Transition planning assessment for secondary-level students with learning disabilities

Area of Science:

• Special Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Secondary transition planning is crucial for students with learning disabilities.
• Current assessment practices often focus narrowly on high school graduation.
• Effective transition planning requires a broader view of post-secondary adjustment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey current transition planning assessment practices for secondary students with learning disabilities.
• To provide recommendations for improving these assessment practices.
• To emphasize the need for assessments that inform Individualized Education Program (IEP) planning beyond graduation.

Main Methods:

• Review of current standardized and nonstandardized assessment procedures.
• Analysis of assessment's role in planning for adult adjustment outcomes.
• Description of methods for assessing student preferences and interests.

Main Results:

• Existing assessment methods may not adequately capture the full range of needs for post-secondary success.
• There is a need to redirect assessment to gather comprehensive, present-level-of-functioning data.
• Assessment should consider critical outcomes in adult adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Transition planning assessment for students with learning disabilities needs reform.
• Assessment should provide a foundation for IEPs that support long-term adult adjustment.
• Recommendations are provided for secondary schools to enhance transition-needs assessment.