www.transitionmap.org
TRANSITION E-NEWSLETTER

Volume 1, Issue 19

February 2007

Transition to Adult Life: Mid-Year IEP Transition Checklists

Building Community Through Education and Advocacy for Transitioning Students Throughout SE Pennsylvania

This edition of TransitionMap E-news features an article on Mid-year Transition Planning by Peter Wright, Esq., founder of WrightsLaw, and Jennifer Graham, contributing editor of TransitionMap. www.WrightsLaw.org is one of the premiere online resources on special education law and advocacy and we are honored that Mr. Wright offers his personal and professional insight on navigating that winding road from school to adult life in the community.

Please share your comments, success stories, questions and concerns with other TransitionMap subscribers by contacting coordtransitionmap@yahoo.org.

TransitionMap Sponsors
In this issue:
Mid-year Transition Planning: Now is the time to set life-long goals
~by Peter Wright, Esq. and Jennifer Graham

NOTE: Pete Wright and his wife Pamela Darr Wright will be in Newark DE Feb. 13, speaking on: IDEA 2004 & NCLB: What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You! At DE Technical & Community College/ Stanton Campus 400 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark. Information: http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/07.02.de.htm 

As we enter the second half of the school year, many parents hear the clock ticking louder and louder as graduation nears. Hopefully, you have been working closely with the entire IEP team throughout high school to be sure that appropriate transition goals have been set and progress documented; paperwork has been filed with federal and state offices; contacts with agencies in the adult system have been made; and the last months of public education are guiding your son or daughter to fulfilling their goals upon graduation.

IDEA 2004 mandates that “Transition Services” are to be “results-oriented” to “facilitate the child’s movement from school to post school activities . . .” (1) The law requires that the IEP Transition Services are in place by (before) the child’s 16th birthday.(2)

We’ve provided you with two sets of checklists and supporting advice to help your child transition successfully from school to community-based work:  

IDEA 2004 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act) Transition Checklist:

IDEA 2004 is clear in outlining components of the transition plan. During the high school years it is especially important that the team follows these guidelines:

  • Students must be invited to participate in the IEP meetings and to discuss his/her goals for life after high school.
  • You may request several IEP/Transition Planning meetings during the school year and
  • You may invite representatives of local agencies to the IEP meeting to discuss transition goals and services to support those goals.
  • The IEP, including the Transition Plan, should be based on person-centered planning, focusing on the interests and skills of the student.
    • Work experiences or “community based work assessments” (CBWA’s) should be chosen based on the student’s interests and abilities. Students should NOT be placed in a CBWA simply because it is available. The placement should help the student develop employability skills in a setting that is of personal interest to him or her and where his/her unique abilities can be successfully utilized and improved with job coaching.
  • Annual transition goals stated in the IEP should lead to successful post- high school outcomes with measurable and documented progress.
    • Ask for progress reports regarding your child’s CBWA experience and continue to discuss with the team how your child will meet the goal of being employed after graduation, without a lapse in supports and services.
    • Maintain a résumé and portfolio of your child’s experiences, progress reports, and favorable reviews from your child’s supervisors at CBWA’s.

While IDEA 2004 provides the legal framework to support your child’s goal of working in the community, there are several things that parents and the student must also do to prepare for life after high school.

Parent’s Transition Planning Checklist

  • In Pennsylvania, you should have filled out the PUNS (Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services) form five years prior to graduation to assure that your child is included in the Office of Mental Retardation census of graduates. The PUNS determines eligibility for many adult services and funding for those services. That form can be accessed online at http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/General/FormsPub/MentalRetardationPublications/003670109.htm. It must be updated annually.
  • Review and confirm the date of your child’s graduation. Students with IEP’s may remain in public school in PA through the school year they turn 21.
  • Ask whether your child will receive a high school diploma or a certificate of attendance and whether they will fully participate in the graduation ceremony.
  • Ask which local agencies serving adults also provide job coaching for transitioning youth. Contacting adult provider agencies prior to graduation can provide a continuum of services that carry over after graduation and may prevent your child from being placed on a long waiting list for adult services.
    • You are entitled to invite representatives from these agencies to your IEP meetings.
    • If a child’s IEP Team determines that a child’s needs can best be met through participation in transitional programs on college campuses or in community based settings, and includes such services on the child’s IEP, funds provided under Part B of the Act may be used for this purpose.(3)
  • Invite your child’s supports coordinator from your local Office of Mental Retardation to IEP meetings during the last year of high school to help coordinate post-high school support services.
  • Be sure that the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation has been contacted and that a counselor from the local office will attend an IEP meeting no later than early spring of the last year of high school. Schedule an intake meeting and file paperwork on time.
  • Discuss how your child will get to and from work. Request and fill out applications for public transportation paratransit services.
  • Ask about social/recreational opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities in your community and ask that their contact information be included on the IEP “linkages” page.
  • Inquire about post-high school training programs at area vocational schools, community colleges, business schools, or state-affiliated training schools.

