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Wisconsin Transition Conference Transition Stories About Students with Significant Disabilities, Ages 18-21 that Star

Literature Review. A cursory review of the literature confirms the need to have specialized transition services for students with significant disabilities, are aged 18-21, still enrolled in school and receiving educational services.(Phelps

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Wisconsin Transition Conference Transition Stories About Students with Significant Disabilities, Ages 18-21 that Star

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    1. Wisconsin Transition Conference Transition Stories About Students with Significant Disabilities, Ages 18-21 that Start and Finish in Their Communities Session Three Presenters: 3:30-5:00 Jan. 22th Sandra Berndt, Education Consultant, DPI Susan Thomas and Rae Guth, Burlington School District Jennifer Schmidt and Sally Collins, Kenosha Unified School District Introduction – Sandy Survey and Results – Sharon Maryland Example – Sandy Programs and Barriers – Solutions – Sharon Action Plan Worksheet - SandyIntroduction – Sandy Survey and Results – Sharon Maryland Example – Sandy Programs and Barriers – Solutions – Sharon Action Plan Worksheet - Sandy

    2. Literature Review A cursory review of the literature confirms the need to have specialized transition services for students with significant disabilities, are aged 18-21, still enrolled in school and receiving educational services. (Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell, 2002; Snell & Brown, 200; Wehmeyer, Sands, Knowlton & Kozleski, 2002).

    3. Components of Effective Transition and Educational Programming Independent Living Instruction Transportation/Mobility Post-Secondary Education Transition Curriculum Employment Leisure/Recreation

    4. Steps in Starting a Transition Program for Students with Significant Disabilities Develop Needs Assessment Assemble Committee Review and Develop Questions Conduct Needs Assessment Compile Results Develop Action Plan

    5. Needs Assessment Students with significant disabilities Ages 17 and older Evaluate current services including: Educational settings Instructional Support Inclusive Opportunities Employment Recreation Adult agency eligibility Travel ability

    6. Outcomes of Needs Assessment An established school committee A defined population of students A list of students An assessment of students’ educational setting, instructional support, inclusive opportunities, employment, recreation, adult agency eligibility, and travel training.

    7. Outcomes of Needs Assessment Cont. A list of needed changes in each category An action plan for changes in high school A determination if services need to be developed outside of the high school.

    8. Assemble Committee Director of Special Education Teachers Principal Parents Transition Specialists

    9. Things to Consider for Committee Members familiarity with students potential to provide services or supports availability to attend meetings willingness to create change

    10. Identify Population to be Assessed the age of students disability classification the types of classes students attend or the curricular track in which the students participate the number of years students have participated in high school the type of alternative diploma (certificate) the student with receive upon exiting school.

    11. Identify School Teams and Timelines Designate school team leader Review Needs Assessment Tool Create timeline for meeting

    12. Conduct Needs Assessment Review Sample Form Compile needs assessment data Complete review questions with committee Identify areas of change

    13. Sample Questions 1. Are changes needed for a particular age group (17-18 year olds) or are changes needed for all students? 2. What kinds of changes are needed? 3. Does the issue of student application for SSI, VR, or DD services or supports need to be addressed by current school personnel?

    14. Sample Questions Cont. 4. Does the amount of self-contained instruction for students need to be changed? 5. Does the frequency or variety of inclusive experiences need to be increased? 6. Should more students have paid jobs? 7. Do students need increased opportunities to participate in recreational or extracurricular activities with same age peers?

    15. Sample Questions Cont. 8. How could the frequency and level of independence for students be improved by increasing their travel training? 9. Could the changes identified in Questions 1-8 be addressed in the current high school setting? 10. Do the changes identified in Questions 1-8 require the development of new services in a postsecondary setting such as a college campus or business site?

    16. Sample Questions Cont. 11. How will services provided in the postsecondary setting be different from what is currently available? 12. What setting is best equipped to meet students’ needs? 13. Which of the changes identified should be given the highest priority?

    17. Review Needs Assessment Data Reconvene committee and school team leaders Compile data from all schools Review needed changes Determine location for needed changes

    18. Write Action Plan Create plan for changes in high school Create plan for changes to occur outside of high school Identify barriers to implementing your plan for changes.

    19. Sample of Barriers to Providing Adequate Services Lack of Administrative Support Few community options, rural setting No set curriculum or planning time Lack of Funds Parent Communication Issues Lack of trained teachers and staff Lack of Interagency Coordination

    20. Lack of Administrative Support “Communication breakdown between administrators and Emotional/Behavioral Disorders staff” “Administrators lack of knowledge concerning the importance of paid jobs for students with cognitive disabilities exiting the school systems” “Administration that does not understand the need for transition to begin at an earlier age”

    21. Administrative Support “Our director of pupil services does an outstanding job of keeping us current on new techniques and practices. She also is a great source of information for getting in contact with other agencies that may be able to assist us in best meeting the needs of all our students.”

    22. Administrative Support “Our school system has a special education director who is very supportive of my needs for each of my students and for me. He makes sure that we are performing to the best of our ability as teachers, monitoring our paperwork, providing support in parent meetings, meeting our curricular needs and most importantly he has just taken the time to listen when I need to share a trial or triumph.”

