Week 4 - Discussion 1

This discussion is your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the objective justify the collaborative role of transition team members who actively participate in transition meetings. The discussion represents your mastery of the Course Learning Outcome 5.

Federal guidelines require children who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) to have a Transition Plan for post-graduation beginning after their 16th birthday and, in some cases, as early as after their 14th birthday. This meeting is separate from the IEP meeting and focuses on the student's interests, independence, and self-determination (Wright & Darr-Wright, 2013). The purpose of the Transition Plan meeting is for all stakeholders in the student's education to help plan an independent future for the student.

According to IDEA 2004, Transition Services refers to:

1. 1. is designed to be a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;
   2. is based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests;
   3. includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. (As cited in Wright & Darr-Wright, 2013, para 1).

As noted above, IDEA has outline what is required, but parents oftentimes find the transition meeting overwhelming and intimidating with so many team member experts involved in the transition process and with unclear terms and 'jargon' (Bangser, 2008).

Initial Post - Imagine you are a parent of a child with a disability who is preparing for a transition meeting. Read the resource IDEA 2004 Close Up: Transition Planning (Cortiella, 2007). In your post, write a question for three different transition team members (3 questions total) about topics that may not have been addressed or that need additional follow-up answers. Additionally, provide an answer to your questions with at least one scholarly resource that supports your chosen answer.