The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides
guidelines regarding when services should be provided. Transition services may
be provided to special education students beginning at age 14 or younger, when
appropriate, but must be provided by age 16. According to the IDEA act, transition
planning isn’t mandated until the age of 16. There has obviously been a need to
begin services prior to that age and we now begin transitional planning around
the age of 14 ½. The article I read discusses a rural community in Louisiana and
how they began transitional services in middle school. The first year they
began by inviting parents to participate in the planning process. Then they developed
a unit to develop problem-solving skills, career awareness, an interest in
future planning, and knowledge of community resources. Parents were again invited to become involved
in the process. As the group dove deeper into the process, they decided to
bring people in to speak on specific careers to develop an interest and provide
information on that career. Students created projects on a particular career, they
role-played job interviews, participated in career focused field trips, and a
career awareness week. The success of the program was hinged upon the
participation of the parents to support their children in the quest for career
readiness skills.
I found the
article informative, but not entirely surprising in the results. Students are
typically more likely to be successful in most endeavors of their education
when their parents are involved and engaged and supportive. I think it was
beneficial to begin that type of career readiness programs early on by bringing
guest speakers in and taking more career based field trips to encourage
interest in specific careers.
Citation:
Carr,
S. C., & Ratcliff, E. (1994). Partners for Transition: Preparing Students
for the Future.
