Tips & Tools

All Tuesday Tips

Planning daily activities is a personal experience. Students should choose activities based on their preferences, interests, and needs. With your guidance, they can prioritize skill development, exercise independence, and live a fulfilling life. These daily activities also empower individuals with disabilities to transition from sheltered employment.

To help students develop a well-rounded routine, use the Evansville Resources Wellness Chart. This tool incorporates all wellness domains and can be adapted to any community.

Use the following steps to guide students toward planning a meaningful day:

  1. Connect to Personal Goals: Outline what a student wishes to accomplish in all areas of life. Include goals for employment, education and training, and independent living.
  2. Design a Daily Schedule: Create a routine that includes work-life balance. This means striking a balance between work and free time. Be sure to include personal care activities.
  3. Focus on Health and Wellness: Schedule daily physical activities like meditation, journaling, exercise, and counseling sessions.
  4. Promote Independence: Prioritize learning and participation in skills that can be done alone such as cooking, shopping, and financial planning.
  5. Participate in Social Events: Join or volunteer for clubs and community events. Building meaningful relationships and social connections improves well-being.
  6. Seek Available Resources: Utilize online tools such as the “Building A Meaningful Day: A Step-By-Step Guide” to design personalized activities.

Continue to reference the steps above to help students create a daily routine that supports their personal growth and goals.

Bonus Tips:

We're excited to offer the Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course, starting January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

Students with disabilities in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs can be certified for specific skills through microcredentials. The Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC) has partnered with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and select Indiana secondary school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs to develop microcredentials in Early Childhood Education and Auto Mechanics.

Microcredentials are competency-based certifications that focus on skills developed and demonstrated to show proficiency in a particular area. They should be related to the student’s postsecondary goals and are earned through:

  1. Personalized learning experiences
  2. Specific skill development
  3. Customized assessments that demonstrate mastery

Using industry standards, microcredentials allow students to highlight and validate specific job skills that meet employer needs. Students earning an alternate diploma or certificate of completion can use microcredentials within their transition portfolio and on resumes.

With appropriate accommodations and support, CTE programs can significantly enhance the postsecondary outcomes of students with disabilities.

  • Increased graduation rates - Research shows that students with disabilities who participate in CTE are more likely to graduate high school.
  • Improved academic performance - Students with disabilities who participated in CTE programs made significant progress in academic proficiency.
  • Enhanced career and college readiness - Students who have earned three or more sequential credits in any state-approved CTE program in grades 9 through 12 are expected to pass technical skill assessments that align with industry-recognized standards, if available and appropriate.
  • Employment - Research states that students from varying disability groups who had three or more semesters of CTE are more likely to be employed.
  • Competitive and integrated employment - Earning CTE microcredentials provides greater leverage for customized employment in competitive, integrated employment, including opportunities for career advancement.

Would you like to learn more about participating in our microcredential pilots in the areas of Early Childhood Education and Auto Mechanics? Contact us at INSTRC@IU.edu.

Bonus Tips:

The Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course starts on January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Indiana, a project of the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning (CELL), is hosting a training series focusing on restorative practices. Restorative practices focus on building positive relationships and addressing the root causes of conflict. They offer schools an alternative to exclusionary discipline by emphasizing healing, repairing harm, and restoring relationships rather than punishment. To learn more and register, visit the PBIS Indiana website.

 

Indiana is undergoing an employment systems transformation. Important changes may affect the students you support, especially those with significant disability impacts. These changes mean students using an Indiana waiver will no longer be able to attend state-funded, facility-based prevocational services (sheltered employment). Helping students understand their postsecondary employment options is critical. As they progress, developing an employment vision becomes increasingly important.

How Educators Can Empower Informed Choice Regarding Employment

Transition services and activities within the IEP offer a powerful avenue for developing students' employment visions. By incorporating concrete, action-oriented goals, students can articulate their future aspirations more clearly. Transition services and activities to consider might include:

  1. Facilitating and creating job shadowing opportunities for students.
  2. Developing and coordinating informational interviewing with local industry leaders.
  3. Helping students research the goods and services Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) offers.
  4. Collaborating with students to create one dedicated transition portfolio page that includes the:
    • Ideal conditions a student optimally needs at work.
    • Student’s most persistent strengths, including soft and hard skills.
    • Kind of supports, both at work and outside of work, a student will need to be successful and maintain a job.
  5. Exploring meaningful day options to ensure each student has balanced and holistic well-being.  ​

As always, connect students to VR as early as possible, no later than their junior year of high school. Students may now concurrently receive VR and Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Lastly, make sure the student can access his/her electronic transition portfolio after graduation.

Bonus Tips:

The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts January 28 and runs through March 4, 2025. These sessions are offered in both Spanish and English. To learn more, visit the English FEAT registration and Spanish FEAT registration webpages.

The Indiana School Mental Health Initiative (ISMHI), part of the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning (CELL), will host Indiana’s 7th Annual Educating the Whole Child Summit on February 7, 2025, at the Embassy Suites Plainfield Indianapolis Airport Hotel. The keynote speaker, Cornelius Minor, a Brooklyn-based educator, will provide valuable insights on fostering equitable literacy reform. To learn more and register, visit the ISMHI events page.

Psychologist William James notes, "A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain." Each link is vital to the strength and connectedness of the whole. This Thanksgiving, we extend our gratitude for your dedication to traveling alongside students whose lives are comparatively more challenging and complex. Your efforts strengthen our interconnected community by supporting and enabling students toward personal achievement.

You empower students to take control of their lives and set ambitious goals. By fostering their courage and confidence, you inspire them to pursue a life of achievement and personal fulfillment. Your unwavering commitment strengthens our community and enables us to overcome challenges together.

You may not hear this very often but know that we are thankful for your contributions and value the impact you make in the lives of the children in our community—and we are proud to partner with you.

With heartfelt thanks,

Your friends at the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC)

Bonus Tip:

The Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course starts on January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

By now you’ve heard the exciting news that the Transition IEP Guidebook has a new look with updated features to guide you through writing a transition IEP. One exciting new component in the Transition IEP Guidebook is the case studies of two students receiving special education services.

Lucy is a 15-year-old high school student with significant impacts of disability. She has a severe cognitive disability and is on an alternative diploma track.

Rita is a high school senior on a diploma track that receives speech services for a speech impairment classified as stuttering. She has frequent problems with the normal fluency and flow of speech that inhibit her ability to speak and communicate frequently.

As you make your way through the Guidebook, you will learn how to create a quality and useful document in each section of the transition IEP. Follow Lucy and Rita's journeys to understand each section of the transition IEP, including:

  • Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance
  • Summary of Findings of Age-Appropriate Transition Assessments
  • Postsecondary Goals
  • Transition Services and Activities
  • Annual Goal Statements

Lucy and Rita’s examples, the direct transition services and annual goal examples, and other transition information included make the Guidebook a valuable resource for educators.

Bonus Tips:

The Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course starts on January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

We invite you to participate in Comprehensive Transition Open Office Hours every Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30 PM Eastern Time. During these sessions, you can speak with subject matter experts in dedicated breakout rooms. CCLC staff can address inquiries concerning transition portfolios, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Social Security Work Incentives, Vocational Rehabilitation, and other transition-related topics. To join, use the Zoom link.

The Transition IEP Guidebook is a new resource from the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC) to help educators develop quality transition IEPs. This Guidebook also includes useful resources and examples, replacing the Transition IEP Rubric. Parents may use this resource to better understand different components of a transition IEP.

As you explore each section of the Guidebook, you'll get to know Lucy and Rita.

Lucy, a 15-year-old tenth grader with multiple severe cognitive disabilities, and Rita, a senior on the diploma track who receives speech services, are the focus of the case studies.

The case studies illustrate each section of the IEP, including:

  • Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAFP)
  • Transition Assessments
  • Postsecondary Goals
  • Transition Services and Activities
  • Annual Goals

Appendix A provides examples of Transition Services and Activities. This section includes quick reference guide that demonstrates how postsecondary goals and transition services align within an IEP. Additionally, it explains the rationale behind each service and provides both quality and non-compliant examples.

Appendix B includes examples of Annual Goals for a diverse range of student needs. These goals are both skill-based and measurable, making them a valuable resource for comparing compliant and quality IEP components. Under each goal topic, you'll find non-compliant, compliant, and quality examples, along with explanations for each.

Share this great new resource with your friends and colleagues!

Bonus Tips:

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts in January! Join us for free English and Spanish sessions from 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET. All sessions are open to families, transition-age students and young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who support them.

Upcoming English sessions:

  • January 28
  • February 4, 11, 18, 12
  • March 4

Upcoming Spanish sessions:

  • January 30
  • February 6, 13, 20, 27
  • March 6

For more FEAT information and to register for these and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Drumroll, please…. We’re excited to announce that the new Transition Individualized Education Program (IEP) Guidebook, formerly known as the Transition IEP Rubric, is here!

So, what’s different besides the name? A few features of the Guidebook have changed. 

