A TRANSITION RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES TO

POST-SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT
by
Leslie Plummer
B.Ed., Simon Fraser University, 2009
B.A., Ryerson University, 1983

A PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF EDUCATION
in
Special Education

VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

May, 2015

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A Transition Resource for Students with Learning Disabilities to Post-School Employment

To meet the requirements of the Master of Education in Special Education, one could
choose to write a thesis or create a final project. I decided on a project and completed the
research necessary for the beginning of a thesis. I then used this work as my basis for designing
this website and determining the content.
I started with a statement of what I saw as a problem.
Statement of Problem
The area of employment after secondary school is a concern for students with learning
disabilities. Being successfully employed in work (both paid and unpaid) can directly affect other
important outcomes including quality of life and living independently. We have not been
successful in transitioning students with learning disabilities into the workforce after they
graduate from high school.
In this research project, I will examine transition planning specifically for students with
learning disabilities to determine the components of a successful transition program from
secondary school to the workplace.
Abstract
Students experience important transition points throughout their education. The most significant
of these occurs when students move from school to work situations. It is a time of particular
importance for a student with a learning disability, as they are a child who has, general
intellectual functioning significantly below the mean, as well as significant limitations in
adaptive functioning in at least two of the following skill areas as appropriate to the students
age: communication, self-care, home living, social/interpersonal skills, use of community
resources, self-direction, functional academic skills, work, leisure, health and safety (Special

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Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines March 2011, p. 41).
Transition planning helps students with learning disabilities to, plan so that they can assume
their rightful places in society (Winzer, 2008). To ensure a successful transition process from
high school to the workforce for a student with learning disabilities an individualized plan for the
student must be incorporated into the Individualized Education Plan planning process (Winzer,
2008, p. 545). The process must, consist of a coordinated set of activities for a student, designed
within an outcome-oriented process that promotes movement from school to post-school
activities (Ministry of Education, A Resource Guide for Schools, 2001, p. 7). Effective
transition planning is essential to ensure that the elements and plan required to transition from
secondary school to the workforce, and the support services required to accomplish this are not
disrupted or lost in the process. Students with learning disabilities, experience
disproportionately high rates of unemployment and underemployment as adults (Rojewski,
1992, p. 135). In my opinion, the development of a research-based transition planning resource
will improve post-school employment outcomes for students with a learning disability who
reside in a medium population center. (According to Statistics Canada, a medium population
center is one with a population between 30,000 and 99,999.)
Goal of Transition Planning
The goal in transition planning, for high school students with learning disabilities, is to
lead an independent life, moving from high school to community living. Transition planning
can assist the youth in securing employment, pursuing post-secondary education and
experiencing a meaningful community life (British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family
Development, Transition Planning for Youth with Special Needs, p. 4). According to Winzer
2008, transition is the process of moving from one program to another, or from one service

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delivery mode to another, and a systematic passage from school to adult life for students with
disabilities (p. 546). This event almost always involves changes in locations, expectations, rules
and services available, peer groups and, life-style activities. It may mean severing relations from
people they are familiar and comfortable with. As well, this may involve making new friends,
generalizing old skills to new situations, learning new routines and exploring new environments.
The purpose of transition planning for learning disabled students is to identify
opportunities and experiences during their school years that will help them better prepare for life
as an adult (Johnson, Brown & Edgar, 2000, p. 2). The transition process involves, the
preparation, implementation and evaluation required to enable students to make major transitions
during their lives, which includes the movement from school to post-secondary, community or
work situations (B.C. Ministry of Education, Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies,
Procedures and Guidelines March 2011, Appendix 34). It is a chance for students with
learning disabilities, during their secondary school years, to prepare for life as an independent
adult and the movement from life in school to life in the workforce. It is of particular importance
for these students as they require assistance to identify; opportunities available, the skills that
they have and identify what they want to do after they graduate from high school. Collaboration
is also an essential component of this planning process. Educational collaboration is, an
interactive or problem solving process involving two or more team members (Welch, 1998, p.
28). It is essential that all involved, collaborate and share resources and ideas to make the
transition from school to adult living as smooth as possible. The British Columbia Ministry of
Education Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedures and Guidelines 2011
states that, collaboration in transition planning should involve school personnel, district staff,
and representatives from community services such as pre-schools and post-secondary

