Increasing Student Participation in Transition Plans Introduce ourselves – explain our background Teaching and education. Andrea Suk & Malarie Deardorff

Overview Transition should be a process and preparation that is directed by a student’s future goals, which is supported by family/school personnel/agency staff/community members to have experiences, academics and annual goals that directly link to the post-school desired outcomes. Andrea

Topics of Discussion Current Research Assessments Increasing Student Participation Self-Determination Self-Directed IEPs Resources (collaboration) Example Lesson Plans Malarie

Current Research Current research links student involvement in the transition process and IEP meetings can increase student engagement in transition planning. When students are engaged in the transition process it can lead to increased number of met transition goals that directly links to post-school outcomes; employment, post-secondary education, and community participation (Martin & Williams-Diehm, 2013). Individuals from the early transition states were more likely to be employed by the time their cases were closed than their match peers from later transition states (Cimera, Burgess & Bedesem, 2014) Malarie - How can teachers involve students in the transition process when they are busy teaching state standards??? Cimera, R.E., Brugess, S., & Bedesem, P.L. (2014). Does providing transition services by age 14 produce better outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities? Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 39 (1), 47-54. Field, S., Martin, J., Miller, R., Ward, M., & Wehmeyer, M. (1998). A Practical Guide for Teaching Self- Determination. Reston, VA: CEC Publications.

Laws IDEA states transition services are required for students with disabilities at the age of 16 or younger if states determine necessary. Oklahoma requires transition to begin by 16 or ninth grade, which ever comes first.

So, I have this student…. Where do I start?? Andrea

Assessments Formal vs. informal Free vs costs money Long vs short Must include employment and education/training. Might include independent living. Can include self-determination! Andrea

Assessments Formal Wide Range Interest and Occupational Test (WRIOT) Brigance Employability Skills Inventory Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Transition Planning Inventory 2 (TPI) Employability and Independent Living Assessment TAGG – Transition Assessment and Goal Generator ARC Self-Determination Scale and AIR Self-Determination Assessment ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Assessment $$$$ $599.00 $281 - $747+ $269.00 – Pro-Ed but sections are less Free online $3 per student package – Zarrow Center Free on Zarrow website Andrea

Assessments Free Online – Ocali All 3 for $121.00 or $47.00 each Informal ENDLESS OPTIONS!!!!! QuickBook of Transition Assessments Informal Assessments for Transition (book by Pro-Ed) Postsecondary Education and Training Employment and Career Planning Independent Living and Community Participation Free Online – Ocali All 3 for $121.00 or $47.00 each Andrea

Assessments for Middle/Elementary School Career View http://www.vaview.vt.edu/ PAWS in Jobland http://paws.bridges.com/cfnc1.htm Drive of Your Life https://www.driveofyourlife.org/main/index.html PBS Kids Curious George http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/on_the_job/

Assessment Information Turn the data into INFORMATION What does the student want to do when he/she grows up? Does the student want to go to college? Where does the student want to live? What skills do they have now that support them reaching those goals???? What skills do students need to learn to reach those goals???? Andrea

Who is driving? The STUDENT is their own driving force Supported by teachers Supported by family Supported by agencies Supported by the community How do we ensure that students are prepared to be a driving force????? Andrea

Increase Student Participation Teach Self-Determination Teach and follow through on Self-Directed IEPs Provide meaningful resources and collaboration Malarie

Teaching Self-Determination What can you do in your classroom? Promoting Choice Making Encourage Exploration of Possibilities Promote Reasonable Risk Taking Encourage Problem Solving Promote Self Advocacy Facilitate Development of Self- Esteem Develop Goal Setting and Planning Help Youth Understand Their Disabilities ME! – bell work examples (Zarrow Center website) I am determined www.iamdetermined.org Andrea http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=962

