Topic Areas to Consider when Planning Transition from High School To Postsecondary Education for Kids with ASD

This article was very interesting especially with the assignment that we are about to begin.  This article discussed the things that we as educators should consider when making a transition plan.  One item that I found very helpful was the topic of career exploration.  They mentioned that you should begin with an assessment of the student to see if it includes standards, beliefs and ideas that are important to the individual.  Employment outlook will there be jobs in the field in a few years is something that I may not have considered.  Another topic is will this require vocational training or is it academic training?  If its academic training this could include taking a college course  while in high school either online, on the high school campus or at a local community college.

Other items that we will need to consider are assessing and identifying learning styles, teaching the student self advocacy skills.  The students will need to understand their needs and effectively communicate those needs to others.  Along with self advocacy is the need for individuals with disabilities to be aware of reasonable accommodations that are available and necessary to support their success in postsecondary education.  During the k-12 years their needs are taken care of with an IEP as they enter secondary education they will have to check in with the campus disability services office an inform them of their accommodation needs.  This can be significant and challenging.

It is also important for kids with ASD to know the academic supports are available in post secondary education and which ones work for them.  It mentions that you need to need to provide opportunities in high school for the kids to expire and become aware of the various supports and how to acquire them and use them.

Making sure that you have a team to work on the plan is best.  Who is most involved with his life? What agencies may help the student now and during postsecondary education. Who will support the the student while in postsecondary education? What supports are needed?  These are questions we should think when asking people to help formulate the plan.

Making sure the student is familiar with all necessary technology.  Online tools for registration for classes and managing an online class can be very important.  There is a Tech Act project that is funded under the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. This has a lending service so an individual can morrow and use a piece of equipment for a set amount of time.

For many people with ASD routines, times, and schedules are the backbone of each day.  Postsecondary education schedules that appear to be set change frequently.  You will need to teach the student what to do if this happens how to manage unexpected blocks of time.

All of this information for me was enlightening.  I will use this information for writing my transition plan.  This was one of the best article I have found.

Roberts, K. Topic Areas to Consider When Planning Transition From High School to Postsecondary 

Education for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders, 

Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, v25 n3 p158-162 Sep 2010. 5 pp.