Graduation from high school should be a time for you and your graduate to celebrate accomplishments and the transition to adulthood. With a national focus on transition planning and numerous online resources such as www.wrightslaw.com and www.transitionmap.org available to support a successful transition, more graduates with intellectual disabilities than ever before are fulfilling their goal of being employed, active members of their home communities.

~ Pete Wright is an attorney who represents children with special educational needs. Pete is the co-author of Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, 2 nd Edition (2007), Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind (2003), Wrightslaw: IDEA 2004, (2005) and Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition (2005). For more Wrightslaw information about transition, go to:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/trans.index.htm and for information on Smart IEP’s visit http://www.wrightslaw.com/bks/feta2/ch12.ieps.pdf.

~Jennifer Graham is a transition consultant and the editor of www.transitionmap.org. Her son successfully transitioned to community-based employment last June. Contact: jennifermgraham@comcast.net or 215-641-1200.

IDEA 2004 Transition guidelines are summarized at http://www.ncset.org/publications/related/ideatransition.asp

IDEA 2004 Regulation - Transition services.
(a) Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that—
(1) Is designed to be within 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 postsecondary 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; and includes—
(i) Instruction;
(ii) Related services;
(iii) Community experiences;
(iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and
(v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
(b) Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. (34 C.F.R. §300.43) (For the IDEA statutory citation, see 20 U. S .C. §1401(34). (For Section 504 children, see also Section 504 at 29 U. S. C.§ 705. Definitions (37))

IDEA 2004 Regulation - Definition of individualized education program.
(b) Transition services. Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include—
(1) Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and
(2) The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. (34 C.F.R. §300.320) (For the IDEA statutory citation, see 20 U. S .C. §1414(d)(1)(A)(VIII).

See USDOE Commentary in August 14, 2006 Federal Register page 46668 about Transition Plans in IEPs

Steve Eidelman Talks to AAIDD F.Y.I. This is part of a series of interviews with members of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Formerly AAMR), representing a range of professions in the developmental disabilities field.

After serving for six years as the Executive Director of The Arc of the United States , a 100,000-person membership organization, Steve Eidelman recently accepted a professorship at the University of Delaware ’s College of Human Services , Education and Public Policy. Eidelman is currently charged with setting up a leadership training program at the University for executives in the non-profit and government sectors serving people with disabilities. We caught up with Eidelman, who has led many a change for persons with intellectual disabilities in his various leadership roles with The Arc, the Kennedy Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and more.  http://www.aaidd.org/FYI/interview_Eidelman.shtml

Nominations for the 2007 Freedom’s “Voices of Inspiration” Award for Teaching Excellence are now officially open. Freedom’s “Voices of Inspiration” Award for Teaching Excellence was created by Freedom Credit Union in partnership with the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit to recognize and reward teachers throughout Montgomery County. 2007 marks the first year that this award will honor these exceptional educators and the commitment they make to the students, families, and community as a whole. During this ground breaking year, we hope the encouragement and enthusiasm of the schools and communities will set a strong foundation for the “Voices of Inspiration” Award so that we may continue to pay tribute to great teachers for years to come. Click here for complete details and contest guidelines.

Nominations, based on an individual’s contributions or performance during that school year, or for cumulative efforts over many years, may be submitted by any of the following people: students, parents, co-workers, administrators, or school employees. The nominee should clearly demonstrate an extraordinary dedication to teaching young people while exhibiting the qualities that represent a truly inspirational educator. Nominations are open now through March 16, 2007. Click here to submit your nomination.

