1. Curriculum materials are available at no cost and are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License. This means you are free to share, copy, distribute, and transmit the materials as well as to adapt and modify them, as long as you attribute the source of the work using the citation provided and do not use the materials for commercial purposes. Please cite: Johnson, E., James, M., King, L., Williams, S. & Grandy, L. (2013). Project STEPP Transition Curriculum. East Carolina University. Project STEPP Transition Curriculum Background Project STEPP at East Carolina University is a comprehensive support program that facilitates the success of college students with learning disabilities by providing wrap-around services and resources with a strong emphasis on helping students prepare for the transition to college. Over the past seven years, we have learned a great deal from our students’ successes, challenges, and experiences with transition, which has allowed us to further develop and refine this component of the program. With the support of grant funding from the Oak Foundation, we have expanded Project STEPP’s transition materials into a curriculum designed for use by teachers and transition specialists in the public schools. History of the Curriculum Project College Resources Finding campus resources, support services, and sub-communities Creating a campus resources directory Accessing disability support services in college Discussing and disclosing disabilities Overview of Curriculum Content Modules Finances Key financial topics for college students College costs Financial aid and the FAFSA process Budgets for college living Responsible use of credit Money management tips from college students Curriculum Features Fully developed lesson and activity plans designed to help students prepare for college PowerPoint slides with detailed teacher lecture notes to accompany each lesson Student worksheets and handouts with teacher answer keys Guided notes for students to accompany each module A package of resources intended for use by teachers and families supporting transition to college for students with learning differences We are extremely grateful for the generous funding support from the Oak Foundation that enabled the development of these initial curriculum materials. Planning for Academic Success Goal-setting for college Developing a “big picture” perspective of college life Finding and maintaining an appropriate balance between academics and social life Developing a balanced daily schedule by using long- and short-term planning tools Understanding academic integrity Calculating grades in college courses Choosing a major Campus Living Living on campus Types of housing options Living with a roommate Essential “packing list” items for college students Diversity on college campuses Conflict management High School vs. College Comparison and contrast of general differences between high school and college High school and college comparisons and contrasts regarding: Classes and instructors Studying Grades and testing General academic information and vocabulary Note-taking skills Development of a college transition notebook Technology Introduction to technology use in college Technology tools for postsecondary education, including assistive and instructional technologies Online learning Basic computer skills in keyboarding and formatting Responsible use of technology and social media; online safety Healthy Routines Campus safety Personal wellness Stress management Basic cooking Independent living and follow-through on commitments Communication Informal and formal communication styles Appropriate emails for the college setting How to receive and learn from constructive criticism How to dress for success in the college setting Thank-you notes Behavioral expectations in college classrooms Lessons and activities were originally designed for use in a Curriculum Assistance class environment to support college- bound students with learning disabilities. However, teachers are encouraged to adapt materials as needed for their setting and student population. We will continue to refine and revise the curriculum based on ongoing feedback from those who use it. Please consider sending us suggestions for edits or new materials as you work through each module. Updates to these resources will be posted on the curriculum website. Starter modules created as a small-scale, within-office project Funding from Oak Foundation enabled further expansion of curriculum Modules developed and refined by ECU faculty, a K-12 teacher, an editor, and the Project STEPP staff Feedback from multiple sourcesOngoing revisions and refinement Recent Developments and Updates Project STEPP staff members have continued to give presentations about the Transition Curriculum at various conferences and meetings to share this tool with a broader audience of educators. In 2013-2014, these included the NC Division on Career Development & Transition’s Spring Transition Conference and the NC Department of Public Instruction’s Conference on Exceptional Children. We have recently begun to develop supplemental materials designed to help families use the curriculum more effectively by adapting them for use in the home setting. This led to the creation of a community events series we have dubbed “A Family Roadmap to the Project STEPP Transition Curriculum.” The first two events were held in Charlotte, NC and Greenville, NC during the spring of 2014. Future dates and locations will be added later this year.