Preparing Youth with Preparing Youth with Disabilities Disabilities

to Successfully Transition to to Successfully Transition to Postsecondary Education and Postsecondary Education and

EmploymentEmployment

Robert A. Stodden, Ph.D.Robert A. Stodden, Ph.D.National Center on Secondary Education and TransitionNational Center on Secondary Education and TransitionCenter on Disability Studies, University of Hawai’i at MCenter on Disability Studies, University of Hawai’i at Māānoanoa

3030thth Annual Conference of the Australian Association of Special Education Annual Conference of the Australian Association of Special EducationSeptember 23 - 26, 2005September 23 - 26, 2005Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaBrisbane, Queensland, Australia

Areas of Discussion:Areas of Discussion:

A) Signs of Positive Growth & Progress

B) Areas of Needed Improvement

C) What Do We Know About Postsecondary

Education?

D) Implications For Secondary School

Educators

E) Resources For Further Study

A) Signs of Positive Growth & A) Signs of Positive Growth & Progress Progress Increased numbers of youth with disabilities Increased numbers of youth with disabilities

graduating high school with a diplomagraduating high school with a diploma

Decreased numbers of youth with disabilities Decreased numbers of youth with disabilities dropping out of high schooldropping out of high school

Numbers of college freshmen with a disability Numbers of college freshmen with a disability have tripled over the past twenty yearshave tripled over the past twenty years

Increased numbers of students with disabilities Increased numbers of students with disabilities persist in attaining a degree or credentialpersist in attaining a degree or credential

A) Signs of Positive Growth & A) Signs of Positive Growth & Progress (cont.)Progress (cont.) Increasing numbers of postsecondary education Increasing numbers of postsecondary education

settings enroll students with disabilitiessettings enroll students with disabilities

Majority of postsecondary education institutions Majority of postsecondary education institutions offer a minimum level of disability supportsoffer a minimum level of disability supports

Higher employment rates are correlated with Higher employment rates are correlated with younger ages for persons with disabilitiesyounger ages for persons with disabilities

A postsecondary education degree serves as an A postsecondary education degree serves as an equalizer for persons with disabilities in equalizer for persons with disabilities in employment settingsemployment settings

B) Areas of Needed Outcome B) Areas of Needed Outcome ImprovementImprovement

Youth with disabilities are less likely to Youth with disabilities are less likely to complete a rigorous secondary school complete a rigorous secondary school curriculumcurriculum

Youth with disabilities are less likely to Youth with disabilities are less likely to graduate with a diplomagraduate with a diploma

Youth with disabilities are less likely to initiate Youth with disabilities are less likely to initiate postsecondary educationpostsecondary education

Youth with disabilities are less likely to Youth with disabilities are less likely to complete postsecondary education/will take complete postsecondary education/will take longerlonger

B) Areas of Needed Outcome B) Areas of Needed Outcome Improvement (cont.)Improvement (cont.) Youth with disabilities are less likely to be Youth with disabilities are less likely to be

employedemployed

Youth with disabilities are less likely to earn as Youth with disabilities are less likely to earn as much as peers without a disabilitymuch as peers without a disability

Youth with disability are less likely to maintain a Youth with disability are less likely to maintain a comparable quality of life to their peerscomparable quality of life to their peers

C) What Do We Know About C) What Do We Know About Postsecondary Education?Postsecondary Education? Type and range of educational support offering Type and range of educational support offering

varies significantly from one institution to the varies significantly from one institution to the nextnext

Supports provided are not linked to instruction Supports provided are not linked to instruction or learning or learning

Students are responsible for describing their Students are responsible for describing their disability needs and advocating for necessary disability needs and advocating for necessary supportssupports

Supports are not provided in an individualized Supports are not provided in an individualized wayway

C) What Do We Know About C) What Do We Know About Postsecondary Education? Postsecondary Education? (cont.)(cont.) Support provision is linked to access rather than Support provision is linked to access rather than

learning success or program completionlearning success or program completion

Faculty expectations and awareness of disability Faculty expectations and awareness of disability needs are lowneeds are low

Little assistance with coordination of related Little assistance with coordination of related supports and services required to function in the supports and services required to function in the role of student.role of student.

Technology can be an equalizer in Technology can be an equalizer in postsecondary education settingspostsecondary education settings

D) Implications for Secondary D) Implications for Secondary SchoolsSchools Focus upon preparing youth in the skills & Focus upon preparing youth in the skills &

behaviors needed to access, retain, & succeed behaviors needed to access, retain, & succeed in postsecondary education settingsin postsecondary education settings

1.1. Self-determination & advocacy skillsSelf-determination & advocacy skills

2.2. Academic process & content skillsAcademic process & content skills

3.3. Use of accommodations & supports to learnUse of accommodations & supports to learn

4.4. Management & coordination skills & Management & coordination skills & strategiesstrategies

D) Implications for Secondary D) Implications for Secondary Schools (cont.)Schools (cont.)

Focus upon building a transition pathway of Focus upon building a transition pathway of connecting supports & servicesconnecting supports & services

1.1. Seamless pathwaySeamless pathway

2.2. Connecting linkages (school, family, post-Connecting linkages (school, family, post-school)school)

3.3. Supportive network of persons & agenciesSupportive network of persons & agencies

4.4. Solution focused, interagency coordinationSolution focused, interagency coordination

E) Resources for Further StudyE) Resources for Further Study

National Center on Secondary Education andNational Center on Secondary Education andTransition (NCSET) Transition (NCSET) http://www.ncset.org http://www.ncset.org

Postoutcomes Network of the National Center Postoutcomes Network of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET)

http://www.ncset.hawaii.edu http://www.ncset.hawaii.edu

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) (RRTC)

http://www.rrtc.hawaii.edu http://www.rrtc.hawaii.edu

E) Resources for Further Study E) Resources for Further Study (cont.)(cont.) Association on Higher Education & Disability Association on Higher Education & Disability (AHEAD)(AHEAD)http//www.ahead.orghttp//www.ahead.org

The George Washington University HEATH The George Washington University HEATH Resource Center – National Clearinghouse on Resource Center – National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities Disabilities http://www.heath.gwu.eduhttp://www.heath.gwu.edu