Twenty-three finalists, one teacher from each of the 21 Montgomery County public school districts, one teacher from the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit and one teacher from a Montgomery County non-public school, will be chosen from the nominations and will be recognized at Freedom’s “Voices of Inspiration” Awards banquet, being held this spring and will receive $500. From these 23 finalists, three winners (one high school, one middle school and one elementary school teacher) will be awarded with Freedom’s “Voices of Inspiration” Award and an additional $1500.

For all inquiries please contact Cyndi Cohen, Marketing Coordinator by email, voiawards@freedomcu.org or by phone, 215-612-5931.

Besides advocacy of House speaker, agency changes planned.
~ By Christina Gostomski Morning Call Harrisburg Bureau

Pennsylvanians with autism and other developmental delays, who often fall through cracks in a bureaucracy focused on mental retardation, can expect better access to state and federal programs under changes planned by the state Department of Public Welfare.

The department's Office of Mental Retardation will be reorganized and renamed for the first time since its creation in 1966, Welfare Secretary Estelle Richman said in a recent interview. Advocates for the developmentally disabled hope the restructuring, combined with House Speaker O'Brien's promise to fight for mandated insurance coverage for autistic children, will make 2007 their turning point in Pennsylvania politics.

''A lot of representatives will champion issues, but he says it's a real priority of his and that he'll use his political capital to advocate on those issues,'' said Steve Suroviec, executive director of The Arc of Pennsylvania. ''We see that as a positive.''

The Office of Mental Retardation has long needed restructuring, Suroviec said. Because it was designed to help those with retardation, he said, it often fails to provide for those with other problems, such as autism, a brain disorder that affects communication, social interaction and imaginative play.

The federal and state governments pay for Medicaid programs for the mentally retarded that are administered through the Office of Mental Retardation. Although the federal government also includes a definition for developmentally disabled, the state does not.

As a result, autistic patients who also are diagnosed as mentally retarded can apply for programs through the state office. But those who don't meet the state's definition of mentally retarded — even though they may have serious problems, such as the inability to speak or communicate — have trouble qualifying for services.

In many cases, families of those who are autistic or developmentally delayed have tried to piece together federal and state aid for services, such as home health care and independent living. A broader approach would ease that burden.

''It could have a significant improvement in terms of service for adults,'' said Virginia Leonard of Radnor Township, Delaware County, who has a 39-year-old son and 36-year-old daughter who both have autism. ''Now, you're dealing with a system that's really designed for people with different challenges. If you have autism, you have eligibility problems.''

Richman said plans for restructuring were under way before O'Brien's election. She would not divulge the office's new name, say when the changes will take place or provide specifics in advance of a formal unveiling.

Leonard and other advocates expect the restructuring to be a help, but not a panacea. The restructuring won't address the waiting list of those with developmental delays for government aid, nor will it help with the shortage of health care providers for developmental delays.

Still, Suroviec and other advocates hope O'Brien will provide aid to families that are struggling to find aid elsewhere because many insurance companies won't cover those who have autism or other developmental delays.

Last Tuesday, after the House coup that landed him the chamber's most coveted job, O'Brien vowed to use his newfound power to leverage aid for autistic children. ''Now, they'll have a place at the table,'' O'Brien said, adding that he would be their voice during high-level budget discussions.

One of his priorities will be passage of a bill requiring insurance companies to provide coverage to autistic children. He sponsored a bill during the last legislative session that would have required insurers to offer autistic people younger than 24 coverage worth up to $2,000 per month for habilitation, rehabilitation and psychiatric, psychological, respite and therapeutic care.

A similar bill was introduced in the Senate, but both bills died in 2006 after lawmakers failed to pass them before the end of the legislative session.

Parents of autistic children say the bill is desperately needed.

''We could be left without coverage at any time.  We hold our breath every year,'' Pat Amos, of Haverford Township, Delaware County, said of fears that her husband's health insurance will drop coverage for their two autistic sons. While O'Brien's bill wouldn't help Amos' oldest autistic son, who is 30, it could benefit her younger son, age 22, and she says it would help countless other families who have children in similar situations.

