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Transition

  • Early Childhood Transitions - Transitioning to a school-based setting can be challenging. This page provides information and resources to help you feel empowered and make the transition as smooth as possible.
  • Kindergarten & Elementary Transitions - Transitioning into kindergarten and into the elementary grades may pose new challenges for students and their parents and/or caregivers. This page provides information and resources to help you feel empowered and make the transition as smooth as possible.
  • Middle & High School Transitions - Transitioning into middle and high school environments can be challenging This page provides information and resources to help you feel empowered and make the transition as smooth as possible.
  • Life After High School - Planning for life after high school can be overwhelming. This page provides information and resources to help plan and find appropriate options and services.
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Showing Results 1 - 50 of 416
Description: Families play a crucial role in preparing their child for college and careers through valuable work-based learning (WBL) experiences. WBL facilitates supervised experiences for students with disabilities organized by schools and vocational rehabilitation agencies in real work settings. These experiences help students develop interests and skills for employment. Work-based learning experiences connect classroom learning and real-world work to improve students’ chances of securing...
Description: Self-determination, looked at through the lenses of competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Competence is feeling like you have the skills needed to complete a goal. Autonomy is the ability to control what happens to you in any given situation. Relatedness is feeling a sense of belonging.
Description: Student Rubric for IEP Participation - This rubric is simply a tool that can help you figure out what you already know and don’t know about the IEP process. The IEP process can get complicated, so this tool helps you know where you can focus your efforts so that you can be more involved in your education. It’s broken into 6 areas: IEP Awareness IEP Participation Knowledge of IEP Content Abilities and Disabilities Awareness Knowledge of Rights and Responsibilities Social and...
Description: A transition guide to help you or someone you love transition to self-determination across all areas of their life. This includes a list of questions to consider from ages 10-22.
Description: Student Self-Evaluation Matrix - QIAT-PS has also developed a set of student quality indicators for assistive technology with an accompanying Student Self-Evaluation Matrix tool for students to rate themselves on their AT skills. The tool is useful to both students struggling to manage AT in higher education settings and for K-12 programs to assist students in enhancing self-awareness and problem solving with AT for better transition outcomes. (QIAT-PS = Quality Indicators for...
Description: Transition services is a term used to describe a set of services provided by schools and State vocational rehabilitation agencies. Both are designed improve post-school outcomes for students and youth with disabilities. The specific transition services VR and schools provide are a little different and designed to work together. The information below is about VR Transition Services, which focus on services related to employment. Transition services provided by State vocational rehabilitation (VR)...
Description: Do you support students as they transition to school or work environments? Check out these Professional Learning Possibilities: **Webshop Title:  [TechKnowledgy 2022-23] Assistive Technology Transition Summit **Webshop Title: [TechKnowledgy 2022-23] Assistive Technology Transition Summit 2  **Webshop Title: Considering Universal Design Across the Transition Assessment Process **Webshop Title: [TechKnowledgy 2017-18] Archived Webinar: Preparing for the Real World...
Description: Information on potential Postsecondary Training Options for students with disabilities: Postsecondary Training Options: FastForward Career Training Program Postsecondary Training Options: United States Military Postsecondary Training Options: Registered Apprenticeships
Description: Age of Majority: Rights and Responsibilities - When a person reaches the age of majority they have legally become an adult. The Code of Virginia states “a person shall be an adult, shall be of full age, and shall reach the age of majority when he becomes 18 years of age” (Age of Majority, 1972). Until the age of majority, a person is considered a minor, and their parents or legal guardians are responsible for their rights and responsibilities. Some of these rights and...
Description: A Resource Guide for Inclusive Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disability - This guide is designed to introduce inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE), or college options for students with intellectual disability (ID). This guide has everything you need to know about IPSE in an easy-to-read format, with helpful tips, information, and resources from the Think College website. Learn about what IPSE is, how colleges include students with ID, and how to find and apply...
Description: An issue in the Impact series that focuses on the brothers and sisters of children, teens, and adults with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities (IDD) – what we know about them, their roles and needs across the lifespan, their feelings about themselves and their siblings, and how to support them. Siblings of people with IDD are frequently involved in their brother’s or sister’s life longer than anyone else in their family. They have unique experiences,...