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institutions, professionals from other ministries, parents and the students themselves (Appendix
34).
Challenges of Transition Planning
Transitioning to adulthood is a challenge for many young people. It is a time of changing
programs, systems and services, and can be a time of enormous stress for an individual. A youth
with learning disabilities may find this time in their lives even more challenging as they may lack
the skills required to make the transition successful. As a result, this must be taken into account
when assisting students with learning disabilities to transition from secondary school to the
workforce.
Students with learning disabilities, and their family must make important decisions about
the future and as special education teachers, we must support them in this process. Such
decisions include making choices around future living arrangements, finances, community and
social involvement, education and employment. For the purposes of this research project, I will
be looking specifically at the transition of students with learning disabilities from secondary
school to the workplace in a medium sized population center.
Having a job where a person feels valued, intrinsically affects their feelings of self-worth.
Students with special needs are at risk of being uninvolved in decision making, uninvolved in
their community life, under- employed and unemployed, unable to access further education or
training, and generally unable to lead fulfilling lives (Special Education Services: A Manual of
Policies, Procedures and Guidelines March 2011, Appendix 34). In this situation, many are
unable to access further education or training, and generally unable to lead fulfilling lives. Many
are also, more likely to face other setbacks, such as criminal history, single motherhood,
poverty, or substance abuse (Levine & Wagner, 2005, p. 1).

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In my opinion, we have not been successful in transitioning students with learning

disabilities into the workforce after they graduate from high school. They are often left
unsupported, unemployed and in the worst-case scenario, homeless, living on the streets. In my
experience as a Certified Education Assistant, I worked with a student with a learning disability
who transitioned from high school to the workplace. Within one year of graduating from a
secondary school, in a medium sized population center, this student was unemployed, homeless,
and living in a tent in the middle of winter, without even a blanket to keep them warm. They
disclosed to me that they were not actively involved in a transition process when they graduated
from high school, and they were left on their own to manage their transition. They were
unsuccessful in finding employment and once their family was no longer supporting them, they
did not know whom else to turn to, and ended up in this situation. This is something that may
have been avoided if an effective transition program had been implemented and used with this
student.
Foundation of this Research
In this research-based project, I examine transition planning specifically for students with
learning disabilities. These students are children and youth who have differences that
substantially change the way they learn, respond, or behave. For the purposes of this research,
the focus will be on students with learning disabilities who have no other concurrent social
emotional or behavioural challenges and could potentially lead independent lives after secondary
school graduation. As a foundation for the development of a research based transition program, I
reviewed the current research specifically as it relates to the transition of students with learning
disabilities in a medium population center to post-school employment. I accessed existing

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research from government publications, articles from scholarly publications, peer-reviewed

articles and, information obtained through Google Scholar.
The predominant research for this study focuses on 3 questions:
1) Why have we not been successful with transition planning and programming?
2) What are the components of a successful transition program?
3) How do educators of students with learning disabilities use the components of
transition planning in a coordinated effort to provide the best employment preparation
and post-school employment for students with learning disabilities in a medium
population center?
The literature review provided a base to determine the commonalities in transition
programs and the essential components required for a successful transition from school to the
workforce for students with learning disabilities. It identified the requirements of Transition
Programming according to the British Columbia Ministry of Education. Based on this
information, I developed a research-based transition guide from secondary school to the
workplace for students with learning disabilities. This resource could then be used in secondary
schools, in a medium density population setting, with students with learning disabilities, to make
a successful transition into the workforce.
This study was developed with consideration as to how we can best support students with
learning disabilities as they transition from school to the workforce. The goal of the following
literature review is to answer these questions as well as to identify conclusions and
recommendations to guide future research.