''This is a problem,'' she said, adding some parents of autistic children fear leaving or losing their jobs because it would probably mean their children would lose insurance coverage.

''Insurers won't take them on if it's a pre-existing condition,'' said Amos, co-founder of Autism Support and Advocacy in Pennsylvania.

Insurance industry representatives say it's a matter of costs. Still, they stop short of criticizing the new House speaker's proposal.

''No one in their right mind would argue against the benefit [of covering autistic children],'' said Vince Phillips, a lobbyist for the Pennsylvania Association of Health Underwriters. ''Having said that, any mandated benefit, no matter how well intended, that leads to increased utilization, leads to increased costs.''

Phillips said he wants the state to pay for studies to determine what impact O'Brien's bill would have on insurance companies, something he said the insurance companies have not done for themselves.

State officials, including Welfare Secretary Richman, an O'Brien supporter, have concerns about his bill. She finds it to be too narrow in some areas — it only applies to autistic children and not other children with developmental delays — and too broad in others, applying to all children. ''We didn't think they looked at all of the ramifications,'' Richman said.

She and other state officials, however, are already talking with O'Brien about how to rework the bill this year. ''This is something to celebrate for those of us that call ourselves child advocates,'' Richman said . 

State House Speaker Dennis O'Brien, R-Philadelphia, plans to reintroduce legislation that would require insurance companies to provide coverage for autistic children. Here's last year's version:

  H.B. 2243: Autistic people under age 24 could get coverage worth up to $2,000 per month for habilitation, rehabilitation and psychiatric, psychological, respite and therapeutic care.

  Pros: Resolves major problem for families with autistic members: that insurers won't take them if it's a ''pre-existing condition.''

  Cons: Bill is too narrowly written in some ways, applying to people with autism but not people with other developmental delays, and too broad in others, applying to all children. Insurance industry is concerned about costs. Sources: The Morning Call, H.B. 2243

CALENDAR OF TRANSITION EVENTS

Tuesday, February 13. 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM IDEA 2004 & NCLB: What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You! Presented by Pete Wright and Pamela Darr Wright. DE Technical & Community College/Stanton Campus 400 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark. Information: http://www.wrightslaw.com/speak/07.02.de.htm

February 20, 7:00-8:30 PM  The Law and Disability: A Workshop Series for Families. Medicaid, Social Security, and Health Insurance Issues. Hampton Inn, Liberty Room, 1500 Easton Rd., Willow Grove, PA. Presented by Hinkle, Fingles & Prior, Attorneys at Law. Registration required: Call Sandra at (215) 860-2100. www.hinkle1.com

February 21 st. 7:00 PM  Variety Club Camp and Developmental Center, Worcester PA. Kristine Quinby M.Ed. & Brian Young M. Ed. will talk about behavior interventions for children with Autism Spectrum Diagnosis. Information (610)584-4366 x1044 or gailstein@varietyphila.org .

Tuesday, February 20 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Got questions? Maybe MARC advocate Mike Owens has the answers! Library of Maple Glen Elementary School.
The Special Education Advisory Council (SPEAC) and The School District of Upper Dublin will host a program called "Ask An Advocate" with Mr. Owens, an advocate with the Montgomery County Association for Retarded Citizens (MARC). For more information, please call the Special Education Office at 215-643-8981 or Karen Salomon, SPEAC parent representative, at 215-646-3638.

February 27. (Webcast) Transition from School to Careers for Youth with Disabilities. Series Virginia Commonwealth University | Worksupport.com and 3/20/07 - Project SEARCH - An Innovative Transition Program. Register for This Webcast or Register for the Entire Series (Prices: Individual access to single webcast - $50/ Agency access (5 connections) to single webcast - $175/ Individual subscription to webcast series - $150/ Agency subscription (5 connections) to webcast series - $550

March 6, 7-8:30 PM   Planning for the Future: Guardianship & Estate Considerations with Valerie A. Powers Smith, Esq. at Villanova Conference Center, 610 County Line Rd., Radnor, PA.Presented by Hinkle, Fingles & Prior, Attorneys at Law. Registration required: Call Sandra at (215) 860-2100. www.hinkle1.com          