The new features include:

  • An expanded table of contents.
    • The Guidebook features a detailed table of contents with twelve numbered sections for easy navigation.
  • Considerations for student-led IEP meetings.
    • Want to get your student more involved in participating and leading their own case conference? The Guidebook contains some practical tools and resources for you to do just that!
    • Remember, the goal is for students to feel knowledgeable and be active members of the team. Start with small steps and gradually increase their involvement as they become more comfortable.
  • Thorough descriptions of each section of the Transition Individualized Education Program (IEP).
    • Each component of the transition IEP is explained in detail with examples to guide you along the way. Need a refresher on a particular section? We’ve got you covered.
    • Information from Transition Services and Activities: Making the Connection is now included in this guidebook. To reference the full document and its case studies visit: Transition Services and Activities: Making the Connection.
  • Written statements or case studies that illustrate quality components and alignment of the transition.
    • Get ready to meet Lisa and Rita. As you explore the Guidebook, their real-world stories will bring each component of the transition IEP to life. You'll learn how to document these components effectively through case studies.
  • Diploma decisions and graduation pathways for Indiana students.
    • The Guidebook has been updated with the most recent Indiana diploma options. Check the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) website regularly as diploma information is continuing to develop.
  • Principles and process of supported decision-making.
    • The Guidebook includes new information and resources on supporting students and parents when discussing supported decision-making and guardianship.
  • Appendices with valuable insights and key points.
    • Appendices include information about quality annual goals and transition services, including examples of each.

Coming soon!  An updated Indiana Diploma Decisions Guide that will explain diploma and graduation options for Indiana students.

 

Bonus Tips:

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts in January! Join us for free English and Spanish sessions from 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET. All sessions are open to families, transition-age students and young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who support them.

Upcoming English sessions:

  • January 28
  • February 4, 11, 18, 12
  • March 4

Upcoming Spanish sessions:

  • January 30
  • February 6, 13, 20, 27
  • March 6

For more FEAT information and to register for these and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage

Administered through the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community (IIDC), FINDER is a robust, online collection packed with navigational aids to assist in finding Indiana-specific, disability-related resources and services. Developed originally by the AWS Foundation, this informational reservoir, including a service directory, program information, an events calendar, and articles features a step-by-step user guide, making this a powerful tool for teachers, students, and families.

Patti Hays, CEO of AWS Foundation, shares, “Combined with IIDC’s leadership and specialized skills and experience, FINDER provides the latest technology to expand collaboration and develop new partnerships to help empower parents, teachers, caregivers, and others to find answers to disability-related questions and become a more informed advocate.” Read on to learn how educators can incorporate FINDER into various IEP-related activities.

Use FINDER in Creative Ways:

  • Educators can use FINDER to:
    • provide computer navigation practice to students.
    • develop self-sufficiency skills, such as locating and researching local adult and adolescent health care options.
    • connect families to critically needed, non-education related services, such as housing, food provision, clothing, tax assistance, mental health needs and so much more.
  • Students can use FINDER to support accomplishing transition service/activity goals, such as:
    • locating adult employment service agencies, as these adult agencies provide services to facilitate postsecondary employment goals.
    • finding housing-related resources in their community.
    • collecting information on various postsecondary-related services (e.g., transportation, health care, benefits counseling) locally, within their state, or nationally.

To learn more about FINDER and how to navigate its features, watch the FINDER Introduction video.

Bonus Tip:

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts in January! Join us for free English and Spanish sessions from 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET. All sessions are open to families, transition-age students and young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who support them.

Upcoming English sessions:

  • January 28
  • February 4, 11, 18, 12
  • March 4

Upcoming Spanish sessions:

  • January 30
  • February 6, 13, 20, 27
  • March 6

For more FEAT information and to register for these and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

When education professionals and families manage transition programming together, students receive collaborative, comprehensive services that may lead to better postsecondary outcomes. Collaboration is important to create tailored curricula and supports across service providers. Students are more likely to leave high school employed and with community-living skills that promote and sustain independence when professionals work as a team. Developing an interagency team requires reevaluating roles and expectations as well as identifying any service gaps that may impact postsecondary outcomes.

Developing Cohesive Teams

Transition teams often include students, parents or guardians, special education teachers, and building administrators. For more comprehensive support, teams may also benefit from the expertise of professionals in physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, nursing, and behavioral management.

Offering Holistic Service Provision

Interagency teams can bring in additional professionals for holistic service provision. That includes early needs assessments, pre-employment training, and connections to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors. As students seek jobs, benefits counselors can help them understand the impact of earned income on government programs, including work incentives. If the students have a Medicaid waiver, their case manager ensures adult services are planned and in place at the time of graduation.

Case Studies on Collaboration

The following organizations highlight effective processes for collaboration. Way2Work Maryland's interagency team bridges service gaps and encourages shared responsibility among stakeholders. Their program operates by the acronym, MOST – Motivation to Succeed, Openness and Mutual Respect, Support for Team Goals, and Trust in Each Other.

The Vermont Core Transition Teams and Workforce Collaboration Model expand interagency team membership to college programs, adult learning programs, the Department of Labor, family networks and centers, and other programs working with youth. These programs demonstrate how effective transition planning requires a collaborative approach, leveraged by shared expertise across diverse service sectors.

Bonus Tips:

We invite you to participate in Comprehensive Transition Open Office Hours every Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30 PM Eastern Time. During these sessions, you can speak with subject matter experts in dedicated breakout rooms. CCLC staff can address inquiries concerning transition portfolios, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Social Security Work Incentives, Vocational Rehabilitation, and other transition-related topics. To join, use the Zoom link.

The second session of the Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville on Friday, October 25. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

It's election season! On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, important national, state, and local elections will take place. All U.S. citizens aged 18 and older have the right to vote.

To cast a ballot in elections, adult citizens must register as voters. During an election year, like this one, the deadline to register to vote in most states is no later than November 1st. In Indiana, you must have registered to vote at least 29 days before election day, A few states allow same-day voter registration. Visit the Rock the Vote website to find out if your state offers this option and what the specific requirements are.

Legally, voting sites and voting options must be accessible to people with different disabilities. This includes the building, voting booths, machines, and access to voting options for those with vision, mobility, and reading disabilities. The US Election Assistance Commission provides information about accessible voting. After clicking on the US Election Assistance link above, select Voting Accessibility and then scroll down to the Voters section for more information.

Once registered, voters cast ballots at their designated precinct or polling place. Students should create a voting plan, research candidates and issues, and be cautious of misinformation, particularly online. The internet and social media can be valuable resources for informed voting, but students should learn how to critically evaluate the information.

To help young adults stay informed, we've compiled a list of helpful resources. Some of these links will take you to social media platforms, where you can find engaging content about voting. Keep in mind that not all TikTok videos offer closed captions.

Bonus Tips:

October is packed with learning opportunities. Join the third webinar of our fall series:

  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

This session will take place on Thursday, October 17 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. To register, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville, Indiana Friday, October 25. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Why is teaching healthcare skills to students with disabilities important?

As youth transition to adulthood, the ability to monitor their health and medical needs becomes vital. From managing medications, making appointments and filling out forms, to transitioning from pediatrics to adult providers, these skills are crucial for a healthy future. Health Care Transition (HCT) focuses on building these skills, fostering self-advocacy, and preparing individuals for the adult model of care. These efforts will:

  1. Promote Self Advocacy and Independence: Empowering students to take charge of their health prepares them for a successful transition to adulthood. By learning to advocate for themselves, students develop a vital skill that benefits them in all aspects of life. They become more confident in communicating their needs and preferences to healthcare providers and others.
  2. Improve Health Outcomes and Enhance Quality of Life: Effective health condition management can significantly improve health outcomes, reduce complications, and enhance overall quality of life. This allows individuals to fully participate in all aspects of their lives.
  3. Reduce Healthcare Costs: Participating in health-promoting activities can significantly reduce healthcare costs by decreasing the need for emergency room visits and hospitalizations. This benefits individuals, their families, and the overall healthcare system.
  4. Facilitate Smooth Transition: Teaching HCT skills ensures a smoother transition from pediatric to adult healthcare. This reduces the risk of gaps in care and ensures continuity of treatment.
  5. Support Long-Term Success: Developing healthcare skills early in life helps students establish healthy habits and gain confidence in communicating and advocating for their needs. This sets the foundation for lifelong well-being.

The following resources can help assess, write IEP annual goals, and teach Health Care Transition skills to students.

Bonus Tips:

October is packed with learning opportunities. Join the third webinar of our fall series:

  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

This session will take place on Thursday, October 17 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. To register, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville, Indiana Friday, October 25. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

In March 2024, one of our Tuesday’s Transition Tips introduced WorkOne Centers and what they do. Today’s tip will introduce additional resources teachers can share with students. Through WorkOne centers, students can access various tools, develop comprehensive work plans, and explore different career paths. The centers connect students to education and training options, helping them develop job skills through certificates, degrees, or other career training programs. WorkOne Centers advertise job affairs and hiring events, help job seekers create resumes, apply for jobs online, and connect with community employment services.

WorkOne Centers cater to various populations with higher employment needs. Young adults can utilize the following programs:

Teachers can assist their students in accessing vital information and services through their local WorkOne Centers. The Indiana WorkOne website offers information on all the centers in Indiana. Connect with your center today!

Bonus Tips:

CCLC’s comprehensive webinar series on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Transition Portfolios starts next week. Join us for an immersive learning experience that guides transition-age students toward competitive, integrated employment, higher education, and independent living opportunities, but also fosters their overall growth and integration within the community.

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville, Indiana next week. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Federal legislative mandates require Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to allocate funds for Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to students with disabilities who are or may be eligible for VR services. These students, aged 14 to 22, must have an IEP or 504 plan, and be enrolled in a secondary, postsecondary, or other education program. In Indiana, these services are coordinated and provided by approved Pre-ETS VR contractors, typically adult services community rehabilitation programs.

Pre-ETS services include five core categories:

  1. Job exploration counseling
  2. Work-based learning experiences
  3. Counseling on postsecondary opportunities
  4. Workplace readiness training
  5. Instruction in self-advocacy

The Family and Social Services Administration website has more information on Pre-ETS core services and providers. Youth VR counselors can offer additional support to educators, students, and Pre-ETS providers. The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) further defines the roles of Pre-ETS and VR counselors delivering Pre-ETS.

Concurrent VR and Pre-ETS Services

Students may concurrently receive Pre-ETS services and have an active case open through VR. According to DDRS, “High priority referrals include students getting ready to graduate who need VR services (e.g., those with no clear pathway after graduation), and students with more complex needs who might need VR services earlier (among other possible students).” Referring a student to VR is simple.

The Transition Portfolio

Pre-ETS providers should use the work they have completed to assist in developing or enhancing a student's transition portfolio. Educators and Pre-ETS providers should work collaboratively to develop or enhance student transition portfolios.

Bonus Tips:

CCLC has upcoming trainings for educators who want to strengthen their knowledge of transition IEPs and portfolios! Our sessions include:

  • Developing Quality Transition IEPs
  • Using the Transition IEP to Focus Education and Build Relationships
  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville this October. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Independent living goals in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are pivotal when preparing students with disabilities to lead meaningful and self-directed lives. Independent living goals emphasize practical skills that foster self-sufficiency, including:

  • Housing: Finding and securing appropriate housing, paying rent and utilities, managing household maintenance and tasks.
  • Finances: Managing money, learning to budget, overseeing expenses, understanding banking, and utilizing debt responsibly.
  • Work: Preparing for employment, resume writing, job interviewing, time management, and teamwork.
  • Self-Care: Managing routine healthcare, hygiene, daily routines, and prioritizing safety.
  • Social Skills: Building relationships, effective communication, conflict resolution, and community involvement.
  • Transportation: Navigating public transit, managing personal transportation, or planning travel routes.

Postsecondary independent living goals:

  • acknowledge abilities beyond academic performance, and prepare students for adulthood while enhancing their self-sufficiency.
  • encourage self-confidence and reduce dependence on others, while promoting a sense of accomplishment and personal responsibility.
  • bridge the gap between school and post-school obstacles, and ease the transition into postsecondary education and employment.

Prioritizing postsecondary independent living goals in an IEP empowers students to make informed decisions, embrace calculated risks, actively engage in their communities, and enhance their overall quality of life.

Bonus Tips:

October is packed with learning opportunities. Our fall series includes:

  • Developing Quality Transition IEPs
  • Using the Transition IEP to Focus Education and Build Relationships
  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville this October. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage. 

The United States Department of Education states, “By 2027, 70 percent of jobs will require education or training beyond high school.”  That's a lot of competition! Setting and achieving quality postsecondary education or training goals helps students stand out. These goals guide students through the often-micromanaged territory of high school to the diverse and often challenging world of higher education or career training programs. Research shows that goal setting is a powerful tool for success. The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) even lists it as one of the top predictors for positive post-school outcomes for students with disabilities.

Why Postsecondary Education and Training Goals Matter

  1. Enhance Future Opportunities: They help students align their current educational experiences with their long-term career aspirations and the training needed to obtain them. Whether they’re aiming for college, vocational certification, or on-the-job learning, clear goals ensure a smooth transition.
  2. Promote Self-Advocacy and Independence: Students gain a sense of ownership over their future and learn to articulate their needs. These skills are essential for navigating higher education and the workforce.
  3. Align with Individual Strengths and Interests: Effective postsecondary goals are tailored to a student's individual strengths, preferences, and interests. This personalized approach helps prevent disengagement and leads to a rewarding educational experience.
  4. Provide Tailored Support: Clear goals help educators and families identify and provide specific support, such as Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services, academic counseling, career exploration activities, or specialized training programs.
  5. Foster Long-Term Success: Students with well-defined goals and a roadmap for achieving them are more likely to complete postsecondary education and training. This leads to better job opportunities and overall life satisfaction.

Quality postsecondary education and training goals are a roadmap to success, guiding students towards meaningful opportunities, fostering independence, and supporting their future. By prioritizing these goals, we ensure that every student has the chance to realize their full potential and achieve their dreams.

Resources

CCLC has upcoming trainings for educators who want to strengthen their knowledge of transition IEPs and portfolios! Our sessions include:

  • Developing Quality Transition IEPs
  • Using the Transition IEP to Focus Education and Build Relationships
  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

Bonus Tip: The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville this October. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

The Transition Assessment is a comprehensive process that guides students toward successful postsecondary lives. As a noun, it refers to specific assessments, like standardized tests or career inventories. As a verb, it denotes the ongoing process of evaluating and planning with students. Regularly administered assessments allow for flexibility as students' interests and skills evolve, ensuring they are well-prepared for their future.

  • Transition assessments should:
    • identify the student’s strengths, preferences, interests, and needs (SPIN).
    • inform the student’s postsecondary goals in employment, education/training, and independent living.
    • support the IEP team in identifying appropriate transition services and activities that match the student’s postsecondary goals.
    • include authentic assessments from discussing transition activities, such as work-based learning experiences, to help students determine if they’ve chosen the right path or identify a new path toward a dream they have for their future.

We highly recommend the Positive Personal Profile (PPP), a strength-based assessment completed by the student, family, and each team member. The process of gathering and sharing this information is as valuable as the assessment itself. There are various versions from Transcen, Tilson, and LifeCourse.

When the results, of everyone’s contributions to this PPP are shared with the team, it leads to greater insight into the student's skills, abilities, and confidence in future employment. The PPP process also generates ideas for contacting potential employers to explore work-based learning experiences that can serve as important transition services and activities. The PPP is a dynamic tool designed to be updated throughout the year as the student's experiences, skills, and interests evolve.

The Transition Assessment Matrix, originally developed by the Indiana Northeast Cadre of Transition Leaders and the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC) for secondary education transition teachers, is a great place to find a variety of age-appropriate transition assessments, including the PPP. The transition assessments housed in the Matrix are either developed by INSTRC, freely accessible online, or authorized for use by INSTRC with permission from the original publisher.

For more information about transition assessments and how they align with other components of the IEP, attend our upcoming IEP webinars and see how a PPP might contribute to creating a student Portfolio.

October is packed with learning opportunities. Our fall series includes:

  • Developing Quality Transition IEPs
  • Using the Transition IEP to Focus Education and Build Relationships
  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

Bonus Tip: The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Lafayette this September. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Over the years we have written several Tuesday's Tips on Transition IEP components and alignment. Quality, well-aligned IEPs are crucial for planning an education program focused on each student’s plans for employment, education, and if needed, independent living, after high school. As the new school year begins, we want to share some reminders about the Transition IEP.

Present Levels tell a story about the student’s current educational abilities. What do we currently know about the student regarding academics, functional skills, social skills, and physical and medical abilities and needs? You may also want to include information on communication, behavior, and sensory needs.

Transition Assessments help us understand the student’s SPIN (Strengths, Preferences, Interests, and Needs) in the areas of, education, employment, and independent living and lead directly to the postsecondary goals.

Postsecondary Goals are the student’s long-term preferences for employment, education/training and independent living based on information from current transition assessments. Where will the student work, learn, and live long-term?

Transition Services and Activities are specific activities aligned to the student’s current postsecondary goals. They help the student make informed decisions about continuing or changing those goals. Quality transition services and activities inform the student about their stated goals and help them determine how to clarify or change their postsecondary goals.

Annual Goals should address the student’s most significant barriers by targeting their academic, functional, and social needs. Ensuring that individual IEPs are aligned will better prepare them for their employment, education/training, and independent living goals.

CCLC has upcoming trainings for educators who want to strengthen their knowledge of transition IEPs and portfolios! These sessions are titled:

  • Developing Quality Transition IEPs
  • Using the Transition IEP to Focus Education and Build Relationships
  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

To register, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

Bonus Tip: We invite you to participate in Comprehensive Transition Open Office Hours every Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30 PM Eastern Time. During these sessions, you can speak with subject matter experts in dedicated breakout rooms. CCLC staff can address inquiries concerning transition portfolios, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Social Security Work Incentives, Vocational Rehabilitation, and other transition-related topics. To join, use the Zoom link.

Emergencies often cause anxiety and confusion, and this can be overwhelming for individuals with disabilities. Educators and families can actively prepare those with disabilities for emergencies.

It’s important to plan for a weather-related emergency like a tornado, earthquake, or flood. Also consider other potential crises such as active shooter situations, fires, pandemics requiring isolation, and extended power outages.

To support individuals with disabilities during emergencies, take the following steps:

  • Assess the Current Situation

Identify immediate and ongoing needs, including any assistance required during an emergency. This assessment should consider mobility aids, adaptive equipment, and medication requirements.

  • Make an Emergency Plan

Develop a comprehensive plan outlining steps to take for various emergencies. Consider how to: 

1. evacuate or take shelter,

2. communicate with family and community members, 

3. manage without essential utilities, and

4. maintain critical supports like personal assistance, therapies, and transportation.

  • Prepare an Emergency Kit 

Gather supplies that will last for multiple days. Emergency kits can include:

1. food

2. water,

3. medications,

4. support network list

5. supplies related to the individual's disability

  • Carry an Emergency Information Form or Tag 

Create a waterproof form or tag that displays essential medical and disability information. First responders and support personnel need this information for quick assistance. The form should include:

1. full name, 

2. disability,

3. medications,

4. allergies,

5. support needs,

6. family and friends' contact information.

  • Build a Strong Support Network

Identify people and organizations who can assist during an emergency. Create a comprehensive list of individuals and agencies ready to provide support.

  • Practice Emergency Plans

Conduct emergency drills regularly to familiarize yourself and your support network with proper procedures. Planning is important and can significantly improve your safety and health during emergencies.

Resources:

 

Bonus Tip: The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Batesville this October. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Welcome back, transition education professionals! As summer days shorten and the new school year approaches, the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC) is excited to partner with you again to support student success.

Starting a new school year can be daunting, but a little preparation can alleviate stress and boost your confidence. Ready to dive back in? Elevate your classroom with the following resources:

 We’re eager and excited to support your secondary transition needs! Connect with us in three easy ways:

October is packed with learning opportunities. Our upcoming webinars include:

  • Developing Quality Transition IEPs
  • Using the Transition IEP to Focus Education and Build Relationships
  • Portfolios and Profiles: Portals to Competitive, Integrated Employment (CIE)

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

 

Bonus Tip: The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) kicks off in Lafayette this September. Help us spread the word! Share this free learning opportunity with families, students, and colleagues. To register for this and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Have a great school year and keep an eye out for more Transition Tips every Tuesday!

This is the final edition of Tuesday's Transition Tips for the 2023-2024 school year—how time has flown!

As the school year comes to a close, the team behind these weekly tips would like to express our gratitude for your dedication and hard work. Despite the never-ending list of challenges and the need to adapt to new processes, tools, and strategies for your students’ planning and growth, you have persevered!

Tuesday's Transition Tips will be on hiatus for a few months, so we encourage special educators to use the transition resources we have collected over the years:

For any questions you have, we are available at our Open Office Hours every Thursday from 2:30–4:30 p.m. This is a fantastic opportunity to chat, brainstorm, and problem-solve transition-related issues with our team.

Most of all, we urge you to take this summer as an opportunity to focus on the four Rs: Rest, Relax, Reflect, and Recharge. You deserve some well-earned rejuvenation (that’s a fifth R!)

Thanks again for all that you do to support transitioning students and their families. Have a wonderful summer and we’ll see you in the fall!

Indiana’s Department of Education and Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services hope to increase the number of individuals with disabilities in competitive integrated employment from 23% to 38% by 2027. One important way to prepare for that is during secondary transition.

Transitioning from high school to adulthood can be elegantly seamless rather than piecemeal. Important elements of a Seamless Transition, according to TransCen, a non-profit organization dedicated to the success of youth and young adults with disabilities, include the following:

  • Establish a Vision
    • Believe that students with disabilities can earn at least minimum wage in an integrated setting (one that includes people with and without disabling conditions) with businesses in the community.
  • Create a Positive Personal Profile(PPP)
    • Use a PPP as a transition assessment to focus on skills, preferences, and passions over labels and deficits.
    • Take a look at a sample PPP.
  • Explore Employment Options
    • Create relationships with employers in your area.
    • Offer multiple opportunities to explore employment.
    • Set a goal: Employment on the last day of school will be the same as the first day after graduation.
  • Build Successful Interagency Teams
    • School staff
    • Employment service providers, like Pre-ETS and VR
    • Student/Families
  • Promote Family Engagement

 

Resources

Summer is a great time to explore employment experiences! Summer employment opportunities are often overlooked for youth with disabilities, but they’re as important for promoting maturity, independence, and adult employment skills for students with disabilities as they are for any other teenager.

Here are a few suggestions:

  1. Connect with WorkOne centers. Set up a field trip to a WorkOne center to help students find summer employment, apply for summer jobs, interview, and obtain a summer job!
  2. Connect with a local Independent Living Center. They can help students connect to all sorts of area support resources, including transportation, employment, and peer supports.
  3. Work with your local Chamber of Commerce, commerce office, or state department of labor and to connect with employment options for youth. For example, Project Indy provides connections to job opportunities, soft-skill development, and job-readiness training for Indianapolis area teens and young adults.
  4. Think backwards and creatively! Sponsor or connect students to a reverse or an online job fair in your area. At a reverse job fair, students with disabilities can prepare to meet potential employers who come to meet the students. Or, employers can also join a virtual/online job fair to meet with potential youth employees!
  5. Finally, connect with agencies or area Pre-ETS providers that can help students obtain job skills and connect to potential employers.

Career and technical education (CTE) is an excellent way for transition age students to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for their career interest. CTE programs can provide different opportunities in a wide range of fields such as automotive, manufacturing, health care, information technology, agriculture, culinary, and more. For a student with an IEP, it’s a good way to get a jump start toward a career by working toward a credential, earning dual credit, and completing work-based learning experiences.

According to the National Center on Learning Disabilities (see below), nearly 11.8 million students in the United States participated in CTE in 2017-18. Of those students, 877,938 were secondary learners with disabilities, and 126,110 were postsecondary learners with disabilities. Students with disabilities have shown more successful postsecondary outcomes when they have access to CTE with accommodations and supports.

Given those positive outcomes, it is important to include CTE information in the student’s transition IEP. Consider incorporating CTE information into the IEP by:

  • including student interests and skills related to CTE programs in the present levels.
  • using transition assessments that target skills and abilities related to CTE programs.
  • including direct statements for employment and education connected to CTE that guide the IEP toward the postsecondary goals.
  • including activities completed in CTE programs as transition services.
  • developing annual goals related to the student’s interests in CTE.

Designing a Transition IEP that incorporates CTE will help the student and their family understand the relevance and purpose of their education.

 

Resource:

Earlier this month, we posted a tip on best practices for transition planning. With this tip, we’ll give you a slice of what the Family Employment First Coalition developed to help transition teams understand the key components of transition to competitive integrated employment.

We’ve also put together a key components handout directed to parents and caregivers, but it can also be helpful for students and other members of your transition teams. Please share with them at family nights, during case conference meetings, or as you’re working with individual members of your teams.

  • Engage in ongoing, student-centered, collaborative planning among all key team members.

Encourage students and help them become engaged, active partners in all planning and team discussions.

  • Provide activities and experiences that lead to competitive integrated employment outcomes.

Help students explore a variety of work-based experiences prior to transition to adult life. These can include community-based instruction, job exploration and training, internships, work-study programs, and school-supported community-based programs for students ages 18-22. 

  • Understand adult services and state and federal benefits.

Connect with a benefits specialist to help you understand how students can get the most out of work. 

  • Be familiar with common terms and language related to school-to-work transition.

At the start of transition planning, have a team discussion on terminology and keep a list handy. Ask about acronyms or unfamiliar terms whenever they come up in discussions.

 

Members of the Family Employment First Coalition:

Composed of key family and disability advocacy organizations throughout the state, the mission of the Family Employment First Coalition is to collaboratively create meaningful change in the transition outcomes of young adults with disabilities who are seeking competitive integrated employment in Indiana.   

Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) provides free information to transition-age young adults with disabilities, their families, educators, and support professionals about accessing customized, competitive, integrated employment opportunities. Now available in Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island, FEAT provides attendees a wealth of information about local, state, and federal resources meant to help support young adults with disabilities who want to work in their communities.

The core FEAT employment curriculum covers benefits, working with Vocational Rehabilitation, customized employment strategies and supports, and much more, but the two-day training also offers:

  • time to network with other families,
  • an opportunity to hear from individuals with disabilities who are successfully employed, and
  • the chance to meet people from agencies providing supports.

Spread the word to students and families about upcoming FEAT sites and dates (see below). FEAT could also be a great professional development opportunity for you, increasing your knowledge and ability to inform students and parents about postsecondary support services and resources.

Delivered by Indiana University’s Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC) and funded by Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation, FEAT has extended its Indiana outreach in 2024.


Upcoming Family Employment Awareness Training:

Indianapolis: April 19 and May 3*

April 19th
Carmel Clay Schools
Carmel, IN
 
May 3
Washington Township Schools
Indianapolis, IN 
*This is a two-day training. To accommodate more attendees, Day 1 of FEAT will be held in Carmel and Day 2 in Indianapolis.
 

Also look for FEAT in the fall of 2024 in Lafayette and in Batesville, Indiana!


To register for these and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

As transition educators it’s our job to help pave the way for that smooth transition from school to a fulfilling, successful life of work, family, and community connection that we hope our students experience. There are some key components and best practices to the transition process that members of the Families for Employment First Coalition recently outlined. 

1. Promote high expectations for an inclusive future.

Help students and families engage in concrete, ongoing conversations about next steps toward their vision.

2. Focus on parent connections, access to peers, and information sharing.

Connect students and families with others who have successfully navigated the transition process. Give them time, opportunity, and accessible spaces to obtain information and ask questions about transition.

3. Emphasize employment and building work skills through real world work experience.

Encourage students to share information about their likes, dislikes, support needs, and experiences with transition team members and prospective employers. Connect them to work experiences in real businesses where they develop skills and explore work cultures and different careers.

4. Focus on community engagement and connecting students and families to ongoing resources and support.

Provide information about state and local resources, services, and supports. Ensure those supports are in place before the student exits school.

5. Develop goal setting and self-advocacy skills.

Teach students how to set goals and advocate for themselves throughout the transition process, from school to adult life.

These principles and steps are really the backbone to all transition planning. We’ve added a transition handout to our website so you can share them with your transition teams and incorporate them into your team meetings and future planning discussions for all your students.

 

Members of the Families for Employment First Coalition: 

 

The financial stuff can get complicated for young adults and their families. Benefits, trusts, asset and resource limitations. It’s a lot.

We don’t want to overwhelm you or them. Sometimes tidbits are more helpful than a complete information overload. Today we’ll zero in on ABLE accounts.

The basics. Available in most states, ABLE accounts are a relatively new way to save—much like 529 college saving accounts—designed specifically for people with disabilities. Individuals and families find them useful for managing earnings and funds and for helping individuals save for future goals while still maintaining their Medicaid and Social Security benefits.

Things students and families will want to know:

  • Individuals can’t set up an ABLE account at their local bank. States have their own ABLE programs that enroll individuals. Indiana’s is INvestABLE. (You can compare and contrast ABLE options and choose to enroll in another state’s ABLE plan. But individuals may only have one ABLE account.)
  • In 2024, ABLE account holders can contribute $18,000 to an account. More if that person is working, thanks to the ABLE to Work Act.
  • People with disabilities who receive Medicaid and Medicaid waiver services need to keep less than $2,000 in their combined checking and savings accounts. Individuals and their Representative Payees (a person authorized by Social Security to manage a recipient’s funds) can maintain that balance by moving funds into an ABLE account each month, so they won’t lose benefits and services.
  • ABLE funds can be used to pay for almost anything that improves quality of life. Think big things: an apartment downpayment. Think typical expenses: utilities or rent. Think fun things: a laptop upgrade, a vacation with family, a gym membership.

Resources

America’s WorkOne Centers help people get jobs! Per their website, WorkOne staff can help you find a new job, access training you need for a job, and locate information you need to be successful at your job!  

Anyone can visit WorkOne centers located throughout Indiana! WorkOne center staff are connected to their local communities and also have access to information about jobs elsewhere. They can help job seekers learn how to: 

  • Complete applications 
  • Gain better interviewing skills 
  • Find job listings 
  • Write cover letters and resumes, and  
  • Access education and training opportunities to increase job skills.  

Using a WorkOne center is easy! They have in-person and virtual appointment options.   

Special education teachers, school counselors, and other school personnel help your students become familiar with their local WorkOne center. You can visit on a field trip or help students look up and make appointments using the internet. It’s also helpful if you and your colleagues make your own visit to the local WorkOne center to meet some of the staff there and learn more about what these centers offer for students.  

The Indiana WorkOne website provides information about the locations of all of the WorkOne centers in Indiana.  

Our last issue of Tuesday’s Tips focused on supported decision-making. Did you know there are other supports available to help individuals make those important life decisions along the way? Exploration surrounding supports should start early. The continuum of support, listed here from least to most limiting, may include:

  • Independence—enables self-determination and full responsibility. When a person is independent, they take care of their own needs including finances, health care, employment, and housing and are not directed by others.
  • Informal support—describes support provided by immediate family and close friends. It is considered informal because it is provided on an as-needed basis, the support person is not paid, and there is no formal agreement in place.
  • Supported decision-making—allows an individual to keep their rights and make their own decisions with the aid of trusted people who help the person understand, make, and communicate choices.
  • Health care representative—makes health care decisions in the event of an emergency or when the individual is too sick to make decisions on their own behalf. Providing representative documentation to a health care provider can help prevent communication barriers in matters having to do with medical care.
  • Power of Attorney (POA)—gives one or more individuals (e.g., a person or non-profit) the power to act for another person. Those with POA, a legal document, can make decisions about an individual’s property, finances, or medical care.
  • Guardianship—refers to the legal process by which the court assigns someone the authority to make decisions. It can affect the person’s right to choose where to live, work, receive medical care, marry, and more. 

Note:  Indiana law requires that a petition for guardianship discuss what less restrictive alternative options have been considered before guardianship.

Resources:


Per Indiana law, we are now required to talk about supported decision-making and other alternatives to guardianship during a student’s case conference starting in grade 8 or at age 14. This annual conversation should be thoroughly documented within the IEP and revisited as circumstances change.

That talk can seem overwhelming. It’s a lot of information, involving complicated legal decisions. Here are a few points to share with students and families. 

What Everyone Should Know

Essentially, supported decision-making gives a person with a disability more options, allowing them to keep their rights and make decisions about finances, health care, housing, employment, and other life choices with the help of people they trust. That’s why families and young adults should consider supported decision-making first, before immediately deciding on more restrictive paths, like Power of Attorney (POA), health care representation, or guardianship.

Self-determination 

Promoting independence and self-direction is key to developing and implementing successful supported decision-making agreements. Skills involved include choice-making, goal setting, problem-solving, and self-awareness. Individuals should feel confident in communicating their needs with those they trust. Supporters can assist in developing these skills while ensuring the individual maintains final decision-making authority.

Collaboration

Supported decision-making requires a collaborative approach between the young adult and those they deem trustworthy to assist with major life decisions. The person with a disability will lead these collective conversations. Initial discussions will outline the individual’s strengths, needs, available resources, and how they will be supported. Supporters on the “team” can include friends, family, and/or professionals who can help the person understand, make, and communicate their choices.

Agreements

In Indiana, supported decision-making can be informal or formal, depending on whether there is a written agreement or not. (Rules vary in other states.)  Written agreements are not required but helpful. They specify how the person will be supported and who is committed to providing that support. Supported individuals can change their agreements at any time, add new support team members, and define each member’s role and how they will advise the person with a disability.   

 

Next week, we’ll explore the continuum of adult support by diving into informal support arrangements, health care representatives, POAs, and guardianship.

 

Resources:

Health care transition is one of many challenges associated with transition to adult life. Parents and caregivers may be accustomed to taking care of all the health care needs for their child. Health care transition skills and advocacy is an area of independent living that students can develop through independent living goals in their transition IEP.

For example, many students may not know their diagnosis, why they are taking certain medications, or how to arrange for their own health care appointments. These gaps in knowledge and skill can be translated into Independent Living goals:

  • I will name my health conditions and explain how they affect me with a medical provider.
  • I will keep a list of my prescriptions and what health care conditions they address to share with medical providers.
  • I will schedule medical appointments online or by phone.
  • I will contact my pharmacy to refill prescriptions.
  • I will prepare a list of questions for my medical provider before meeting with them.
  • I will enter dates of medical appointments into my calendar and set a reminder.
  • I will keep a record of my medical providers and their contact information.
  • I will complete an emergency contact form and carry it with me in my wallet, backpack, or purse.

Of course, these are only a few examples; tailor goals to the student’s specific situation and level using an appropriate assessment. Start small and build on success. Through transition IEP goals, you can assist students in becoming more independent with their healthcare needs!

Resources:

Recently, we wrote a tip on Benefits Counseling for the Transitioning Student, which explained how students who are Social Security beneficiaries can access benefits counseling through Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) or Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation. Currently, students 18 or younger who are receiving benefits are a priority for WIPA. Students over age 18 who are working are also a priority for WIPA and any student beneficiary who is receiving services through Vocational Rehabilitation can receive benefits counseling through the VR process. These services are free.

The benefit to benefits counseling

Fear of losing benefits is one of the primary reasons beneficiaries hesitate to work. However, there are many work incentives built into the Social Security system. A benefits counselor helps the student and their family understand which work incentives apply to their situation. For example, a working transition student may benefit from the Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE), which allows them to earn up to $2,290 per month and $9,230 per year in 2024 without affecting their Social Security benefits at all. This allows students to work and keep both benefits and income! The SEIE is just one of many beneficial work incentives.