Literature Review

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Success in adult life is most often measured in terms of employment (Rojewski, 1992,
p. 135). In this review, the extant research on the employment outcomes for youth with learning
disabilities are examined. This analysis specifically examines: reasons why the area of
employment is such a concern for students with learning disabilities and the realities of
employment outcomes; educational skills and competencies required for success in the
workplace and, programs and their designs to facilitate vocational transition when, what and
how. It also reviews the results of the existing transitional programs and, the realities for youth
with disabilities. The primary focus is on employment outcomes in the belief that income and
involvement in work (paid and unpaid) are primary concerns that directly affect other important
outcomes-for example, quality of life and living independently (Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell,
1997, p. 199). Finally, I discuss the future direction of research studies and various questions that
remain to be answered by teachers, administrators, policymakers, employers, parents, and most
importantly the student themselves.
In constructing this review, I gathered literature using computer-based searches of several
electronic databases, including Vancouver Island Universitys database and Google Scholar.
Search descriptors were specific to employment and postsecondary education outcomes for
students with learning disabilities in medium population centers. For the purposes of this review,
transition referred to, a change in status from behaving primarily as a student to assuming
emergent adult roles in the community (Transition Planning, 2009, p. 71) specifically as a
member of the workforce. The content of articles, reports, and chapters considered relevant to the
central questions of the review were thoroughly analyzed.

Students with Learning Disabilities

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This literature review focuses specifically on youth with learning disabilities for a
number of reasons. Transition programs and career development has been given little attention
in the literature for students with learning disabilities. In the past, more attention has been paid to
those students with physical, mental or emotional disabilities. Only recently have professional
educators recognized that a learning disability is a lifelong condition that may result in pervasive
and lasting deficits that have serious social, education, and vocational implications (Cummings,
Maddux & Casey, 2000, p. 60). Research that has been completed indicates that many
individuals with learning disabilities are, less satisfied with their social lives, are of lower
socioeconomic status, and remain more dependent on their families, in comparison to their
nondisabled peers (Rojewski, 1992, p. 135).
Youth with learning disabilities are often, less engaged in learning tasks, poorly
organized in both thoughts and work habits, less confident in their ability to learn, frustrated with
difficult work tasks, less will to take risks in learning situations, discouraged by their lack of
success and, unable to cope with multiple instructions (Supporting Students with Learning
Disabilities, 2011, p. 9). They also have difficulties in the area of career maturity and social
interactions with their peers. Students with learning disabilities, often hold unrealistic job
expectations, their individual career goals are inappropriate, and they neither consider nor have
awareness of their functional strengths and weaknesses and how these affect vocational success
(Cummings, Maddux & Casey, 2000, p. 63).
To amplify these problems, best practices that have been identified as useful in transition
planning, are not always used with students who have a learning disability. This could be due to
multiple reasons, including lack of planning, coordination of services, and educators focusing on
immediate needs rather than planning for the future. There is a mistaken belief that a learning

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disability is a mild disability and that students with learning disabilities will succeed on their
own and, thus, will need fewer transition services than students with more severe disabilities
(Cummings, Maddux & Casey, 2000, p. 62). Due to this, problems continue in the transition
process for students with learning disabilities. They are often ill-prepared to succeed in high
school and beyond (Johnson, Mellard & Lancaster, 2007, p. 26). As a result of the educational,
social and psychological impact of learning disabilities, it is essential that these students receive
timely and appropriate transition services. The review of the literature indicates that this is not
happening.
The Transition Process
The Realities for Youth with Learning Disabilities
The transition movement was precipitated by the results of studies regarding the adult
outcomes of students with learning disabilities. These studies substantiated a rather bleak
picture of unemployment, long-term underemployment for those with jobs, minimal participation
in postsecondary education, an inability to live independently, limited social experiences,
restricted participation in community activities, and inordinately high arrest rates (Blalock &
Patton, 1996, p. 8). In a school setting, adaptations and modifications can be used to assist
students with learning disabilities, when in a real life situation, many of these adaptations do not
exist and support is not readily available. A larger area of concern exists which includes the lack
of career maturity, and development that encompasses specific social and job skills. In fact, in
the workplace, employers frequently treat employees with learning disabilities, less positively
than other workers (Cummings, Maddux & Casey, 2000, p. 63).
Data collected by researchers reflect positive trends for students with learning
disabilities in the areas of employment and independent living (Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell,