March 14 – 15 2007. MAX Conference for MH/MR Professionals: MAXimizing Your Potential: Leading the Way . Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell PA. Information: http://www.maxassociation.org/Events/2007_Max_Conference.pdf

March 15-16, 2007. 2nd Annual Penn Autism Network Conference:
“Journeys Through Adolescence and Adulthood.” University of Pennsylvania Campus, Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA  
FEATURING: Jerry and Mary Newport; Robert Naseef, Ph.D.; plus 21 Workshops, Resource Fair, Bookstore. This conference is approved for 5.75 CEUs for Educators and Psychologists. The Penn Autism Network is a collaborative group of family members, individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and the people who work with them. Our goal is to highlight and address issues relevant to the growing population of adults with ASDs, including transition to adulthood. Info: (215) 573-1159, ext.2, or www.med.upenn.edu/add or adultadd@mail.med.upenn.edu.

March 20, 7-8:30 PM. Understanding the New IDEIA: Overview of Special Education. Ira M. Fingles, Esq., with guest, Anne McNiff, Devereux Life Management Services. Radisson Valley Forge - Scanticon Conference Center. Registration: Call Sandra at (215) 860-2100.www.hinkle1.com          

March 21 st  -  7:00 PM. Variety Club Camp and Developmental Center. Wilma Dorman, Executive Director of OTR, Inc., and author of Promoting Social Competence , in private practice for over 35 years will bring her vast knowledge and experience to us.  She is particularly interested in enabling children to acquire social skills for every day use. Information (610)584-4366 x1044 or gailstein@varietyphila.org .

April 11 th , 6:00 PM Variety Club Camp and Developmental Center. Voices in the Family with Dr. Dan Gottlieb.  Dr. Gottlieb will interview Mr. Stephen Shore & Dr. Robert Naseef. Mr. Shore was diagnosed with autism at age 4 and is currently working towards his doctoral degree in education at Boston University.   Dr. Robert Naseef, psychologist, author and parent, specializes in working with families with children with special needs.  He has a son diagnosed with autism. TICKETED EVENT. Information (610)584-4366 x1044 or gailstein@varietyphila.org .

April 12 th – All day. Variety Club Camp and Developmental Center.Life Along the Spectrum, Living with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Dr. Robert Naseef and Stephen Shore.. This workshop is designed to meet the needs of parents and professionals.  Act 48 credits, 6 Social Work CEUs are available.  Psychology CEUs are pending. TICKETED EVENT. Information (610)584-4366 x1044 or gailstein@varietyphila.org .

Saturday, April 28, 2007 7PM 3rd Annual Autism Awareness Night with the Phillies!
info@philadelphialtf.org 215-400-5151.

ARCH- Adults Reaching Community Outreach: A Social Recreation Program for Older Adolescents and Adults who reside in Bucks and Montgomery County . With the collaborative efforts of Penn Foundation, Inc.Lower Bucks YMCA and Sharing & Caring of  Bucks County. The goal of ARCH  is to provide adults with ASD and other neurological disorders the chance to socialize with others, build friendships, and participate in events in a safe and supporting environment while “reaching community harmony”. Information: ambryw@aol.com or Joyce Harding at 215-343-5851, or Debra Springer, Penn Foundation at  215-453-5178 ext. 256.
ACTION NEEDED:

Contact your local Office of Mental Retardation and fill out the PUNS form by age 14 to be sure your child is included in future budgeting for adult services. Become familiar with various waivers and the programs/employment supports they fund. You can download the PUNS at: http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/Resources/Documents/Pdf/FillInForms/HCSIS-PrioritizationOfUrgencyOfNeedForServices.pdf

RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES

New IDEA 2004 Toolkits for Parents and Advocates
Available from The Education Law Center. 3 new “toolkits” for families and advocates in the areas of school-to-work transition, effective Individualized Education Programs, and how to use the new IDEA dispute resolution options. They are:

  • Transition to Adulthood for Children with Disabilities – Understanding the New Transition Provisions of IDEA 2004 and the Federal Regulations
  • Developing “New Era” IEPs For Students with Disabilities
  • Resolving Special Education Disputes – Understanding When and How to Use the New IDEA Procedural Safeguards System