How can I use this in transition?

Here are some potential independent living goals you could develop with beneficiary transition students who are interested in working. These are just examples; tailor the goals to each student’s particular needs.

  • I will call the Ticket to Work Help Line to request benefits counseling.
  • I will use benefits counseling to understand how working affects my benefits.
  • I will request benefits counseling services as a part of my vocational rehabilitation Plan for Employment.
  • I will use benefits counseling to determine if I qualify for any work incentives.

Knowledge is power, and the knowledge of benefits counseling and work incentives can empower students toward increased financial wellbeing and independence!

Resources

Understanding a student’s strengths, preferences, interests, and needs related to their individual postsecondary goals is how we, as educators, build relationships and provide guidance and support. To ensure that quality educational services and support is provided to students and a transition IEP is developed that will guide these services, it is important that we use multiple transition assessments every year for each student.

There are five main reasons to use multiple transition assessments.

  1. Comprehensive Information

Different transition assessments focus on various aspects of a student's skills, abilities, and preferences. By using a combination of formal, informal, and authentic transition assessments, educators can gather a more in-depth understanding of the student's interests and areas that require additional support.

  1. A Well-Rounded Approach

Transition planning requires an approach that considers various domains such as academic, vocational, social, and independent living skills. Using multiple transition assessments through the year helps to cover all domains, allowing for a more accurate and well-rounded picture of the student's abilities related to their transition to adulthood.

  1. Individualized Planning

Each student has unique strengths, interests, and goals. Using multiple assessments helps the transition team individualize the transition plan to meet the needs of the student. Collecting data from various assessments allows for tailored planning and supports.

  1. Progress Monitoring and Adjustment

Transition planning is an ongoing process that includes many years of the student’s education. Conducting multiple assessments enables educators to track growth and development. This progress monitoring helps identify changes in strengths and areas of improvement and allows for plan adjustment.

  1. Collaboration and Teamwork

Combining different assessments completed by educators, parents, the student, and other individuals who work with the student encourages collaboration among those involved in the transition planning process. Transition assessments can then be the guiding documents they are intended to be resulting in a more comprehensive and effective transition IEP.

If you have questions about transition assessments, we’re happy to help.

Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center or instrc@indiana.edu

Center on Community Living and Careers

Simply put, customized employment is an individually negotiated job arrangement that matches a job seeker’s strengths with an employer’s identified needs. By considering both the needs of the job seeker and the employer, it  gives individuals with significant disabilities the opportunity to make meaningful contributions in the workplace.

Sometimes referred to as job creation, customized employment is referenced in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), and the federal code (29 U.S. Code § 705).  

Talk with local employment providers in your area about how they work with both students and potential employers to facilitate customized employment placements. Some flexible strategies for customized employment include:

  • customizing a job description based on current employer needs or on a previously unidentified and unmet employer need;
  • developing a set of job duties, a work schedule and job arrangement, a job location, and specifics of supervision (including performance evaluation and review);
  • helping a student choose a professional who can work with the employer to facilitate customized placement; or helping a student work directly with an employer to facilitate placement; and
  • providing services and supports at the job location.

Why You Should Know About It

You can help those students who are likely to face challenges being hired in the labor market by doing two things. First, educate them about the existence and possibility of customized employment. One possible transition service and activity: Interview adult service providers about their staffs’ knowledge of and experience with customized employment. Second, work with the local Pre-ETS school-based staff person to identify the student’s most persistent and enduring skills (both hard and soft skills) that the student may offer an employer. Work together to describe an ideal employment outcome for the student. This will advance post-school employment options!

Resources

Last week we discussed the golden thread of IEP alignment. Here’s a brief recap:

  • The Transition IEP should be well-aligned through all five sections:
    1. Present Levels
    2. Transition Assessments
    3. Postsecondary Goals
    4. Transition Services and Activities
    5. Annual Goals
  • The student’s preferences for their postsecondary goals in employment, education and training, and independent living should be the focus that guides future transition assessments and services and activities.
  • The transition IEP should be a new document each year with new assessments, services, and annual goals.

Along with making sure the entire transition IEP is a quality document, the Indiana Department of Education has made an effort this year to focus on two areas of the IEP.

  1. Independent Living Postsecondary Goals: These goals should outline a skill necessary for the student's future living arrangement (e.g., cooking, banking, transportation, or social abilities). You must tailor goals to the student’s specific needs and preferences.
  2. Transition Assessment in the IEP: A comprehensive IEP should include multiple transition assessments annually. Beyond just interviewing the student or parents, the IEP should incorporate a mix of formal, informal, and authentic assessments. This approach ensures a thorough understanding of the student’s strengths, preferences, interests, and needs in employment, education, and independent living.

Having an aligned, quality, individualized Transition IEP will help each student maximize their potential and access needed resources and supports. Contact the department of education in your state for specific state information about the Transition IEP.

Resources

  • Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center — Transition Assessment Matrix — Your go-to resource to find transition assessments.
  • Transition Miniseries — 13 free courses reviewing the transition IEP, student involvement, transition programs, and the transition portfolio (PGPs available for each completed course.)
  • instrc@iu.edu— Email us to set up technical assistance over the transition IEP.
  • Center on Community Living and Careers—Visit our free Office Hours to ask about Transition IEPs and portfolios, benefits, vocational rehabilitation, or anything related to our work.
  • Indiana Department of Education – Technical Assistance Request — Go there to request Transition IEP help from the IDOE.

You’ve probably heard that the Golden Thread of a Quality IEP is Alignment. But just what is an aligned IEP?

In addition to just connecting all the parts, alignment refers to the ongoing, outcome-based discovery process which strengthens the thread and leads to fulfilment of the student’s dreams for long-term employment, education or training, and an ability to live independently.

Alignment begins with an evaluation of Present Levels, which tells a rich story about the student. Present Levels answers what we currently know about the student in terms of academics, functional skills, social skills, and physical and medical abilities and needs?

Transition Assessments are crucial for maintaining an aligned IEP because they help us clarify the student’s SPIN (Strengths, Preferences, Interests, and Needs). SPIN is essential for setting the appropriate, individualized postsecondary goals for employment, education/training, and independent living.

Postsecondary goals are the student’s preferences for their long-term aspirations for employment, education/training and independent living based on information from current transition assessments.

Transition Services and Activities aligned to current post-secondary goals are a powerful way to help the student make experience-based informed decisions about continuing or changing those goals. Reviewing the activities with the student builds strong relationships and informs new assessments, which should strengthen, clarify, or even change the postsecondary goals.

Annual goals are meant to address the student’s most significant barriers targeting their academic, functional, and social needs and will better prepare them for their employment, education/training, and independent living goals.

Want to learn more? The Center on Community Living and Careers has upcoming IEP training opportunities in February for new and seasoned educators who want to strengthen that golden thread!

CCLC IEP Training:click here

Who Requires a Transition Portfolio

Varying states will have varying requirements, but Indiana is clear regarding who the transition portfolio impacts. Beginning with students exiting school as a 2023 cohort, any student receiving an Individualized Education Program (IEP) must construct a transition portfolio. This includes students who are opting to receive an alternative diploma. The transition portfolio serves to satisfy Indiana’s Graduation Pathways requirement of demonstrating employability skills and highlights academic skills.

As an educator, you should be aware the transition portfolio does not supplant or replace the Summary of Performance. This can be confusing since much of the same information is used in both the portfolio and the summary. We encourage you to begin collecting artifacts (student-specific information and evidence) as early as middle school, and most certainly, without fail, throughout the high school years. Arm students with a strength-based portfolio to use after high school to enhance and improve student education/training, employment, and independent living goals. The transition portfolio is especially salient for students with significant impacts of disability.

What to Include in a Transition Portfolio

Indiana’s transition portfolio features four broad sections, each focusing on a unique life domain. These four sections are student information, student learning characteristics, academic skills, and employability skills. Within each section, you can use particular information to creatively populate content that is both strength-based and relative to the student’s positive attributes, unique learning needs, necessary accommodations and assistive technology, and academic skills. Most importantly, the portfolio serves as a possibility path, underscoring the student’s career interests and both hard and soft employability skills.

We encourage you to explore the resources below! In addition, we welcome your attendance at open office hours, offered free of charge every Thursday from 2:30–4:30 p.m. EST. Want to talk portfolio? Let’s do it!

 

Resources

With the arrival of each new year, we often set personal goals. Reflecting on the past year, we aim to adopt new practices such as healthy eating, regular exercise, spending more time with family, or ensuring adequate sleep.

As transition educators, you play a crucial role in helping students set their own goals themselves. You can fold these objectives into the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) as part of their transition services and activities. Even if a student’s IEP already includes other transition services and activities, it’s always beneficial to assist them in setting additional goals.

Below is a list of possible employment New Year’s resolutions to encourage your students to strive towards. 