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1997, p. 206). However, these same individuals are not making gains as rapidly as their peers
without disabilities and continue to reflect the significant gaps that exist between individuals
with disabilities and the general population (Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell, 1997, p. 206). Youth
with disabilities are entering the workforce after completing secondary education, but their
degree of success is minimal. In fact, many youth report holding several jobs for only brief
periods: 27% of youth with disabilities held a job for 2 months or less, 35% held employment for
only 2.1 to 6 months, and only about 8% worked for 12.1 to 24 months (Levine & Wagner,
2005). Transition from school to the workplace as it currently stands, is not effective.
Transition Programs
School personnel are mandated to provide transition planning services to students with
disabilities as they prepare for postsecondary activities. A variety of student skill and knowledge
areas have been recommended as important during this process. The use of formal transition
programs assist students with learning disabilities as they prepare to transfer to post-secondary
education, supported living environments, and of interest for this research, for employment.
Transition programs assist them in the development of the requisite skills and knowledge that
will allow them to successfully adapt to their new workplace environment.
The following includes a review of the literature as it relates to skills and traits employers
require, the ideal time and by whom, to implement transition programs, the components of a
successful transition program as described by the available literature and, the outcome realities
with present transitional programs.
Workplace requirements. Every employer is looking for job-specific technical
expertise but most employers universally seek certain abilities. Numerous studies have identified
these critical employability skills, which are discussed below in further detail.

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In this competitive global economy, employers are demanding a more highly skilled workforce.
Foundational skills are the basic academic and thinking, the kind of skills that are considered to
be present at the completion of high school. According to Phelps and Hanley-Maxwell (1997),
basic foundational skills include reading, writing to communicate, arithmetic and mathematical
operations, listening to and responding to verbal messages and other cues, and speaking. (p.
201). Thinking skills are the skills that enable an individual to generate new ideas, make
decisions, solve problems and implement solutions.
Personal qualities were also identified as essential for successful integration into the
workplace. According to the United States Departments of Labor and Education Secretary's
Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills 2000, personal qualities that were specifically
identified as critical for success in today's labor markets include; responsibility, belief in their
own self-worth, sociability which includes understanding, friendliness, adaptability, empathy,
and politeness in group settings, self-management and, ethical honest behaviour. (p. xi )
Workplace competencies build on the foundational and personal skills and can be applied
in a variety of combinations. Phelps and Hanley-Maxwell (1997), found that these included:
Identifying, organizing, planning, and allocating resources; working with other people working in a team, sharing information, responding to customer needs, using negotiation
and conflict resolution and responding appropriately to individual differences; acquiring,
organizing, interpreting, and communicating information; and, understanding
interrelationships of complex social, organizational, and technological systems. (p. 202).
Without these competencies, the chances for success in the workplace decreases.
The skill areas identified above are sometimes referred to as soft skills, behavioral
competencies also known as interpersonal skills, or people skills, and are essential to learn when

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transitioning from secondary school to the workplace. In fact, the "soft skills - professionalism
and work ethic, oral and written communication, teamwork and collaboration, critical
thinking/problem solving - trump basic academic skills in today's job market (Hartman, 2009, p.
6). They are also skills that are commonly lacking in students with learning disabilities, and must
be taught during the transition process.
Student requirements. Students with learning disabilities require transition
programming to help them make informed career decisions and develop essential skills that will
enable them to be as independent as possible. A brief examination of the transition needs of
students with learning disabilities reveals some commonalities. Most importantly, students with
disabilities should be provided with opportunities to develop self-awareness and selfdetermination skills in order to be able to advocate for themselves in postsecondary settings
(Cummings, Maddux & Casey, 2000, p. 63). Well in advance of graduation from secondary
school, they must also develop daily living, occupational, communication, social and decisionmaking skills. During this process, teachers and other professionals must work collaboratively to
provide academic and social support. As illustrated, a mix of activities and factors are correlated
with successful vocational or employment outcomes for students with disabilities (Phelps &
Hanley-Maxwell, 1997, p. 208).
While many of the skill and knowledge areas necessary for successful transition are
similar, educational decisions should be, based on students goals, visions, and interests
(Transition-focused, 2003, p. 176). The individual needs of each student must be taken into
consideration when planning interventions. All students are unique, particularly students with
learning disabilities, so for this reason, transition planning requires, the students presence and
participation in the educational activities as it is a contributor to successful education outcomes