Description: Level Up Virginia (LUV) is a statewide initiative led by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). Their mission is to increase postsecondary readiness, enrollment and completion for all students in the Commonwealth. They are committed to making college access information easily understandable and accessible for students of all backgrounds. Timeline: What Level Are You On? (Infographic)   Prepare - Students with Disabilities...
Description: Ever since it was first published, Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities: A Manual for High Schools, Colleges, and Graduate Programs has served as a vital resource in the chemistry classroom and laboratory to students with disabilities as well as their parents, teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators. In a changing time of technology, rapid access to information, accessibility tools for individuals with disabilities, and publishing, Edition 4.1 is being published...
Description: Return to School Webinars sponsored by CBIRT, a center under the Department of Psychology at the University of Oregon, conducts research and training to improve the lives of children and adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). CBIRT’s research focuses on developing interventions to improve outcomes related to education, employability, and quality of life. Our training activities promote the use of best practices among educators and other professionals who serve individuals...
Description: These Project Briefs are from VCU Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC). They provide input from families about the pathway to integrated employment. Project Brief 1: The Voice of Families: Exploring Perspectives on the Pathways to Integrated Employment. (2020). Project Brief 2: Meaningful Work for Individuals with IDD: Insights from Families. (2020). Project Brief 3: Barriers to Employment for Individuals with IDD: Insights from Families. (2020). Project Brief 4: Supporting...
Description: The Elements of I'm Determined comprise the essentials necessary for increasing self-determination skills. These skills, abilities, and beliefs are grounded in self-determination research. A poster, that is a simple reminder of the Elements and their definitions, is available to download.
Description: In the series of four videos, you can explore Student Involvement in the IEP process utilizing three of the I’m Determined Tools: The One-Pager, Good Day Plan, and Goal Plan. These videos provide instructions on how to use these tools to increase student involvement in the IEP process. Hear from Determinators and Youth Leaders who have used these tools and who have participated in their IEPs. Modules include: Session 1 - Overview Session 2 - The One-Pager Session 3 - The Good Day Plan...
Description: Tools & Resources for Families - As family members, you are an important part of your student’s success no matter their age. Explore resources and events that will help you support your child along their journey. Parent Path to Success Critical Decision Points Good Day Plan Parent Summit MOVE Program And much more ...
Description: Age 18 is considered an adult in most states. This means you can make choices in your life about your education, where you live, what doctor you see, what to do with your money, and many other things. This document lists some things you should think about as you become an adult.
Description: Moms In Motion (Moms)/At Home Your Way (AHYW) is a Consumer-DirectedServices where the person using them is allowed to select, hire, fire, and train their particular caregiver(s). More Service Facilitation provider for Virginia Medicaid waivers: CCC PlusA Virginia Medicaid waiver program that provides services to elders and people with physical disabilities in the community (as opposed to in a nursing home) to prevent the premature institutionalization of these groups. Services available...
Description: Learning to Drive with Neurodevelopmental Differences - Experts at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP )recommend that families answer the following questions before their adolescent or young adult with neurodevelopmental differences begins the learning-to-drive process: Do you feel your child consistently demonstrates good judgment and maturity at school, around peers, and at home? Is your child receptive to constructive criticism and instruction? Does your child...
Description: Higher Education Leaders Make College Possible for Students with Intellectual Disability -  College is possible for students with intellectual disability! A wide range of colleges and universities, including research institutions, teaching colleges and universities, and community and technical colleges, have opened their doors to college students with intellectual disability (ID) by creating inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs. These programs are highly valued as an active...
Description: Project NEXT: A Cognitive Support Technology Randomized Clinical Trial for Postsecondary Students with Traumatic Brain Injuries - Pursuing postsecondary education is a cognitively demanding activity and the decided majority of postsecondary students with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) report difficulties with the academic demands of their studies (Rumrill et al., 2019). A targeted approach like cognitive support technology (CST) is a logical framework for helping students with...
