Overview

Resources that support best practices in transition for students with autism and developmental disabilities.

Articles

• Building a Transition Plan
• The Lifespan Transitions Center:  Building Bridges of Support from School-Age Through Adulthood

Books

• Autism and the Transition to Adulthood
• The Autism Transition Guide: Planning the Journey from School to Adult Life

Resources

• A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities
  • US Department of Education guide to transition planning, services, requirements, education, employment, and preparation for adult life.
• Autism After 16:  Kansas Roadmap
• Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Transition to Adulthood
• Benefits.gov
  • A quick and easy way to screen eligibility for a variety of govenment benefits.
• The Culture of Our School
  • Find out how one Kansas high school has intentionally created a culture of inclusion for ALL students in this short, but inspiring video.
• The Culture of Our School Part 2:  "You can't put a value on it"
  • Hear a Kansas school counselor describe the culture of inclusivity at his high school and the impact it has had on all students.
• "Don't Be Afraid!"
  • Hear from a Topeka grocery store manager on the benefits and importance of hiring individuals with disabilities.
• Guideposts for Success
• Interview with Andreas
  • Hear what a student in a Topeka transition program likes about his job in this short video!
• Job Accommodation Network: Accommodation Ideas for Mental Health Impairments
  • Supporting a student with executive function delays? What about an eating disorder? A resource provided with practices to support individuals on the job and in preparation for the working world.
• Life Course Tools
  • "All people have the right to live, love, work, play and pursue their life aspirations in their community." Explore these free, downloadable tools that support individual access to these rights. 
• Mobile Apps to Support Transition-Age Youth
• National Parent Center on Transition and Employment
• Nuts and Bolts of our Cardmaking Business
  • Middle school educator Kaitlyn North describes her classroom-run business where special education students and their general education peers work, laugh, and learn together. 
• Pathways to the Future
  • These resources, from the West Virginia Division of Rehabiliation Services, include a comprehensive transition guide for teachers, students, and families, sample lesson plans, and a work exploration manual.
• Power of One
  • "It all started with one student in the lunchroom" Watch this brief video to hear the story that provided the foundation for a culture that embraces the relationships between all students.
• Special Interest Areas and Employment
  • Learn how a Kansas teacher's identification of a student's special interest area led to in-school and out of school employment opportunities!
• Supporting the Transition to Adulthood
  • Resources for educators from The Center on Secondary Transition for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• "They are an asset":  A Kansas student is a valued employee in a Topeka grocery store
  • Listen to the perspectives of an employee and an employer in this short video that highlights a student in a Kansas transition program.
• A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities
  • Comprehensive guide to transition developed by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the United States Department of Education.  Revised in May 2017.
• Transition to Adulthood for Students e-learning modules (Families Together, Inc)
• Transition Resources Table
  • This guide from the CEC Division on Career Development and Transition is a comprehensive guide containing frequently used low or no cost web-based transition resources.  Resources included are for professionals, students, and families.  This guide will be updated annually.
• Using Strengths & Interests to Build Skills for the Future
  • One incredible student and his educational team work together to create an educational experience that will prepare him for an independent future using his strengths and skills.
• What Secondary Special Education Teachers Need to Know

Websites

• Autism After 16
• Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center
• IRIS Center Transition Resources 
  • National center dedicated to improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities ages 3-21.
  • Provides modules, activities, information briefs, video vignettes, and a web resource directory in regard to transition.
• Lifespan Transitions Center
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition 
  • Coordinates national resources, provides publications and other resources for educators and families.
• National Technical Assistance Center on Transition
  • National center to assist state education agencies and local education agencies implement evidence based and promising practices to help prepare students with disabilities for postsecondary education and employment.
  • Resources include effective practice briefs, toolkits, and annotated bibliographies.
• Transition Coalition
  • This website provides information for educators, parents, and students regarding transition services for students with disabilities and includes free publications, online modules, webinars, materials, and teacher tips.
• Transition TN
  • This resource was created through the collaboration of Tennessee Works, the Tennessee Department of Education, and Vanderbilt University to provide educators resources utilizing evidence based practices in supporting students with disabilities as they transition from high school to post-secondary life.  Modules on age appropriate transition assessments, transition planning, and more are available.  An account must be created to access their resources.
• Virginia Commonwealth University Center on Transition Innovations
  • This website provides information for educators and families regarding transition services for students with disabilities and includes fact sheets, research, webcasts, and videos.
• Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment