Each year, the TASH Conference brings together a diverse community of stakeholders who gain information, learn about resources, and connect with others across the country to strengthen the disability field. This year’s conference theme, “Be Creative - Innovative Solutions for an Inclusive Life,” reminds us to think outside the box during times of uncertainty. Creativity, innovation, and determination can pave the way for meaningful and inclusive lives for people with disabilities.
Implementation of best practices in transition services is not only mandated by law but is important because it affects the future lives of children with disabilities (IDEA, 2004). Many scholars have revealed practices believed to be effective in the transition process for improving students' post-school outcomes. In the 1980s, studies investigating promising practices in this area established criteria for model transition services. However, not all of these criteria were supported by evidence-based research. The problem with defining best practices in this area is that transition planning means different things to different people. Some may define transition as a process of linking traditional academics, remediation, and employment training to support successful post-school outcomes for students with disabilities, whereas others may view it as restructuring the educational system for all students. Clearly identifying principles of best practice from transition research can, therefore, be hampered by differing definitions of transition. Kohler's meta-analysis (1993) is the most widely accepted piece of research used for the identification of best practices in transition services. The purpose of this study was to determine which transition practices have been identified or supported in the literature as having a positive impact on student outcomes. Kohler (1996) later developed the Taxonomy for Transition Programming, which outlines practices associated with improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. The practices identified as being effective included student-focused planning, student development, interagency collaboration, family involvement, and program structure. Subsequent research conducted in the area of transition services continues to support these five categories. For students with the most significant disabilities, there is a lack of empirically-based research about which practices lead to positive post-school outcomes. Those practices intended for students with significant disabilities that are most often cited include the following categories: comprehensive transition and person-centered planning; secondary curricula, which include instruction in functional life skills; adult agency coordination; full family participation; and program structures and policies. These five categories of services parallel those described by Kohler. In response to poor post-school outcomes and the need for program improvement, a rubric of Quality Indicators (QIs) to assess transition services for students with significant support needs within Colorado was developed. The aim of these QIs was to assist in both creating and assessing model transition services for students with significant support needs throughout Colorado. This is an innovative and creative approach to empower school teams to effectively individualize transition services provided to students with significant support needs. Additionally, school programs can use the assessment results to create action plans for service improvement. Providing assistance for program changes based on assessment data and collaborative planning within the school teams is then systematically planned and implemented. Results of the Quality Indicators have the potential to impact not only transition service delivery for students with significant support needs, but policy and decision making in educational settings that provide these services. Knowledge gained can then inform pre-service teacher and educational leadership programs regarding the implementation of transitions services for students with significant support needs.
