Survey data were gathered from 1,450 school districts to determine the extent to which vocational and transition-oriented services were available to secondary-age special education students. Extensive variation between districts was found in the types of students served and in the configuration of agencies serving them. Most districts reported cooperating with other districts or agencies to find appropriate instructional settings and related services. District size was strongly related to number and variety of services, with larger districts providing more services to more secondary special education students with a wider range of disabilities compared to smaller districts. In most districts, vocational training was available and accessed by special education students, but special transition-oriented arrangements, such as assisting special education students to find jobs, were less evident.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Affifi, A., & Azen, S. (1979). Statistical analysis: A computer oriented approach. New York: Academic Press.
2.
Bellamy, G. (1985). Transition progress: Comments on Hasazi, Gordon, & Roe. Exceptional Children, 51(6), 474–478.
3.
Bellamy, G., Rose, H., Wilson, D., & Clarke, J. (1982). Strategies for vocational preparation. In B. Wilcox & G. Bellamy (Eds.), Design of high school programs for severely handicapped students (pp. 139-152). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
4.
Bellamy, G., & Wilcox, B. (1981). From schools to what? Transition services for students with severe handicaps. Eugene: University of Oregon.
5.
Brickey, M., Campbell, K., & Browning, L. (1985). A five year follow-up of sheltered workshop employees placed in competitive jobs. Mental Retardation, 23(2), 67–73.
6.
Brolin, D. (1972). Value of rehabilitation services and correlates of vocational success with the mentally retarded. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 76(6), 644–651.
7.
Brown, L., Pumpian, I., Baumgart, D., Vandeventer, P., Ford, A., Nisbet, J., Schroeder, J., & Gruenewald, L. (1981). Longitudinal transition plans in programs for severely handicapped students. Exceptional Children, 47(8), 624–631.
8.
Bullis, M., & Foss, G. (1983). Cooperative work-study programs in vocational rehabilitation: Results of a national survey. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 26(5), 349–352.
9.
Davis, S., Anderson, C. Linkowski, D., Berger, K., & Feinstein, C. (1985). Developmental tasks and transitions of adolescents with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 29(2), 69–80.
10.
Flynn, R. (1982). National studies of the effectiveness of conventional vocational education. In K. Lynch, W. Kiernan, & J. Stark (Eds.), Prevocational and vocational education for special needs youth: A blueprint for the 1980s (pp. 15-34). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
11.
Halpern, A. (1985). Transition: A look at the foundations. Exceptional Children, 51(6) 479–486.
12.
Hasazi, S., Gordon, L., & Roe, C. (1985). Factors associated with the employment status of handicapped youth exiting high school from 1979 to 1983. Exceptional Children, 51(6), 455–469.
13.
Hursh N., & Price, F. (1983). Job tryouts in the work environment. In R. Lassiter, M. Lassiter, R. Hardy, J. Underwood, & J. Cull (Eds.), Vocational evaluation, work adjustment, and independent living for severely disabled people (pp. 96-113). Springfield, IL: Thomas.
14.
Kiernan, W. (1979). Habilitation: A dynamic system. In G. Bellamy, G. O'Connor, & O. Karan (Eds.), Vocational rehabilitation of severely handicapped persons: Contemporary service strategies (pp. 207-228). Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
15.
Knapp, M., & Blakely, C. (1985). The education block grant at the local level: A description of ECIA Chapter 2 in its third year of implementation. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
16.
Moss, J. (1979). Postsecondary vocational education for mentally retarded adults. Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
17.
Office of Special Education Programs. (1988). Tenth annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
18.
Pati, G., & Morrison, G. (1982). Enabling the disabled. Harvard Business Review, 60(4), 152–168.
19.
Rusch, F., & Mithaug, D. (1980). Vocational training for mentally retarded adults: A behavior analytic approach. Champaign, IL: Research Press.
20.
Schneider, K., Rusch, F., Henderson, R., & Geske, T. (1981). Competitive employment for mentally retarded persons: Costs versus benefits. Unpublished manuscript, University of Illinois, College of Education, Department of Special Education.
21.
Vautour, J., Stocks, C., & Kolek, M. (1983). Preparing mildly handicapped students for employment. Teaching Exceptional Children, 16(1), 54–58.
22.
Wehman, P. (1981). Competitive employment: New horizons for severely disabled individuals. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
23.
Wehman, P. (1983). Toward the employability of severely handicapped children and youth. Teaching Exceptional Children, 15(4), 220–225.
24.
Wehman, P., Kregel, J., & Barcus, J. (1985). From school to work: A vocational transition model for handicapped students. Exceptional Children, 52(1), 25–37.
25.
Wehman, P., Moon, M., & McCarthy, P. (1986). Transition from school to adulthood for youth with severe handicaps. Focus on Exceptional Children, 18(5), 1–12.
26.
Wilcox, B., & Bellamy, G. (1982). Design of high school programs for severely handicapped students. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
27.
Will, M. (1984, March/April). Bridges from school to working life. Programs for the Handicapped, pp. 1–5.
28.
Wright, A., Cooperstein, R., Grogan-Renneker, E., & Padilla, C. (1982). Local implementation of PL 94-142: Final report of the longitudinal study. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
29.
Zeller, R. (1980). Direction service: Collaboration one case at a time. In J. Elder & P. Magrab (Eds.), Coordinating services to handicapped children: A handbook for interagency collaboration (pp. 65-97). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