Self-Directed IEP Self-Directed IEP Curriculum http://www.ou.edu/content/dam/Education/zarrow/ChoiceMaker%20materials/info.Self-Directed%20IEP-rev.pdf Self-Directed IEP Self-Directed IEP Curriculum Students that self-directed their own IEPs Attended more of their IEP meetings Had more parents attend IEP meetings Talked more about their interests Shared more of their dreams Talked more about the job they wanted after leaving school Felt like they were the boss of their IEP meeting Felt more confident in reaching their IEP goals Malarie - Early student involvement (prior to the age of 14) and building self- advocacy skills can support effective transitions (Field, Martin, Miller, Ward, & Wehmeyer, 1998; Cimera, Burgess, & Bedesem, 2014).

Self-Directed IEP Begin in Elementary Student created powerpoints, videos, or one-pagers to show their own preferences for accommodations, postsecondary goals, academic goals, strengths and weaknesses Attending the IEP is not the same as participating Begin in Elementary Teaching self-advocacy, self-determination, and social skills Career Awareness Transition skills assessments/goals Malarie

Meaningful Resources and Collaboration Department of Rehabilitation Services In-Home Supports Waivers vs Community-Based Waivers Developmental Disabilities and Service Division Waiting lists can be long and the process to get help from the agencies may take a few years. Be sure to include the resources for parents to view in ninth grade or sooner! Start the waiting list process sooner. As of September 8th, 2016 – 7,436 people with disabilities are waiting for services (okwaitinglist.org) Andrea

Meaningful Resources and Collaboration Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council Youth Plan https://www.ok.gov/orc Transition: School-to-Work http://www.okrehab.org/drupal/students/tran sition Oklahoma Able Tech  http://www.okabletech.okstate.edu Oklahoma Transition Institute http://www.okdrs.org/drupal/node/4835 Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services http://www.okdrs.org Aging Out resources specific to Oklahoma. http://agingoutinstitute.com/select-your- state/oklahoma/ Oklahoma Parents Center http://oklahomaparentscenter.org/youth/tran sition-school-to-work/ Health Care Transition Resources http://gottransition.org/resources/index.cfm Malarie

Collaboration with General Education Co-teaching Use the lessons provided in classes that have both special education and regular education students Teaching the standards while helping students with disabilities (and others) meet post-secondary goals. Send out a powerpoint, videos, handouts on transition planning to general educators in your building Talking to general education teachers!!! Malarie

Example Lesson Plans both Math CCSS ELA continuum (McConnell, 2016) ELA Social Studies Lesson Plan (middle school) English Lesson Plan (elementary school) NTACT Both

Science Lessons incorporating Transition skills Cooking, measuring, independent living skills combined with Science Skills for High School http://extension.uga.edu/k12/scienc e-behind-our-food/food-science.cfm http://www.kids-cooking- activities.com/food-science- experiments.html

Transition On the Right Track…..YES Do students know how to make decisions and live the effects of those decisions? Are students as independent as possible? Are we teaching towards more independence? Do students have enough life experiences to have future goals? Do students have future goals and annual goals that are linked? Are students with peers without disabilities? Are students and families learning how to navigate agencies? Are students receiving the support required, without being “over supported”? Are students on all applicable waiting lists? Andrea

References Zarrow Center - http://www.ou.edu/education/centers-and-partnerships/zarrow.html Employability and Life Skills Assessment - https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/styles/iidc/defiles/INSTRC/Webinars/Employability_skills_checklist.pdf QuickBook Transition Assessment - http://www.ocali.org/up_doc/Quickbook_of_Transition_Assessment.pdf NTACT Lesson Plans- http://www.transitionta.org/researchpractices Martin, J. E., & Williams-Diehm, K. (2013). Student engagement and leadership of the transition planning process. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 2165143413476545. Cimera, R.E., Brugess, S., & Bedesem, P.L. (2014). Does providing transition services by age 14 produce better outcomes for students with intellectual disabilities? Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 39 (1), 47-54.