Supporting the Transition Years

By Brenda Smith Myles, Sheila M. Smith, and Terri Cooper Swanson

Chapter 11

Schools Are Failing to Prepare Students with ASDs

Even though IDEA mandates transition planning as part of all IEPs for students 16 and over …

Research shows that students with ASDs leave school without the social and communication skills necessary for life success

One Symptom of Poor Transition Planning: Unemployment

Only 6% of adults with autism are in paid employment situations

Only 12% of higher functioning adults with ASDs are in paid employment situations

Necessary Skills for Adult Life Job-related skills, while frequently

targeted in transition planning, are only one aspect of transition to adult life.

Schools must also equip students with ASDs with:Social skillsSafety skillsInformation on appropriate sexual

behavior

Effective Transition Planning Is … Ongoing Outcome-oriented Student-centered Based on collaboration among:

Students Their families School personnel Adult service personnel The community

When Should Transition Planning Begin? IDEA requires that an ITP

(Individualized Transition Plan) be in a student’s IEP by his 16th birthday

Many experts recommend the transition process begin no later than the child’s 14th birthday

Best Practice: Involve the student in the process as early as possible

The Transition TeamKey Members:

Student & parentsTransition

coordinatorGen ed teacherSpecial ed teacherDept of Vocational

Rehabilitation repSchool

administratorPsychologist

Optional Members:Advocacy repBusiness education

partnership repGuidance

counselorResidential

services repMental health

agency repPostsecondary

education rep

Student with ASD Needs to Know

Who is involved in his ITP What his rights are in school under

IDEA What his rights will be after graduation

under Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

What Does an Appropriate ITP Address? Career goals

Academics, career awareness, career development, work habits and behaviors

Self-advocacy goals Decision making, self-awareness

Independent living goals Taking care of personal needs, community

participation, household responsibilities, leisure activities, managing finances

A Solid Transition Plan May Include:

An assessment of the student’s needs, interests, and abilities

A statement of preferences for education, employment, and adult living

Steps to be taken to support achievement of these goals

A Solid Transition Plan May Include:

Specific methods and resources necessary to meet transition goalsAccommodationsServicesSkills

Instruction on academic, vocational, and living skills

A Solid Transition Plan May Include: Identification of community

experiences and skills related to future goals

Exploration of service organizations or agencies to provide services and support

Methods for evaluating success of transition activities (e.g., a video portfolio)

Logistical Info to Include in a Transition Plan

Timeline for achieving goals People or agencies responsible for

helping with the goals Clarification of how roles will be

coordinated Plan for identifying post-graduation

services, supports, and funding

In Other Words …

The ITP should address all aspects of the individual’s life after high school

Assessment

Team must assess whether services and supports match the student’s characteristics

Underlying Characteristics Checklist*

Socialization differences

Restricted patterns of behavior, interests, and activities

Communication differences

*From The Ziggurat Model: A Framework for Designing Comprehensive Interventions for Individuals with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome (AAPC, 2008)

Cognitive differences

Sensory differencesMotor differencesEmotional

vulnerabilityMedical or other

biological factors

The UCC assesses common ASD traits:

Assessment Questions to Consider Are there topics or activities that:

particularly interest the student?the student particularly dislikes/can’t

tolerate? What are his current

strengths/talents? To what extent does his current skill

set match the demands of desirable activities or environments?

Assessment Questions to Consider

What are the student’s dreams? Where does the team see the student

in 5, 10, and 20 years? What does the team (and the student)

want the student’s life to be like? What needs to be put in place to get

there?