    23. Parent Communication - Barrier “Many of these families are experiencing panic as their young adult approaches age 21. There are not a lot of options out there and the waiting lists are 4-5 years long. Residential opportunities are almost non-existent with 10-15 year waiting lists. ”

    24. Parent Communication “Good communication with parents and students. Coordination with community agencies. Transition coordinator, job coaching, and teacher[s] knowing the students well.” “Good parent support, teachers [as] strong advocates for the program and students [and] good communications between school and outside agencies.”  “Communication among team members across home, school, and community environments.”

    25. Lack of Community Options “No public transportation, no housing in the area, lack of consistent curriculum throughout the years attended by students, very little choice for leisure and recreation.”  “Our school system does not have an easily accessible form of transportation to take our students into the community. Our only means of transportation is the city taxi system which is not reliable and only takes 2 -3 students per time.”

    26. Lack of Community Options “Graduation requirements versus what students need for transitioning. Opportunities to collaborate with businesses and education personnel to train, plan and execute a program for work within the community”

    27. Community Connections “Small town, easy to get around, small classroom numbers, paid employment for students in school, easy access to shopping, cooking, many after school activities. Good transitions with DVR services.” “My belief that students who have special needs are productive, active members of their community. I am on several district and county boards to help assure that my student receive services within their community.”

    28. Community Connections “We have connections with the guidance, school to work, and people from the technical college to help students prepare for their goals after high school.” “Community-based experiences.”

    29. Lack of Funding/Money “Funding, the rural setting of our school district, seasonal employments for this rural area, minimal job opportunities, distance from the technical school and other colleges in the area, transportation.” “One major barrier is finding and utilizing the connections made in the community. These are difficult to forge and rely on throughout the course of a student's learning experience.” “There is also not enough funding available for some of the work and post-high school goals.” 

    30. Financial Support “An excellent special education staff that truly has the needs of the students as its first priority. Caseloads are very manageable. Our Pupil Services Director does an excellent job in advocating for our students by making sure teacher/students ratios stay low. [Funds] $$ are easily accessible for Functional Assessments and other services. [The] High School principal [is] also an excellent advocate for special education.”

    31. Lack of Curriculum and Planning “Lack of consistent curriculum throughout the years…very little choice for leisure and recreation [experiences]”  “Their same-age peers have left school following graduation and many special ed students aged 18-21 remain in school for another 2-3 years. They know they’re not seniors anymore but they still have to come to school – the social ramifications of this creates some problems.”

    32. Curriculum “The community is very supportive, the school staff has been well trained and works with other agencies well, curriculum that includes career options, health and wellness, daily living skills as part of the regular curriculum. The strength of the technology education department with focus on vocational training.” “Excellent staff, vocational program, transition plan, parent-info nights, school bus transportation, community instruction.”

    33. Lack of Trained Staff “Not enough staff per student. Aides are required to work with students that they do not have prior training with. Aides are learning on the job and that can be a good thing as well. However, there is always a big turnover.”   “Lack of understanding and in-service presented by existing staff to allow for inclusion practices.”

    34. Trained and Available Staff “Most of our students with cognitive disabilities are still sophomores but we are looking to create a positive program by the time they are seniors. We would like to learn [about] some model programs.”   “In order to have a program that can meet the need of all the students, You need to have adequate staff to student ratio. Para-professionals are so valuable, and they need (and deserve) to have consistent, professional training. We are fortunate that our school district supports our program financially and personally. Also, teachers need to have a ‘passion’ for their students and be an advocate in the school and community settings.”

    35. Examples of Changes Employment Inclusive Experiences Extracurricular activities Travel Training

    36. School District Stories Kenosha Unified – A Beginning Burlington School District – Two Years and Still Growing

    37. References Certo, N.J. & Pumpian, I. (1997). Focusing on the point of transition: A service integration model. Education and Treatment of Children, 20(1), 68-85.   Grigal, M., Neubert, D.A., & Moon, S.M. (2001). Public school programs for students with significant disabilities in post-secondary settings. Education and Training in Mental Retardation and Development Disabilities, 36(3), 244-254.   Grigal, M., Neubert, D.A., & Moon, S.M. (2002). Postsecondary options for students with significant disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 35(2), 658-73.   Hagner, D., McGahie, K., & Cloutier, H. (2001). A model career assistance process for individuals with severe disabilities. Journal of Employment Counseling, 38(4), 197-206.   Holburn, S. (2002). How science can evaluate and enhance person-centered planning. Research and Practice for Personal with Severe Disabilities, 27(4), 250-260.  

    38. References Cont. Luecking, R.G. & Certo, N.J. (2002). Integrating service systems at the point of transition for youth with significant disabilities: A model that works. National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, 1(4), 1-4. Mautz, D., Storey, K. & Certo, N. (2001). Increasing integrated workplace social interactions: The effects of job modification, natural supports, adaptive communication instruction, and job coach training. The Journal of the Association for Person with Severe Handicaps, 26(4), 257-269. Sowers, J., McLean, D., & Sowers, J. (2002). Self-directed employment for people with developmental disabilities: Issues, characteristics, and illustrations, Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 13(2), 96-104.   Wilson, K.E. (1998). Centers for independent living in support of transition. Focus on Autism and other Developmental Disabilities, 13(4), 130-132,139.

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