Description: Spotlight Virginians: Student Success Stories invites you to follow along the journey of several young adults with disabilities as they share their stories of successful transition outcomes. Highlighting successful postschool outcomes of young adults with disabilities is a way to raise expectations and showcase what's possible. Whether that's postsecondary education or training, independent living, or employment, each of these students has a unique journey that we all can learn from.
Description: Employment Checklist for Students (Ages 14-22) with Disabilities (PEATC - Getting a job is an exciting experience that takes planning. There are important documents you may need before you can get a job. There are skills you will need to prepare you for employment, and actions that you may need to take to be successful. This checklist can help you prepare for employment. This list does not include every item needed and some of these may not apply to you since your employment goals are...
Description: As young adults prepare to move from school to postsecondary education, community living, and competitive integrated employment, effective transition planning can help them become independent, productive adults. Identifying the challenges children and youth will face as adults and preparing and assisting them to meet those demands successfully requires careful transition planning. Beginning at the earliest ages, it becomes imperative to balance realism of current levels of performance and...
Description: PYD’s Mentoring Program has served youth with disabilities since 1985. Its goal is to help young people with disabilities meet their full potential for personal development and independence by matching them with a caring adult mentor. Matches work on goals relating to building positive and healthy relationships, community involvement, self-esteem, independent living skills, and educational/career skills. We currently offer a few forms of mentoring: one-to-one mentoring and our virtual...
Description: Virginia's CTE Resource Center - Each year, the CTE Resource Center assists the VDOE in developing curriculum-related publications that address specific courses or programs, encourage collaboration between career/technical and academic disciplines, foster collaboration between career and technical education at the secondary and postsecondary levels, correlate with national standards and industry certification requirements, and enhance comprehensive school-improvement efforts. Staff...
Description: Planning Your Future: A Guide To Transition - This go-at-your-own-pace guide is for you to learn about the education and civil rights laws that protect them in K-12, higher education, and workforce settings, how to be a strong self-advocate during transition planning, and various opportunities for additional support that may be available. If you are a high school student, college student, or new employee with a disability, this resource contains information that is helpful to you.
Description: Families can participate in Person-Centered Planning activities, with or without Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) services, to create a vision of a good life using tools from Charting the LifeCourse. We have created a video series that demonstrates how families can use the Life Trajectory, the Life Domain Vision Tool, and the Integrated Supports Star tools to create a vision for a good life for their loved ones with disabilities.
Description: These specific tips can help parents/families make the most of their role as parent and partner during secondary transition planning.
Description: Transition IEP Checklist - This checklist is for parents to review when developing their child’s Transition IEP. The items in red are required under Regulations Governing Special Education Services in Virginia. Items not included in regulations are considered best practice. For more information, consult the regulations or contact PEATC at 800-869-6782.
Description: Birth Control and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Body Knowledge and Body Rights Boundaries Consent Get Away and Tell Someone Online Safety and Social Media Puberty Public vs. Private Reproduction Romantic Relationships
Description: To graduate with an Advanced Studies Diploma for students entering the ninth grade for the first time in 2018-2019 and beyond, a student must earn at least 26 standard units of credit and five verified units of credit. Students earn standard credits by successfully completing required and elective courses. Students earn verified credits by successfully completing required courses and passing associated end-of-course SOL tests or other assessments approved by the state Board of Education. More...
Description: Our intellectual and developmental disabilities services in the Richmond, Roanoke, Fredericksburg, Alexandria and surrounding areas provide support to help children and adults reach their personal life goals. Each unique program is based on the needs of the individual seeking our services. We work with adults and children to build the skills they need to become more independent and reach their highest potential as a member of the community. At Dominion Care, we offer group day services, coaching...
Description: View Archived Webcast: Engaging Families in Transition Planning - In this webcast, Tammy Burns, PEATC, will discuss the role of parents in planning for their child's future.  She will review the concepts of family engagement and family involvement and provide examples of each.  She will also discuss ways in which the family has an impact on student outcomes.  Finally, Tammy will identify the benefits of transition planning and provide tips for practitioners.  Learning...
