DOCUMENT RESUME ED 399 722 EC 305 053 AUTHOR Kohler, Paula D. TITLE Taxonomy for Transition Programming: Linking Research and Practice. INSTITUTION Illinois Univ., Champaign. Transition Research Inst. SPONS AGENCY Special Education Programs (ED/OSERS), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 96 CONTRACT H158T-00001 NOTE 180p.; Pages 126, 149-150 are cropped. PUB TYPE Information Analyses (070) Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160) Evaluative/Feasibility Reports (142) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC08 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Adolescents; *Classification; Delivery Systems; *Disabilities; Educational Strategies; *Education Work Relationship; Evaluation Methods; Models; Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; Program Implementation; Secondary Education; Self Evaluation (Groups); *Theory Practice Relationship; *Transitional Programs ABSTRACT This report attempts to establish a link between research findings and practice in the transition of students with disabilities. A taxonomy is presented that provides a framework for-; designing educational programs that reflect a transition perspective for students with disabilities. Chapter 1, "Preparing Youths with Disabilities for Future Challenges: A Taxonomy for Transition Programming" (Paula D. Kohler), reviews studies that identified effective transition practices, identifies additional effective practices, organizes the practices into a conceptual framework, and evaluates the framework. Chapter 2, "Evaluating Transition Services: Development of a Transition Services Assessment" (Dorothy M. Millar and others), presents a transition services assessment process and describes development of Michigan's Midland County Interagency Transition Team (MCITT) Transition Self-Assessment. Chapter 3, "Implementing Transition Practices: A Search for Effective Strategies" (Paula D. Kohler and Suzan M. Van Beaver), provides overviews of eight transition projects that have implemented and evaluated transition practices included in the taxonomy. A list of 33 additional projects is provided, along with project abstracts. Appendixes include a copy of the taxonomy, a copy of the MCITT Transition Self-Assessment Instrument, and a nomination form for effective transition practices. Chapters contain references. (CR) ******************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *************A-AAA*Al.AAAAA;;AAi.AA:cAAkkAAAA*A*A;cAA**AA**A.**1.AA U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) --N is document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy 1 i 0 1 11 11 1 . - i 1 A dli 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY L- U2o,c,h TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) II I k a BEST COPY AVAILABLE rl Faculty Transition Research Institute Urbana-Champaign at the University of Illinois at Paula D. Kohler, Ph.D. Janis Chadsey-Rusch, Ph.D. Visiting Assistant Professor of Special Education Associate Professor of Special Education Lynda G. Leach, M.S. Thomas E. Grayson, Ph.D. Information Specialist Visiting Assistant Professor of Special Education Frank R. Rusch, Ph.D. Professor of Special Education Delwyn L. Harnisch, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Educational John S. Trath, Ph.D., CRC Psychology Assistant Professor of Special Education and Rehabilitation Laird W. Heal, Ph.D. Professor of Special Education the Office of Special Education The Transition Research Institute is funded through Department of Education Programs, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. (cooperative agreement number 1-1158T-00001). Project Officer: Michael J. Ward, Ph.D. For more information on the Transition Research Institute at Illinois, please contact: Dr. Frank R. Rusch, Director College of Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 113 Children's Research Center 51 Gerty Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 (217) 333-2325 3 A Taxonomy for Transition Programming: Linking Research and Practice Paula D. Kohler Transition Research Institute University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign © 1996 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Table of Contents Page # ii Acknowledgements iii Introduction Preparing Youths with Disabilities for Future Challenges: A Chapter 1 Taxonomy for Transition Programming 1 Paula D. Kohler Evaluating Transition Services: Development of a Transition Services Chapter 2 63 Assessment Dorothy M. Millar, Debra L. Shelden, and Paula D. Kohler Implementing Transition Practices: A Search for Effective Strategies 72 Chapter 3 Paula D. Kohler and Suzan M. Van Beaver 115 Appendix A. Taxonomy for Transition Programming 116 B. MCITT Transition Self-Assessment Instrument 117 C. Effective Transition Practices Nomination Form i 5 Acknowledgements The authors gratefully acknowledge all those who participated in the development of the Taxonomy for Transition Programming. Several hundred people responded to lengthy survey questionnaires during the three study phases, that at times required hours of their time and incredible mental fortitude. Because of their efforts, the Taxonomy represents a group perspective of transition programming rather than that of one individual. We thank you for your continued commitment to research and for your commitment to improving schools, programs, and individual outcomes. ii 6 Introduction Growing recognition of the dismal post-school outcomes of many youths with disabilities, combined with recent policy developments, is gradually leading to a more consumer-oriented education and service delivery paradigm based on student ability, aptitude, and self- determination. According to this perspective, transition planning is not an add-on activity for students with disabilities when they reach