These are updated and finalized versions of the toolkits that were used at ELC’s January 31, 2006 and November 28, 2006 Buddy trainings. The new toolkits and their related training curricula are posted on ELC’s website at www.elc-pa.org (click on “Children with Disabilities” and scroll down the “Highlights” section). You can also contact ELC if you are interested in a CD Rom of the November 28th Buddy training on How to Use the New IDEA Procedural Safeguards System (call or email a request to Janice Jackson at 215-238-6970 ext. 311; jjackson@elc- pa.org

NSTTAC Indicator 13 Checklist Form A aids in determining if the IEP addresses the transition needs of the student. http://www.nsttac.org/pdf/checklista.pdf
NSTTAC is a national Technical Assistance and Dissemination center funded from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2010 by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) (Award #H326J050004) to assist states to build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities.

CD version of the Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students With Disabilities: Parents' Materials assists parents and states in their efforts to work together to raise the achievement of all students with disabilities. The Parent Tool Kit offers a collection of resources on assessment, instructional practices, behavior and accommodations to ensure that their children are receiving a quality education. Information www.osepideasthatwork.org/index.asp

Camp Concepts announces a brand new summer camp for kids on the Autism Spectrum including Apserger's, Nonverbal Learning Disabilities and PDD-NOS and similar social challenges- Expressions.   Expressions is under the professional direction of Stephanie DeSouza, MSW and is designed for boys and girls, ages 7-15 years of age.  The camp will be held at the George School in Newtown, Bucks County- just minutes from I-95- conveniently located to all regions of the Delaware Valley, New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  Information www.campconcepts.org and click on the Expressions tab.                                                                 

PP&A and DLP Merger Improves Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities: New Disability Rights Network Brings Together Legal Advocacy and Policy. Pennsylvania Protection & Advocacy, Inc. (PP&A) and the Disabilities Law Project (DLP) have merged to form the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania (DRN).  The result is a more comprehensive, stronger, seamless advocacy system, for persons with disabilities.   Effective February 1, 2007, DRN will provide the full range of legal, policy, and advocacy services necessary to protect and advance the rights of persons with disabilities. 

DRN will provide services through a more focused and efficient organizational structure featuring a single board of directors and a combined staff of more than 50 persons working from offices in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh.  DRN will also continue to offer all of the legal and advocacy services PP&A and DLP have provided to persons with disabilities for many years, including advice and technical assistance via a toll-free phone number; individual, systemic, and policy advocacy; systemic-impact litigation and other legal services.

For additional information, please contact Ilene Shane, Chief Executive Officer, at 800-692-7443 x302 or Mark Murphy, Legal Director, at 215-238-8070 x209.

The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) has changed its to the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD). The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 846 Washington, DC 20001-1512 Tel: 202-387-1968 Fax: 202-387-2193 Web: www.aaidd.org

Secondary Special Education Professionals: Apply to the KU Online TransCert Program.  
University of Kansas (KU) TransCert is a project providing online graduate training for secondary special education professionals through a 12-hour block of online graduate courses plus a 3-hour culminating experience. The program provides a comprehensive approach to preservice transition training and an opportunity for current special education professionals to increase their instructional strategies in transition service and delivery. Applicants for Fall 2007 are now being sought. Student stipends are available. Application deadline: March 16, 2007.
http://www.transitioncoalition.org/cgiwrap/tcacs/new/training/onlinecourse/index.php?page=gradcert

Join our Yahoo transitionmap newsgroup! Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transitionmap/join for frequent transition news updates and new resources.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transitionmap E-news is written by professionals for high school students with developmental disabilities, their families and the professionals working with transition-age students. The newsletter relates news about successful transitions, information about improving transition services, and collaborative transition models that are emerging throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. By sharing ideas in this format, we can expand best practices of transition to assure that our communities’ young adults with special needs have meaningful, fulfilling adult lives.

Transitionmap E-news is published by the Ken-Crest Transition Project. We invite you to submit your ideas, your questions,
and your comments to our editor at editor@transitionmap.org.
The information on this website is current and accurate to the best of our knowledge. Please use the "Contact Us" link to share additional resource information.