Description: Virginia Career VIEW (Vital Information for Education and Work) is recognized as the Commonwealth's Career Information Delivery System for all students in grades K-8 in Virginia.  We are located at Virginia Tech as part of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences in the School of Education.  As part of the Office of Education, Research and Outreach, our mission is to inform, encourage, and support the education and career development of the people of Virginia. Virginia Career...
Description: A visual resume—A.K.A. a representational portfolio, or person-centered resume—is a positive and strength-based representation of the job seeker. This type of resume is a visual marketing tool introducing job seekers who need customized employment or more intensive or longer-lasting supports. When you are supporting a job seeker with a limited repertoire of formal experiences and skills, the visual resume can be a strong alternative. In other words, this...
Description: Workplace Inclusion Now (WIN)™ is Autism Speaks’ evidence-based employment system to build and support inclusive workplace culture through a comprehensive suite of resources.  National data shows that most autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed, despite having the skill sets and expertise to excel in the workplace. Autism Speaks, together with our partners, aims to transform employment for those on the spectrum through...
Description: PEATC's Transition to Adulthood Newsletter October 2022: School is back in session and fall has officially started! The change in seasons is always anopportunity to reset. It is also a good time to review your child’s IEP and to become familiar withthe transition plan in it. If you are having an IEP meeting, especially one relating to transition, make sure you and your child understand the role of each IEP team member. This includes the student, parents/guardians, special...
Description: To prepare Virginia’s students for postsecondary education or to meet employers’ expectations of candidates for entry-level jobs House Bill 1299 and Senate Bill 738 (2022 General Assembly) charged the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) with collecting information that assists high school students in making more informed decisions about their futures after graduating from high school. This ensures that...
Description: Tips to prepare students with intellectual disabilities for college expectations In this Grab and Go Practices, Think College focuses on three primary campus experiences college students needto be prepare for. Student may engage in these activities with little or no support from adults. These experiences include: Campus participation Academic preparation Personal responsibility Many skills students learn earlier in their education can be generalized to college,...
Description: Self-advocacy is an important skill for even young kids to develop. But sometimes it’s hard for grade-schoolers to know what to say. Here are some sentence starters you can teach kids with dyslexia to practice so they can speak up for what they need.
Description: Since 2018, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has included high-quality work-based learning (WBL) as one of the options for meeting state graduation requirements. To graduate, students are required to either complete:  An Advanced Placement, honors, International Baccalaureate, or dual-enrollment course; or Participate in an HQWBL experience; or Earn a CTE credential. HQWBL includes school-coordinated work experiences that appeal to the student's career interests, are integrated...
Description: The 2022 VATTS: Resource Guide provides instructional strategies, AT solutions, modifications, accommodations, and examples used to address areas of need identified through the AT consideration process to support student success. There are two Resource Guide PDFs: an ADA Compliant version and a printable table version.
Description: By hiring someone with Down syndrome, you start a virtuous chain: the more that people with Down Syndrome are seen at work, the more they’ll be recognized as valuable employees, and the more they’ll be hired.
Description: This accessible, online Series provides relatively short introductions to key concepts and skills needed to support students in becoming self-determined and engaging in one’s educational planning.  Courses include: Course 1: Your Journey to Self-determination Course 2: Finding Your Voice Course 3: Listening for Understanding Course 4: Managing Emotion and Conflict Course 5: Collaborative Problem Solving Course 6: Educational Planning Meetings
Description: Learning how to advocate for yourself could help you at school, at your job and in your community. Advocating for yourself means knowing what your needs are and speaking up for yourself to get your needs met. It takes practice! To hear tips from other students with disabilities who have learned to advocate for themselves in high school, at work, and at college.
Description: This extensive planning guide provides tools to successfully understand the college environment for students with learning disabilities, including a student's rights and potential accommodations. Whether it’s in-person or online college, this guide shows you where to find the best resources for achieving your goals.
Description: Guide to Transition for Families of Youth with Disabilities in Virginia - When young people move from high school to adulthood, a lot of things change. It’s an exciting but also stressful time and we want to help. The Guide is for families and students who want a one-stop resource on the many things related to transitioning from high school to adulthood in Virginia. The Guide provides important information about decisions that may need to be made for and with your child. Topics Include:...