Student Participation
Definition: All students are prepared to participate and do participate meaningfully in the development of their post-school goals and plans to achieve those goals, and in any relevant meetings.
Students learn about & prepare for transition planning
- My IEP Owner’s Manual (PDF, 12 pages, 2020) from the PACER Center. A workbook for students to complete as preparation for a transition IEP meeting. Covers all the key parts of the transition plan.
- Graphic from Oregon that shows the Path to Transition Planning, linking the major steps along a path to a successful adult life, from Oregon’s Transition Resource Handbook.
- Student-Directed Transition Planning is an 8-lesson curriculum to facilitate high school to adult life planning partnerships between students, their families, and educators. The eight lessons teach students the knowledge needed to actively participate in their transition-focused IEP meetings. Free, developed by the Zarrow Center and now available from the Transition Alliance of South Carolina (TASC).
- Whose Future is It Anyway? is an evidence-based practice in building student knowledge of transition planning, by Dr. Michael Wehmeyer and others. The curriculum has six sections that contain 36 lesson sessions. It comes with a Coach’s Guide (PDF, 51 pages, 2004)
- Supporting Student-Led Transition Planning for Students with Emotional Disturbance (PDF, 124 pages, 2020) is a practice guide with practical ways to plan for these students’ successful transition from high school to post-secondary life. From the Translating Evidence to Support Transitions project at the Transitions to Adulthood Center at the UMass Chan Medical School.
- Map It: What Comes Next is a free, online, interactive training for transition-aged students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The training uses three questions: Who Am I?, What Do I Want?, How Do I Get There?
- Glossary of special education and transition terms, from Wrightslaw.com.
Students actively participate in meetings
- Youth Engagement Toolkit Series from RAISE. RAISE is a parent-led and family-centered nonprofit parent training and information center funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to provide support to individuals with disabilities through the transition from secondary school and into competitive employment and independent living. There are attractive guides for youth development, youth leadership, and youth empowerment, as well as fact sheets and videos.
- Tips to run successful meetings, from Mindtools.com.
- Serving on Groups (PDF or online modules) can be a useful tool for anyone who is serving, or wants to serve, on a decision-making group, from the Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education, Training, and Support. Full of practical tips, printable by section or you can purchase a copy.
New content 5/26/22
