Transition Services for D/HH Students

1. Transition Services for D/HH Students D/HH Students with Special Needs

2. Purpose of Transition Legislation • Gaps in services: entitlement vs eligibility • All disabilities entitled to K-12 services • Schools must find all children and provide services • Adult services are eligibility-based • Students must apply and wait for sufficient funds

3. Purpose of Transition Legislation • Resulting service gaps • Students graduated & waited for adult services to find them • Very poor employment and independent living rates • High tax burden through SSI support

4. Transition Legislation • IDEA 1990 • Coordinated set of activities • Outcome-oriented process • Movement from school to post-school including • Postsecondary educ • Vocational training • Integrated employment (& supported employment) • Independent living and community participation • Based on student’s needs, preferences, and interests • Includes: • Instruction and post-school objectives • Community experiences and daily living skills • Functional vocational evaluation

5. Transition Legislation • IDEA 1997 • Statement of needed transition services • Course of study identified at 14 yrs • IDEA 2004 • Coordinated set of activities that is results oriented and focused on improving academic and functional achievement…to facilitate movement from school to postschool activities • Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based on age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, independent living skills • Transition services and course of study to assist in reaching transition goals • Transition planning to begin at 16 yrs • Focus on academic and functional achievement and away from supports and linkages—to better align with academics and focus on outcomes (rather than process)

6. Key Components • Age 16 (or earlier if needed: Ohio is 14) • Age appropriate transition assessments • Measurable goals • Clearer academic links • Indicate related IEP goals • Course of study

7. Key Services and Terms • Career awareness, exploration, preparation, assimilation • Job shadowing, work experience, youth apprenticeships, mentoring, internships • Job search, on-the-job training, job maintenance, advancement & promotion • Sheltered workshops, supported employment, paid community work

8. IDEA ‘04 Indicator 13 • To ensure that states and districts comply: • Indicator 13 checklist—quality transition plans http://www.nsttac.org/indicator13/ChecklistFormB.pdf • Lesson plans http://www.nsttac.org/LessonPlanLibrary/Main.aspx • Indicator 14 checklist—report on students’ postschool outcomes at 1 year http://www.psocenter.org/content_page_assets/content_page_3/What%20is%20I14.pdf • Information on the 20 quality indicators for state data collection http://www.nichcy.org/informationresources/pages/partbindicators.aspx • National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center http://www.nsttac.org/

9. Deaf Resources • PEPNet: Postsecondary Education Preparation Network http://www.pepnet.org/ • Map It • iTransition Training • Success in the Workplace Guide • More Transition Resources

10. Challenges for D/HH Students • Schools with transition coordinators • Most have no training with D/HH students • Most leave D/HH students to teachers • Most DFED teachers have minimal training • Little opportunity for job shadowing, work experience, or community activities • Resistance from vocational training teachers to include D/HH students or help identify appropriate jobs

11. Best Transition Practices • Begin IEP planning with transition outcomes • Assures transition and academic linkages • Backward planning processes • Begin from transition goals and plan previous steps • Interagency service coordination • Community experiences including paid work • Supports for postsecondary education • Family involvement • Student empowerment

12. Transition AssessmentsIDEA requires age appropriate assessments • Interests, skills, and abilities • Interest inventories (Reading Free, WRIOT, pictorial) • Also check online for print versions (may be appropriate) • Observations of skills/abilities • Computer and task assessments often are unreliable for D/HH • Disability and accommodations • Audiograms and ALD trouble-shooting • Communication and social skills • SLPI and Meadow-Kendall SocEmotDev

13. Transition Assessments • Independent living • ARC and Vineland self-determination scales • Self-Determination • Employment • IEP participation • Goal setting • Self-Directed Search and website • Transition skills for the Deaf • Transition Competence Battery

14. Transition Assessments • Ecological assessments • Work, living, and community environments • Matching of situational expectations with student abilities • Ecologically-based curriculum for severe disabilties • Functional assessments • Employability and Life Skills Assessment • Important work and life skills, elem – HS • Functional curriculum to address needs • Situational assessments • Scenarios and specific tasks in identified settings

15. Self-determination Programs • Choicemaker: J. Martin & L. Marshall • Self-Directed IEP • Students learn to manage 11 steps of the IEP • Choosing Employment Goals • Choosing Educational Goals • Choosing Personal Goals • Take Action: Making Goals Happen • All disabilities: students became empowered enough to make their own video (Take Action)

16. Transition Outcome Needs • Knowledge of interests, skills, and abilities • D/HH have poorer vocational identity development • Career development • D/HH take longer than other SPED to complete postsecondary training • Independent living • D/HH live at home longer than other SPED • If independent, many live far below poverty

17. Transition Outcome Needs • Social skills • D/HH have friends and socialize often • Making choices and decisions • Many public schools offer only generic support • Knowledge of disability and accommodations • 40% do not receive disability disclosure information in their schools • 40.6% do not disclose in postsecondary settings Luft, ILS article

18. TODs as Transition Specialists • Who can we link with to support: • Career learning and development? • Paid work experiences on and off school property? • Independent living? • Social skills? • Making choices and decisions? • Knowledge of disability and accommodations? • Use community agencies—best practice

19. Vocational Rehabilitation • Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf (RCDs) • Primary community agency for D/HH • Focus on employment • Know of summer employment programs • Provide skill preparation and preparation • Also address independent living & related needs • Community Services for the Deaf • Often through local hearing & speech centers