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 Ratings
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| Reviewed: |
Jun 06, 2003 by Teacher Education |
| Overview: |
The Parents' Guide to Transition site is funded by the U.S. Department of
Education through an agreement with Montana's Office of Public Instruction for
the Montana Systems Change for Transition Services for Youth with Disabilities
Project. This site provides an overview of the transitions a student with
disabilities makes into the adult world after leaving high school. Answers to
the following main questions are provided:
1) What roles do parents play in transition?
2) How can parents provide financially for their son or daughter with a
disability?
3) What government financial benefits are available for adults with
disabilities?
4) What about health insurance for adult children with disabilities?
5) When should we begin planning for transition?
6) How can we foster independence in our child with special needs?
7) Overall, what are the most significant barriers to successful transition?
8) How does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) affect young people in
transition?
9) If I need help with advocating for services for my adult child, where can I
go?
10) What are functional skills?
11) What do we plan for transition?
12) How long does transition take?
13) Practically speaking, how does transition occur?
14) What should I do if my child with disabilities wants to go to college?
15) What exactly is an Individualized Transition Plan (ITP)?
16) How can parents be involved in transition planning?
17) How should students be involved in transition planning?
18) Is there just one ITP meeting or are there several?
19) What is futures planning?
20) What are the strengths and weaknesses of the futures planning process?
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| Learning Goals: |
The major learning goal for this site is for users to have all of their
pertinent questions answered regarding the transition of students with
disabilities into the adult world of work, play, and education. The site is
directed toward students with developmental delays.
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| Target Student Population: |
The target audience does not appear to be one of higher education; the primary
focus is clearly on parents of students with disabilities. However, teachers in
training would find this a valuable tool when working with their students'
families and during ITP meetings. Students in the areas of social work and
vocational rehabilitation would also find this site helpful.
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| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
None.
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| Type of Material: |
Reference material.
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| Recommended Uses: |
This site is an excellent resource that provides a step-by-step explanation of
key issues to address during the transition process. Parents of students with
disabilities would use this as an introduction to the transition needs of their
child. Professors of teachers in training could use this to demonstrate the many
resources for families available on the Internet.
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| Technical Requirements: |
None. The opening page of the site indicates "This material is available in
alternative formats by contacting the publisher above." It is not stated whether
or not those alternatives are available on screen.
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| Strengths: |
The answers to the questions listed above are written in a clear and
introductory manner. All content seems to be accurate. In many cases, contact
information is given to locate further information on a particular topic. The
site is practical, easy to understand, and well organized.
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| Concerns: |
There are other sites available which deal more in-depth with some of these
topics. It would be nice to have links to these related sites, not just phone
numbers or addresses for further information. Users should keep in mind that
while this site is specifically designed for the state of Montana, it offers
relevant information for every family and professional working with a student
who has a developmental delay. Unfortunately, this information is not noted.
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
Rating:     |
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| Strengths: |
Clearly, this site was created as a general, introductory resource for parents.
In order to be an effective source of information for other audiences (such as
teachers in training), more much detail would have to be supplied for each
topic. It would make a nice outline for parent in-services.
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| Concerns: |
Transition issues for individuals with mild disabilities, such as learning
disabilities, are not addressed.
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
| Rating: |
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| Strengths: |
Each of the sections of this site are reachable through the opening page's
links, or by clicking on "next" or "previous" throughout. A "return to the
beginning" link is also available so the user can access the full list of
sections at any time. The site is very easy to understand and well organized.
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| Concerns: |
None.
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| Other Issues and Comments: |
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