  • Attend a networking event with area businesses.
  • Identify the nearby Work One Center and attend a tour.
  • Connect with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR).
  • Find a job in an area of interest.
  • Develop a resume.
  • Research and practice interview questions and skills (e.g., STAR technique).
  • Interview the owner of an area business.
  • Make a list of and reach out to individuals who may have community job connections.
  • Attend a workshop or event related to an employment area of interest.
  • Make a list of and work towards achieving the skills needed for the job (e.g., student wants to become a secretary and will need to learn how to type __ words per minute).
  • Study for and obtain a driver’s license.
  • Make a LinkedIn account to showcase your skills
  • Practice asking someone for help with a task.
  • Explore alternatives for disability disclosure in the workplace.

Resources

Bullying is a type of youth violence disproportionately affecting students with disabilities. The good news is that we can bring it to an end.

The Problem
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bullying includes “unwanted aggressive behavior by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners.” It involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is very likely to be repeated. Its harms take many forms, such as:

  • physical (hitting, tripping),
  • verbal (name calling, teasing), and
  • social (spreading rumors, leaving out of group).

Bullying can happen anywhere: in person, electronically (i.e., “cyberbullying”), at school, or in other settings.

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 20.2 % of students with disabilities ages 12 through 18 experienced bullying in the 2016–17 school year. Students with disabilities are more likely to be victims of sustained bullying, Rose (2016) finds. Compared with their non-disabled peers, says Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, students with disabilities are more worried about school safety and warned twice as often to not tattle when reporting bullying.

Solutions

  • Stop Bullying explains the deep and pervasive harm not only for victims, but also for bystanders and the persons who bully as well. They provide examples of school-wide approaches to increase empathy, implement trauma-informed practices, and foster social-emotional learning. Read their fact sheet to learn about incorporating mindfulness practices, facilitating circle discussions, and initiating restorative justice programs.
  • Rose (2016) recommends that students with disabilities should receive direct instruction in social and communication skills to buffer these adverse experiences.
  • The Indiana Department of Education has a variety of bullying prevention resources for teachers, students, and administration such as student brochures, sample announcements, and curricula.

With a comprehensive approach, we can stop bullying. We need to continue to use and develop resources to address this societal challenge at all levels by implementing intervention and prevention programs to keep schools safe for all.

Bonus Tip:
On April 6, 7, and 8, 2022, join the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center for online Transition Portfolio Training sessions. Part of our Spring 2022 webinar series, these no-cost sessions run twice daily and offer an introduction to transition portfolio examples, a demonstration of preferred/required section content, and a guided tour of each portfolio format.

Whether you've created many transition portfolios or this your first rodeo, this free training series has something for everyone. Seats are still available—register today!

Hello again from all of us at the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center!  Although the summer break may seem too short and returning to class a little bitter-sweet, here are a few ways to bring a little sunshine with you into the new school year.

Self-Care: Look for some of the gifts of summer that you can bring into the classroom to stay grounded while looking for the treasures of transition for yourself as well as your students. You can help prevent or soothe feelings of anxiety by implementing the following:

INSTRC is here for you: We are back and ready to meet your secondary transition needs!  You can find loads of transition resources on our INSTRC website; if you need any help, please reach out to us at INSTRC@indiana.edu or come to our virtual office hours from 2:30 –4:30 p.m. ET every Thursday.
 
Teamwork makes the dream work: We have a great (and growing) team!

Our newest INSTRC team member, Sarah Lamb, joins us as research associate this month and comes to us from Indiana Digital Learning School where she has been a transition coordinator. Make her feel welcome!

Keep an eye out for Tuesday’s Transition Tips every Tuesday this school year. If you have questions, suggestions, or a request for INSTRC, email us at INSTRC@indiana.edu.

Welcome back and have a great school year!

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. In 2019, the National Center of Educational Statistics reported that 22 percent of students aged 12–18 experienced bullying. If you're a transition educator, here's how you can support and empower your students to deal with bullying.

Strategies benefiting students with special needs, like team-focused tactics, promoting friendships, and building empathy, are effective against all forms of bullying. Not only will anti-bullying programs inform students, they will also enhance their communication and boost confidence. By involving parents, teachers, and peers in these strategies, schools become welcoming and secure environments instead of fearful spaces.

Practice scenarios are one great way to prepare students how to deal with bullying. Consider this example from the PACER Center:

Scenario: "The Hallway Incident"

  • Setting: Between classes in a school hallway.
  • Situation: Alex, a child with Down syndrome, faces teasing and blocking from peers while moving between classes.
  • Objective: Enable Alex to voice his feelings, seek assistance, and highlight bystander intervention.
  • Discussion: How did Alex feel? How could peers have helped? How should Alex communicate his needs in the future?

Teaching students to recognize and address bullying equips them with vital communication tools for future challenges.

Resources


Bonus Tip

To learn more about the dangers of bullying, become equipped to identify bullying behavior, and gain tools to help support the child who is being bullied, join Sherri Cripe, director of School Bullying Prevention at Purdue University on Thursday, October 5, 1:30 pm ET.

Follow this Zoom link or call (646) 876-9923 to join the session.

Have you ever wondered how Valentine’s Day began? Accounts vary, but Saint Valentine of Terni reportedly sent a letter to a woman he admired, signed, “From your Valentine.” Other historians connect mid-February to Lupercalia, a Roman fertility festival. Regardless of the disputed origins, many think of Valentine’s Day as a time to send friends and lovers reminders of their affection.

Fast forward to the 2022 classroom: Teachers receive flower bouquets; decorations are abundant; candy is everywhere. Some students get special attention from their romantic interests via public displays of affection, cards, gifts, and more.

Now consider a non-romantically attached student, already experiencing the developmental tumult and struggle common among teens. Imagine a day where, at every turn, you face reminders of how different you are. What can an educational professional do to alleviate some of the pain inadvertently doled out to many students on February 14?

Suggestions

  • Remind students there are many people who feel lonely—it’s okay to feel sad.
  • Encourage students to think about how they can treat themselves. Watch a favorite movie, take a bike ride, make a pizza. It’s okay to shower yourself with attention!
  • Dedicate a time to gather with close friends. Loneliness can be eased when students surround themselves with friends. Remember, romantic love is NOT the only kind of love!
  • Commit a random act of kindness. This will provide a gift to others and take focus away from feelings of loneliness.
  • Encourage a student to journal positive self-talk. If they don’t remember why they are special, remind them!
  • Avoid social media. It will be rife with couples’ activities and posts.
  • Remind students this is simply another day and it, too, shall pass.

Resources

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Resources for Youth.

Anxiety & Depression Association of America, Indiana Telemental Health Providers.

Erika’s Lighthouse

“Helps teachers to empower their students with an introduction to mental health, depression-literacy, help-seeking and what it takes to promote good mental health.”

HEARD Alliance

Resources for educators, including a Classroom Mental Health Toolkit for High School.

National Institute on Mental Health

Offers information specifically addressing teenage depression.

If all students need support as they leave school and move on to adult life, then students who are in foster care need extra support. Unfortunately, they have not always received this care and too often this has led to undesirable outcomes.

Luckily, many states have created initiatives for students in foster care who are transitioning into adulthood. Indiana’s programs provide financial and personal resources, employment and postsecondary education guidance, and access to adult mentors. Mentors are especially important because they can meet with the student regularly and provide listening ears, a way to get questions answered, and good examples of how to succeed as an adult.

Check out the websites below to find more information about these initiatives in Indiana. Also included is a toolkit for students in foster care, created by the U.S. Department of Education. Becoming familiar with these resources can help your transitioning students obtain success!

Resources:

  • Foster Club of Indiana
    Filling the gap for Hoosier youth who lack a peer support group and need information to navigate the foster care system.
  • Foster Care Transition Toolkit
    A U.S. Department of Education guide to help youth access the resources needed tosuccessfully transition into adulthood, continue to postsecondary education, and develop meaningful careers.
  • Indiana Older Youth Initiatives
    Managed by the Indiana Department of Child Services, Older Youth Initiatives assist youth up to age 23 make the transition to self-sufficiency.
  • Youth Connections Program
    Youth-driven program dedicated to connecting youngsters with caring adults who can provide guidance and support.

Reminder: Join us tomorrow for our monthly Transition Talk at High Noon. Cathlene Hardy Hansen and the crew will be chatting about IEP Annual Behavior Goals.

For more information and the Zoom link, see our Transition IEP Training and Support page.

The Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center has redesigned the Transition Miniseries so that busy educators like you can access transition information when you are most available to learn it. The updated Transition Miniseries covers topics that are important to transition educators, such as:

  • Course 9—Adult Services and Supports after High School 
    Examine adult agencies and resources that help support students in the transition years and beyond. 
  • Course 10—Transition Portfolios
    Explore transition portfolio basics, including their importance, relevance, and usefulness.
  • Course 11—Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Transition to Adulthood 
    Learn how to incorporate diversity awareness in your transition education plans.
  • Course 12—Transition Programs for Transition-Age Youth 
    Discuss considerations for developing and maintaining programs for students 18–22.

