Transition Strategies
Programs may want to consider the following factors when developing transition plans for students with disabilities:
- Integration – facilitating interactions with peers and community
- Productivity – helping develop skills that allow students to contribute to society in meaningful ways
- Independence – assisting students in developing a sense of self-efficacy
- Variety – providing students with access to differentiated instruction and multi-sensory materials
- Empowerment – helping students develop self-advocacy skills
- Accommodations – click here to read about accommodations for students with disabilities
Transition Planning
Transition planning consists of a managed group of activities specific to the needs of a student with disabilities. These activities support and aid in the student’s successful movement from an adult basic education environment to a post-secondary or workplace opportunity. This may include but not be limited to higher education, occupational/technical training, coordinated employment (such as work-study, internships, and others), continuing adult education, adult services, independent living and community involvement.
Transition services for students with disabilities commonly refers to a pre-developed, student-centered anchor plan with goals, objectives, and the associated services and activities to achieve the goals and objectives within a specified timeline. For adult students, this anchor plan can include postsecondary education, occupational or technical training, employment, continuing adult education, and community involvement.
Strong transition planning and services for adult students with disabilities requires the following:
- Adoption of a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach throughout all levels of adult basic education
- Understanding the need for some individualized plans for students with disabilities
- A well-structured and supportive learning environment that focuses on students’ strengths and attributes
- Strong collaboration with community partners to ensure the best transition plans and services
- Meaningful connections between students with disabilities and instructors, mentors, and volunteers
- Eliminating the stigma and myths around students with disabilities
- Strengthening opportunities for students with disabilities to transition to post-secondary, occupational, and apprenticeship programs and/or work.
For adult secondary and basic education students to compete, persistence and dedication to new ways of doing things are required.
Goals are critical to transition plans for students with disabilities. Most likely, a transition plan for a student with a disability will parallel a transition plan for a student who does not have a disability. What will be different is the expansion of tasks or steps needed for positive explorations and implementation. This allows the student to experience transition in a more productive manner.
