parents (PDF)
  • Career Academic Planning Guide: Preparing Today for Tomorrow (PDF)
  • The following is a list of the items in the PARENT SECTION of the TOOLKIT:
    • Introduction
    • Questions That Should Be Answered Before Graduation
    • Before: Parent/Family Transition Assessment form
    • Parent Interview - Portfolio Inventory Form
    • Tips for Parents… helping your children plan their careers
    • Preparing your son or daughter for adulthood
    • Transition Checklist
  • Technical Assistance Documents
    • Adult and Community Agencies
    • Important Ages and Milestones
    • Dual Enrollment
    • Grading and Transcripts
    • Graduation and Diplomas
    • ICAP and the IEP
    • October Count
    • SWAP
    • Transition Requirements
    • Unpaid Work Experience
    • Voting Rights

Tab 8: Charting a Course for the Future

  • Publishers (PDF)
    • Commercial Publishers
    • Vocational Assessments
    • CDE Publications
    • On-line Resources
  • Resource List (PDF)

See the Acknowledgements (PDF)


Questions? 

Contact Gail Lott () 



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Transition activities for students with disabilities

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What are some transition activities?

Here are a few good opportunities to implement a transition strategy:.
Separating from caregivers upon arrival to school..
Moving from one activity, center, or location to another..
Sitting down at circle time..
Clean-up time..
Lining up..
Coming inside from the playground..

What are some strategies to use to make the transition easy for students?

Transition Strategies for Kids:.
Prepare them. Give kids advance warning for how long an activity will last. ... .
Use a visual schedule. ... .
Use a visual timer or a visual countdown system..
Offer sensory breaks. ... .
Use a transition object. ... .
Teach transition songs. ... .
Choose transition activities. ... .
Allow for extra time..

What is the purpose of transition activities?

Transition activities help kids cope with the emotional and practical phase of transitioning from one activity to another. It also help the children be proactive with their schedule and give them the sense of helping and also teach them the concept of time.

What should a transition plan include?

The transition plan is based on a student's individual needs, strengths, skills, and interests. A transition plan identifies opportunities for the student to gain knowledge and skills needed for continuing education, work, and community participation, in preparation for adult life.