Transition 101: Ten Points to Ponder to Prepare for Adulthood

Joyanne V. M. Cobb, MA, CRC, CRP

Spring is the time of new beginnings and new growth. But for many it is a scary time as well. This is when many students are leaving the world of secondary education and entering adult hood. For disabled youth, bridging the chasm between these two states can not only mean the usual emotional ups and downs; but also countless IEP and transition planning meetings.

The student beginning the passage must participate in the transition process and plan and prepare for it. .

Successful transition involves ten issues that the disabled young person should think about. These points should help any student start on this journey with solid footing.

1. Knowing the disability.

The student should be familiar with his or her own disability. This knowledge can be the key to success. A person who can identify his or her strengths and challenges is one who can identify his or her needs as well as limitations. Being aware of those restrictions the disability has on the person’s life puts him or her in the driver’s seat in the future. Preparing an “Elevator Speech” is a good training tool. To do such a speech, the disabled person should picture being on an elevator with another passenger who asks, “So what exactly is your disability?” By the time the elevator reaches the next stop, that person should have the answer. The description should be meaningful to that person with a disability, not to the doctor or the evaluator. Being able to communicate the nature of one’s disability brings that person one step closer to independence.

2. Being aware of needs

Every transitioning student needs to be able to express his or her needs before leaving high school. It is imperative to the transition process that the student understands the life functioning skills that will need to be accommodated. Having this information opens the door for the student to make needed plans and to prepare for the next step. Going over the transition plan and the IEP can help the disabled youth understand which specific accommodations he or she will need to function successfully after high school.

3. Making a Choice and Making a Plan

So many options are available for the transitioning youth that making the wrong choice can be all too easy. The key is to remember that the disabled student is the one who must live with the decision, not the parent or the educator. No matter what the disability, the student should always be involved in this decision. Along with the transition team, he or she evaluates what will be the better choice. College is a great option, but not the right choice for everyone. Community college is another choice for those not sure what they want to do or those who cannot handle a college setting. This option can also give them time to learn some daily living skills before they leave to go to school. They should understand that they can transfer to a four-year college when they are ready. Another thing about this choice is that name of the college on the diploma is not the one where they started but the one where they finished. Vocational and Technical schools are another post-secondary option. There the students can learn a trade and create a meaningful career. Employment can be yet another choice for transitioning youth. Some disabled students make this choice because they have already been placed at a job while still in high school. Some of these students continue to thrive and excel and they like working. In this case, employment may be the right choice for them at this time. All options need to be weighed and evaluated. To help them assess each choice, they can draw up a “pros and cons” list.

4. Taking College Entrance Exams.

Planning for the SAT’s and ACT’s must be done as early as possible. Requests for accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and all documentation must be submitted. Taking the PSAT is good practice and taking the SAT or ACT in spring of the junior year in high school is highly recommended. This way the student will have time to re-take the test in the senior year if needed. It is also very important that the student has set precedents for using services. The student should be able to show that he or she needed and used accommodations all through high school and therefore still needs accommodations during these entrance exams. Furthermore, it is important for the student to be involved in this process. For example, the student can download the applications for accommodations off the web sites. Having the student take ownership of this process will also help bring that person closer to self-advocacy. Here are some internet resources:
http://www.ets.org/disability/index.html
http://www.collegeboard.com/disable/students/html/sat_add.html
http://www.act.org/aap/disab/index.html

5. Providing Documentation.

Documentation must be current and specific. The student needs to find out the kind of documentation the school or training program requires. With all post-secondary options he or she must ask two questions: “What documentation do I need to receive accommodations?” and, “How old can it be?” Most schools may require that the documentation not be over three years old. If the student needs new or updated documentation, he or she will need to find a provider to do the evaluation. If the student is eligible for state vocational rehabilitation services, then testing and evaluation can be requested there. In some cases, if the documentation is not too old, the evaluator can add an amendment to it, an updated statement about the disability, and recommendations for accommodations. The student must be involved in this process because understanding the documentation can be helpful in identifying needs and asking for help.

6. Becoming a Self Advocate.

Self-advocacy is never too early to start and never too late to learn.
The student who begins at an early age asking questions at the IEP and Transition Planning meetings is the one who is miles ahead of those who have merely been observers in the process. In this next phase of transition, the student will have to initiate service delivery, be responsible for self-identification of the disability and be able to self advocate. To do that, the person must know what he or she needs to function successfully in every aspect of life after high school. Finding a way to include self-advocacy in the daily curriculum can enable this population to develop a crucial skill. The educator or counselor can teach this skill by putting the student in situations in which he or she will have to take the initiative. The student can begin to become a self advocate by gathering the information on taking entrance exams with accommodations or by looking into the documentation required to receive services at a college, training facility, or job. In addition, knowing the rights of the disabled and the laws that protect them can provide empowerment as well as confidence.

7. Using Vocational Rehabilitation Services.

A good practice drill in self-advocacy is going to the local vocational rehabilitation services office and finding out about eligibility and types of services available. Vocational Rehabilitation can help those students who would like to go to a particular trade school or who know which specific trade they would like to learn. In some cases, Vocational Rehabilitation has also been known to pay for college. It is a service available and a great place for the learning disabled to learn how to ask for what they need. The nearest office, can be found through this link:
http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/SBSES/VOCREHAB.HTM

8. Considering Living Space Issues.

As a plan begins to come together, the student must now consider living space issues. The space must be one where he or she can survive and thrive. Some students cannot NOT do well in a living situation in which he or she must share a small space with two to four roommates. Whether the setting is a four-year school or a residential vocational training program, the student must have the social skills necessary to survive with a roommate. When living space issues are ignored, the student may begin to have trouble. After enrolling or after taking the first semester may be too late to resolve this issue. Living space needs should be discussed thoroughly with the disability service coordinator at the school or program. Even if the resolution requires a specific accommodation, living space problems should be addressed as soon as they occur.

9. Managing Time

A time management plan and strategy will be necessary before the student begins the next phase of his or her life after high school. Although the student should have worked on time management in high school, too often this skill is overlooked as parents and even teachers provide accommodations for late assignments and incomplete work. However, this omission can be detrimental to that student living away from home and away from that transition team support system. Using a calendar can help. With it the student can block out study time and time to deal with household and living issues. Allotting enough time to get to and from classes is also something the student can also build into a calendar. In fact, having a time management strategy in place can give a head start to any student.

10. Acknowledging Mistakes and Knowing that They are not the End of the World.

The student who has the most realistic view of this next phase of his or her life seems to do the best and is often the most prepared. He or she needs to know that some days the note takers will not show up; the wheelchair ramps will not be cleared; the proctors will not be available; the professors will not understand; the plans and strategies will not work out. But all that is to be expected. These little glitches are part of learning to adapt and to compensate. These “catastrophes” will also make the student stronger and better able to deal with the next bump in the road. Providing scenarios of just such mishaps for the student to resolve is not only an exceptional training tool but can also be a thought-provoking writing exercise.

Once the disabled young person thinks through these ten points and discusses them, he or she may be encouraged to be a part of the transition processes and empowered to achieve the next set of goals.

Joyanne Cobb is the author of Learning How To Learn: Getting Into and Surviving College When you Have a Learning Disability. She is the Youth Project Manager for The Ticket to Work program at MAXIMUS, Inc. and can be reached for speaking engagements and private consultation by contacting her at joycobb@learninghowtolearn.org.

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