Five Steps for Developing Effective Transition Plans for ...

1 559780. research-article2015. <sc>Council for Exceptional Children</sc>TEACHING <sc>Exceptional Children</sc>. Original Article Five Steps for Developing Effective Transition Plans for High School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Katherine Szidon, Andrea Ruppar, and Leann Smith TEACHING Exceptional Children, Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 147 152. Copyright 2015 The Author(s). DOI: Lakeview High School is a medium- The Challenge of Transition behavior and restrictive interest than sized high school in a rural farming Planning and IEPs for their peers with other disabilities, community. The staff at Lakeview Students With ASD making transitions and coping with meets at the beginning of each school change more difficult (Smith, Barker, Adolescence can be a stressful time for year to discuss building-level Seltzer, Abbeduto, & Greenberg, 2012).

2 Many students. During the high school professional development Plans . This Anxiety may pose challenges when years, young people work to develop year, Lakeview's special education team students engage in exploring, planning, has requested to focus its professional new identities and make decisions and preparing for the future (White, development time on improving special about the future, including where they Oswald, Ollendick, & Scahill, 2009). education services for students with will live, what they will do Similarly, limitations in social autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The (postsecondary education or career), communication, a core feature of ASD, team is seeing an increasing number of and who will be their friends (Test, may make it particularly difficult for students with ASD who are highly Smith, & Carter, 2014).

3 For any student, students with ASD to understand social skilled academically yet have complex these changes are difficult. For situations and to express interests, needs around social behavior, self- adolescents with ASD, the difficulty is needs, and goals about the future management, and independent greater because of their unique (Wehmeyer, Shogren, Zager, Smith, &. living skills necessary for success in challenges. Specifically, students with Simpson, 2010). postsecondary environments. The team ASD display both (a) persistent deficits For teachers, writing IEPs for recognizes that this type of instruction in social communication and (b) students with ASD who are does not seem to fit easily in the restricted, repetitive patterns of transitioning out of high school can existing high school schedule, and the behavior and interests that are pose unique challenges, as the specific goals that the teachers write to increase significant enough to impair social, needs of each student need to be taken student self-management skills and occupational, or other functions into consideration.

4 Students may develop social awareness are difficult to (American Psychiatric Association, demonstrate significant variation in implement. Yet, given the importance of 2013). That is, students with ASD their academic, language, social, and these social, emotional, and experience greater social behavioral skills. For example, some communication skills, the team Plans communication difficulties than what students with ASD may read fluently to work together to develop better would be expected for other students but struggle to comprehend text. Other programming for its students with their age. Adolescents with ASD also students may excel at standardized ASD.

5 Have higher levels of repetitive science assessments but have difficulty TEACHING Exceptional Children | January/February 2015 147. Although academic students move from school into After conducting assessments, the skills may be strong for postschool activities (20 IEP team should use the information 1401[34]). For students with ASD, the gathered to create appropriate, some students with ASD, Transition planning process includes measureable postsecondary goals and these same students unique considerations. develop Transition services (including often demonstrate courses of study) necessary for the significant challenges in Step 1: Identify Transition Goals student to meet the goals.

6 Specifically, their social and adaptive In designing a Transition IEP, the team federal regulations stipulate that skills that can affect should begin by considering the measurable postsecondary goals must student's needs in the areas of be developed in the areas of training, their independence. By education, and employment . If postsecondary education, employment , planning for teaching and independent living. Formal appropriate, the team may also develop and supporting these Transition assessments can provide goals for independent living (20 important skill areas, the essential guidance for the team. 1414 [d][1][A][i][VIII]). team can develop a well- Numerous assessments are available to rounded plan for success measure adaptive and social skills in Step 2: Link Postsecondary Goals in postsecondary high school students and can provide With IEP Goals school teams with a current level of settings.

7 Functioning. For example, the National Once the team develops measurable Secondary Transition Technical postsecondary goals in education, completing lab assignments due to the Assistance Center (NSTTAC) provides employment , and independent living social demands of working with other several resources for teams searching areas, annual IEP goals can be written . students in their class. A student with for appropriate Transition assessments At least one IEP goal should align with ASD might have a significant strength in a variety of domains (see Walker, and support each of the student's in music, but lack of hygiene may be a Kortering, Fowler, Rowe, & Bethune, postsecondary goals.)

8 There should be a barrier to being accepted by peers in 2013). In addition, Virginia clear connection between postsecondary the school orchestra. The aspirations Commonwealth University's Autism goals (to be achieved after graduation). and interests of students with ASD can Center for Excellence (2014) lists a and IEP goals (to be achieved in an be extremely varied. Some students number of language tests that provide academic year). A common error in might want to plan for college, others information about communication and Transition IEP writing is to have for careers; some students will look social engagement in order to help measurable postsecondary goals and toward increasing community teams design interventions for students measurable IEP goals with no link engagement and exploring independent with ASD.

9 Between the two. This is especially living options, and still others, a Using the data from a Transition problematic for students with ASD, for combination of these options (Shogren assessment, the IEP team can identify whom generalization of skills is & Plotner, 2012). Further, students with postsecondary goals. An important part particularly difficult. Team members, ASD often have very intense and, at of this process is determining future students with ASD, and their families all times, limited interests that can make it environments the student will access, need to see a clear link between the difficult to find an appropriate considering the skills necessary to be goals learned in high school and postsecondary goal that is a good fit.

10 Successful in those environments, and postschool aspirations. High school For educators to effectively plan for the assessing the student performance on teams should research the skills needed range of outcomes expected from skills in those areas. One common error for the desired career and identify areas students with ASD, individualized and in Transition assessment and goal where students with ASD might struggle. carefully tailored programming is writing for students with ASD is the In this way, the IEP document helps train required for students to make failure to consider and assess student students in the skills necessary for maximum gains. challenges in core areas that are postschool success.