The Transition Miniseries is free of charge and completely self-paced: Start and finish on a schedule that works for you. INSTRC will award certificates upon completion that are worth up to 21 contact hours toward Professional Growth Points.

For more information about the Transition Miniseries, stop by our open Office Hours on Thursdays from 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. or drop us a line at instrc@iu.edu.

Access the INSTRC Transition Miniseries here.

Bonus Tip: 
Help us welcome Ian Ragains, our new Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) Special Education Specialist! He is a new member of the Indiana Office of Special Education and primarily will be supporting districts on matters related to Indicators 13 and 14. He is excited to begin working with Indiana teachers and administrators to support students as they transition to adult life. You can reach him at iragains1@doe.in.gov.

Prior to joining the IDOE, Ian was a district manager with the Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services. He is a graduate of Hanover College and currently lives in Noblesville, Indiana with his spouse and too many cats. When not at work, he keeps busy kayaking, fishing, and working in various roles with the Tipton Community Theatre. 

If a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, then we are thankful for those who strengthen those links. At every step of the way, teachers like you support our students with disabilities, emboldening and enabling them to overcome their challenges and transition into a life of deep fulfillment.

For all you do—the tireless pursuit of solutions, the hope you impart, and the example you set for the rest of us—we are grateful and indebted to you.

We wish you a rejuvenating, relaxing, and joyous Thanksgiving break! Tuesday's Transition Tips will return November 30.

With gratitude, 

Your friends at the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC)

Would you like transition lessons that teach your students self-determination skills? If so, then check out the Student-Directed Transition Planning course from the Zarrow Institute on Transition and Self-Determination.

This free course is a series of eight lessons that follow the Student-Directed Summary of Performance methodology (Martin et al., 2007) to help your students process transition information.

The lessons are invaluable for helping students understand the importance of the transition to adulthood. Students will learn concepts such as Self-Awareness, Timeline for Transition, Employment Needs and Strengths, Requesting Accommodations, among others. What’s more, the course will teach them the self-determination skills that will enable them to gain independence as they get older.

Each lesson includes a Power Point presentation, teacher's guide, and lesson activities. The series takes approximately 15 hours and is available for non-profit use without charge.

For more information about the series, visit the Zarrow Institute website.

Reminder: Join us tomorrow for our monthly Transition Talk at High Noon. Cathlene Hardy Hansen and the crew will be chatting about IEP Annual Math Goals.

For more information and the Zoom link, refer to our Transition IEP Training and Support page.

Sensory sensitivity is associated with many conditions transition students may experience such as autism, ADHD, PTSD, anxiety disorder, Tourette syndrome, and others. To understand what students with this condition may experience, watch this short video simulation of sensory overload.

A student may have hypersensitivity in one sense and hyposensitivity in another. For example, they could be very sensitive to loud noises but not know when they are cold and should wear a jacket. In addition, influences like stress or fatigue can cause sensitivities to fluctuate in the same person. Students who are hypersensitive to loud noises would benefit from noise cancelling headphones. Students who are hyposensitive may seek stimulation with activities such as spinning or chewing on a pencil.

Examples of Sensory Triggers

  • Sight—flashing lights, fluorescent lights, busy patterns, clutter
  • Hearing— outside traffic noise, fire alarms, school bells, sudden announcements over the loudspeaker
  • Taste—new, intense, or displeasing flavors
  • Smell—perfumes, chemicals in science lab, unfamiliar odors
  • Touch—rough clothing, sudden contact, rain, wind
  • Vestibular and Proprioceptive—swinging, spinning, climbing, jumping, confinement, changes in air pressure
  • Inner Body (Interoceptive)—hunger, thirst, changes in temperature, having to use the restroom

What Can You Do?

  • Be aware of any sensory sensitivities in your transition students and modify the classroom environment if possible.
  • Provide alternate lighting or turn some of the fluorescent lights off.
  • Avoid perfumes and essential oils without inquiring if these are a possible trigger.
  • Approach students from the front.
  • Avoid sudden loud noises.
  • Create a sensory room or give a hot pass to the restroom or guidance office for a break.

By implementing these measures, your students will be able to focus on their lessons and not the sensory triggers around them. The practice of maintaining focus and developing awareness of their sensory triggers will aid them as they enter life after high school—your attention now can set them up for a successful life of independence.

Resources

“I want to be a crane operator after I graduate!”

Terrific, you will have lots of industries and opportunities to choose from.

“I want to be a nurse after I graduate!”

Fantastic, let’s think more about how to get the education you will need.

“I’m not sure what I want to do after I leave high school.”

That’s okay; let’s start with what you DO know about yourself!

“I want to be my own boss after I leave high school. Maybe start an insect control business.”

Perfect, self-employment might be a good fit. Let’s explore that!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently more than 10,000 self-employed individuals in Indiana. Stay in education long enough and you will inevitably encounter a student determined to use a self-employment strategy to forge their career pathway. Watch out, it’s coming your way!

Self-employment resources and supports are available in abundance across Indiana and the U.S. If you are working with a student who is considering self-employment, you will find several helpful links below. Transition IEP services, activities, and assessments for this student can be also gleaned using these resources. As the saying goes, “use them or lose them.” We hope you use them.

Resources

Information and a variety of classroom resources for teachers and pre-ETS providers supporting students interested in self-employment.

Describes entrepreneurship education and offers suggestions for how to introduce self-employment as an option, including for youth with disabilities.

An A–Z list of resources to be used as transition assessments, services, or activities!

Who-to-call for self-employment information and supports.

Information from the national Special Needs Alliance.

Reminder: Join us tomorrow for the next Transition Talk at High Noon. We’ll be chatting with team members of the Center on Community Living and Careers about Postsecondary goals.

For more information and the Zoom link, see our Transition IEP Training and Support page.

As you work toward a case conference and consider student services and resources, the possibilities soon become overwhelming. Here are some groups to invite to the conference that can connect the student to services and groups of support.

  • Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation (IN VR)

Inviting VR to the case conference meeting will help set the student up for success—whether they refer the student for VR services or not. The VR representative can help the student locate services focused on transition into work and self-sufficiency. If the student is eligible, VR has many programs and can assist with education, work, resource ownership (needing a piece of equipment as an accommodation to work), and self-employment.

VR youth counselors work directly with Pre-ETS providers and schools and can attend case conferences. In addition, each school also has an assigned general caseload counselor from their local office who can attend case conferences. Contact your local office to find out who can attend.

  • Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Providers

Pre-ETS programs help students between the ages of 14–21 explore careers. The pre-ETS provider can share data they track on transition goals and other transition services. The provider can also assist with age-appropriate transition assessments, postsecondary goals, or pieces of transition services and activities for the student’s IEP. Pre-ETS also helps with the transition into adulthood, with an emphasis on employment and skill development.

  • Waiver Case Managers (CM)

CMs are state-approved and work with one of six companies in Indiana to serve Medicaid waiver recipients. They help set goals, budgets, and plans for the students through the LifeCourse curriculum. CMs connect students to self-advocacy, skill development, employment support, therapies, residential support, and similar services. A CM can provide a larger picture and can streamline goals the student is working on in the schools and the home settings.


Bonus Tip:

On October 22 and 28, 2022, the Center on Community Living and Careers will bring the Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) to the Cardinal Ritter Resource Center, in New Albany, Indiana. The free FEAT training sessions run from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Now available in five states, FEAT raises expectations about competitive integrated employment opportunities. It teaches people with disabilities and their support community how to access the resources to help them gain employment.

Sign up for the free October 22 and 28 FEAT sessions here.

For students with disabilities, an apprenticeship can be a positive pathway to a career. These job-related educational courses are available in many employment sectors, and typically are a combination of classroom learning and hands-on work. Students can find apprenticeships in community colleges, technical training schools, and through some employers.

An apprenticeship provides students with immediate access to proven mentors. In turn, an apprenticeship brings professionals together with those who want to learn their career. Apprenticeships can offer hands-on learning and working opportunities—a tremendous benefit for some students. For a complete list of nationally approved apprenticeship career options, visit the Apprenticeship USA website.

Apprenticeships can help when working to carve out a job from other responsibilities. Job carving, as defined by Cary Griffin, is “the act of analyzing work duties performed in a given job and identifying specific tasks that might be assigned to an employee with severe disabilities.”

Career technical education centers, community colleges, and technical schools support apprenticeship programs and can help students learn about their career interests. Through an apprenticeship, many students can transition from limited work options to a thriving and fulfilling career.

Resources

A subsidiary of the U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship USA is a one-stop source connecting career seekers, employers, and education partners with apprenticeship resources.

OWBLA promotes and supports Registered Apprenticeship, Certified State Earn and Learn (SEAL), and Pre-Apprenticeship programs that are certified for quality and consistency.

PIA collaborates with employers and apprenticeship intermediaries to design inclusive apprenticeship programs that meet employer talent needs and enable people with disabilities to gain credentials and skills to succeed in growing industries.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, the the Career Exploration Program from the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery offers students a chance to explore all paths to careers—college, certifications, apprenticeships, licensure programs, and Military.