Available Tools for Person-Centered Planning

Making Action Plans (MAPS) Planning Alternative Tomorrows with

Hope (PATHS) Both help assess where the student

is, focus on strengths and challenges, develop goals for the future, and maximize student involvement

Self-Determination Skills

Must be specifically taught to individuals with ASDs

Tools can include (for example):Scripting dialogueVideo modeling Printed list of needed

accommodations or modifications

Select Meaningful Coursework

Tailor coursework to address skills that need remediation and/or are necessary for future goals

Incorporate special interests to infuse motivation

Customize the Setting

Choose the learning environment that will best enable the student to acquire and generalize the new skills:One-on-oneSmall groupLarge groupVirtual environment

Employment Challenges

Individuals with ASDs have difficulties with:Sustaining employmentSocial successAppropriate job skillsCommunicating with supervisors and

colleaguesLevel of income

To Maximize Chances of Employment Success Provide appropriate experiences

during high school Match job placement to student’s

strengths, skills and interests Address physical and social aspects

of the job when determining an appropriate match

Prepare the employer

Physical Job Match

Look at:HoursNoise levelsPay, leave, and other benefitsAcceptable activity levelsPhysical requirements (e.g., lifting)Acceptable margin of error (quality

control)Production requirements

Social Job Match

Look at: Acceptable level of interaction with

coworkers and supervisors Clarity of job expectations Demands on communication skills Personal space available Phone/vending machine/cafeteria Coworker training and support Community status

Categories of Employment

Competitive EmploymentNo support providedWide variety of jobs, settingsUsually suited to higher-functioning

individuals with ASDs

Categories of Employment

Supported EmploymentWorking alongside neurotypical

coworkers while receiving support on the job

Settings often include hotels, restaurants, office buildings, and schools/universities

Categories of Employment

Secured or Segregated EmploymentSeparate work environment that is

usually self-containedEmployees are not integrated with

neurotypical workersTypically involves repetitive tasks

(collating, packaging, assembly)Usually for individuals on lower-skilled

end of spectrum

Preparing Employers

Transition teams must determine what they will need to teach future employers and coworkers About ASDsAbout the individual

• Including what accommodations might be needed

Successful Supervision Strategies for Employees with ASDs

Job modification:Maintain a consistent schedule and

job dutiesKeep the social demands of the job

manageable and predictable Provide organizers that help

structure/track workAdd activities to reduce or eliminate

unstructured time

Successful Supervision Strategies for Employees with ASDs

Supervision:Be direct and specific when giving

directionsVerify that communications are

correctly understoodAssist the employee with social rules

and cues on the jobExplain and help the employee deal

with changes on the job

Successful Supervision Strategies for Employees with ASDs

Coworker relationships and social interactions:Encourage workers to initiate

interactionsEnsure that one or two coworkers play

a role in helping to give job-related suggestions and “keep an eye out” for the employee with ASDs

Successful Supervision Strategies for Employees with ASDs

Support servicesProvide a sense of familiarity and support

until the employee and other staff get to know one another

Transfer relationships and supports to company employees

Check in and remain on call in case problems arise

Maintain a liaison role for nonwork issues that may affect the job

Developing a Support Network

Research shows that students with ASDs typically leave school without the social and communication skills necessary for life success

These issues should be addressed in high schoolTeachers may need guidance on

which skills to prioritize

Basic Yet Vital Social Skills

General cleanliness and hygiene Grooming Age-appropriate clothing Social greetings Issues related to sexual orientation

and safety

Other Social Skills to Be Addressed

Transition planning needs to address a wide range of social skills, such as:Voice modulationObtaining help when necessaryTable mannersPersonal spaceWhat to do on a breakThe difference between private and public

behavior

Postsecondary Education

Options for some students with ASDs include:Vocational schoolCommunity collegeTechnical schoolUniversityOnline college courses

Self-Advocacy Is Vital in College

Students are required to request the help they needTo qualify for accommodations or

services, students must generally• Provide documentation in advance to the

college’s disability office• Meet with staff to arrange accommodations• Talk individually with professors to let them

know of their specific needs for a given class

Services/Accommodations Available in College Available services vary by institution.

Common services include:Tutoring services for required coursesTest-taking accommodationsNote-takingAlternative printAssistive technology (large-screen

computers, scanners, audio or video recorders)

Conclusions

Effective transition planning must be ongoing, outcome-oriented, and collaborative.

Conclusions

If students with ASDs are to reach their potential as satisfied and productive members of society, they need training not just in job skills, but in all areas of independent living