the age of 16, but rather a foundation from which for college-bound programs and activities are developedas has historically been the case students! Over the past decade, several theoretical and analytical models have been proposed (e.g., Halpern, 1985, 1993; Wehman, Kregel, & Barcus, 1985; Will, 1984) to direct attention to the issue of transition. The result of these efforts have helped shape research and policy associated with employment and adult quality-of-life outcomes; however, to date, no working model links theory with transition practices. An effective linkage of research and practice would identify proven practices and communicate this information in a format that facilitates use by administrators and service providers. This monograph represents a major effort toward establishing the much-needed link between research and practice by presenting a taxonomy for transition programming that provides a "user-friendly" framework for designing educational programs that reflect a transition perspective for students with disabilities. Chapter 1 describes the development of this conceptual model, generated and evaluated by a national group of individuals with expertise in the area of transition. The model directly extends previous work on transition theory by identifying transition issues related to program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Acknowledging that additional intervention and outcome research in conjunction with program evaluation is needed to further develop effective practices, Chapter 2 describes the evaluation efforts of an interagency team, the Midland County Interagency Transition Team iii 7 (MCITT) in Michigan. With ongoing program evaluation as an essential component in their efforts to improving post-school outcomes for individuals with disabilities and expanding understanding of "best practice," MCITT has developed a comprehensive evaluation tool, the MCITT Transition Self-Assessment instrument, based on the Taxonomy for Transition Programming (Kohler, 1995). While the practices including in the Taxonomy are supported by evidence of effectiveness, they do not propose detailed steps for implementation of particular practices. Chapter 3 presents an overview of an investigation to identify effective specific transition strategies, undertaken to complement the more generic practices in the Taxonomy. A general discussion of the investigation starts out the chapter, followed by a summary of eight programs that have implemented and evaluated several of the transition practices in the Taxonomy. We hope that, together, the three chapters and appendices that make up this monograph .make a significant contribution to the issues surrounding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of proven "best practices" in transition. Our intention is that they serve to link research and practice, thereby facilitating the work of administrators and service providers and benefiting youth with disabilitiesour ultimate "customers." Paula D. Kohler iv A Taxonomy for Transition Programming 1 Chapter 1 Preparing Youths with Disabilities for Future Challenges: A Taxonomy for Transition Programming Paula D. Kohler, Ph.D. Transition Research Institute University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Running Head: A TAXONOMY FOR TRANSITION PROGRAMMING 9 A Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2 It's common for transition-related manuscripts to begin with information about the post- school outcomes of individuals with disabilities. Over the past 10 years, the emergence of this information has had a profound effect on educators, researchers, and policymakers, not to mention the underlying impact on students and their families. Thus, growing public recognition that youths with disabilities have not achieved high levels of quality, full-time employment, independent living, success in postsecondary education, or community engagement has brought about an examination of our educational and adult service delivery systems. This examination has included reflection on the purposes of education, educational practice, desirable educational outcomes, and the roles of students in the educational process. Recent policy developments (e.g., Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (IDEA), Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992, School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994) have helped shift the focus of education and adult service delivery from systems to individuals. A new, "consumer-oriented" educational and service delivery paradigm appears to be emerging that is based upon student abilities, options, and self-determination (Szymanski, Hanley- Maxwell, & Parker, 1990; Wehman, 1992). This paradigm reflects a transition perspective of education, a perspective that promotes the idea that educational programs and instructional activities should be (a) based upon students' post-school goals, and (b) driven by individual needs, interests, and preferences (see Clark & Kolstoe, 1995; Edgar & Polloway, 1994; Gajar, Goodman, & McAfee, 1993; Kohler & Rusch, in press; Rusch, DeStefano, Chadsey-Rusch, Phelps, & Szymanski, 1992). This perspective recognizes that transition planning is not an add- on activity for students with disabilities once they reach age 16, but a foundation from which educational programs and activities are developed. Historically, this transition perspective has guided educational planning for the college- bound student, albeit informally. For typical college-bound students, their educational program is developed around the post-school goal of attending college. As a result, they generally (a) enroll in the academic coursework and two years of foreign language instruction required by most four-year universities; (b) register for and take the SAT or ACT exams required for