Analysis of transition services of individualized education programs for high school students with special needs

Transition services for high school students in special education programs are mandated by federal legislation for students 14 years and older. The importance of these mandates are warranted by the alarming statistics that are reported regarding the high rate of under- and unemployment among youth with disabilities. In addition, students with disabilities often experience poor self-esteem, repeated failure, limited social skills, little success in living independently, and the inability to self-advocate. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), reauthorized in 1997, places emphasis on the importance for students 14 and older to receive transition services, including instruction and experiences that are focused on preparing them for all aspects of the adult world.;The present paper traces the evolution of transition services for high school students with special needs and summarizes the components of IDEA 1997 that are important in planning for transition services for students with special needs. In addition, best practices in transition services (i.e., individualized instruction, student self-determination, family involvement, and integrated services) and the development of effective transition programs are discussed. The present study examines transition services of individualized education programs for high school students in a variety of special education categories in two sizes of school districts. The Program Evaluation for Procedural and Substantive Efficacy for Transition Services (PEPSE-T) was utilized to examine IEP/Ts as they relate to the mandates in IDEA 1997.;Univariate and descriptive statistics were utilized to test the hypotheses and analyze data. No significant differences were found in procedural compliance between special education classification or school district size. Students with educable mental disabilities and low incidence disabilities had the most goals written, while all special education classifications had more academic and transition goals written than behavior and other goals. Additionally, students with low incidence disabilities had met the most short-term objectives. IEP/Ts of students with low incidence disabilities were more congruent than the IEP/Ts of students in any other special education classification and a significant interaction between special education classification and district size was found for IEP/T congruence. Implications for educational practice include finding ways to infuse transition services into IEPs, ensuring educators have adequate knowledge and skills related to transition, and developing functional curricula that emphasize transition needs and goals.