About the Webinar
Transition planning is a crucial step on the path toward meaningful and functional independence for young adults with autism. According to a 2020 study from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, although 94% of adolescents with autism had an individualized education program (IEP) with a transition plan, only 47% of those plans included independent living goals.
Effective transition planning is a multistep process that evolves as students age, and it should incorporate the student and their family. Although pursuing continuing education and gaining work experience can be significant aspects of services, facilitation of social skills is an often-overlooked part of transition planning that can have practical implications for personal and professional growth.
In this webinar, panelists will discuss when to start the transition-planning process, appropriate assessment procedures and tools, and federal requirements per the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Systemic challenges that families and school districts face—such as gaps in staff and educator training and inadequate understanding of needs—will be identified. Questions addressed will include what good transition planning looks like, how to involve the family and utilize community resources, and how transition planning evolves through the lifespan. Finally, webinar participants will hear the perspective of an autistic self-advocate with lived experience in transition programming, covering how educators can help students’ social communication and what supports were most effective in preparation for adulthood.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify key components of effective transition planning for adolescents and young adults with autism;
- Define IDEA transition-planning requirements; and
- Describe identified barriers and gaps in transition planning.