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(Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell, 1997, p. 203). As well, addressing transition plans within the
context of the student's Individual Education Plan will help ensure that interventions are
designed to meet each student's goals which should be logically connected to their post school
outcomes. Through these student-focused planning activities, students develop and strengthen
self-determination skills through practice and application (Transition-focused, 2003, p. 176).
Transition planning. A review of the literature indicates one overwhelming fact:
transition planning for students with learning disabilities must be comprehensive in nature,
addressing all the major areas of adult functioning: employment, continuing education, daily
living, health, leisure, communication, interpersonal skills, self- determination, and community
participation (Blalock & Patton, 1996, p. 11). In planning for the transition of any learning
disabled student, knowledge of their present level of functioning is essential, so that the program
can focus on the specific areas of need.
Transition-focused education emphasizes the development of practical life skills that
are geared toward the goals and aspirations of individual students. This emphasis on practical life
skills evolved to help ensure meaningful community participation in typical settings
(Transition-focused, 2003, p. 180). If the goal of educators is to facilitate normalization in post
school life, educational goals and instruction to achieve these goals must be individualized.
There is no one-size-fits-all program. There are however, some best practices specific to
transition as determined by the literature.
As stated by the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Family Development 2009,
there are six steps to person-centered transition planning, which include:
building a planning team with people who can assist the student to identify their goals,
needs and future services; gather information which entails informing the team members

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of the students goals, strengths and needs to ensure the transition plan is centered on
them; develop a transition plan that will list the tasks that must be completed to reach the
students goals as well as the services and supports they will require now and in the
future; put the transition plan into action; update and adjust the plan if need be; and, hold
an exit meeting to ensure that all of the tasks are completed (p. 1).
This six-step plan outlines the general transition process to meet the needs for the student with
learning disabilities who wants to successfully enter the workplace immediately after completing
secondary school.
If the goal is to obtain meaningful employment after completing secondary school,
specific skills must be taught. Specific skills to be taught should include, employment planning
and preparation, including developing supportive networks, learning specific skills and behaviors
that will help in gaining and maintaining employment, and making connections with local
employment options and support services (Johnson, Mellard & Lancaster, 2007, p. 28). These
skills are considered essential for establishing student success in the workplace. Another factor to
be considered is the importance of acquiring a work history prior to completing secondary
school. This may be volunteer or unpaid vocational placements or paid work experiences in
integrated work settings. Research has indicated that, students receiving paid work experience
are more likely to be employed following the completion of high school than those not receiving
it (Rojewski, 1992, p. 137). As a final point, active involvement and cooperation between
educators and adult service providers is critical to the success of the transition process. This is
perhaps the biggest challenge to the success of any transition program, the provision of
community support beyond the walls of the high school (Cheney, 2012, p. 26).
Conclusions and Future Study

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The civil rights era of the 1960s generated new social commitments to improving and
expanding educational opportunities for youth (Phelps & Hanley-Maxwell, 1997, p. 197). This
has led to widespread educational reform that has focused on the successful transition of youth
with learning disabilities from high school into the workplace. Transitional programs to date
have not been overwhelmingly effective. One size fits all and check the box transition
planning strategies do not sufficiently prepare students with disabilitieswho all have unique
needsfor successful, fulfilling adult roles (Transition-focused, 2003, p. 181). The literature
recognizes that educators, students, service providers, and families must work together
collaboratively to create a transition program that is specific to the individual needs of the
student. This team must assist students in learning more about their interests and needs and how
these interests relate to future goals, provide individualized planning and supports and, utilize
both in-school and out-of- school learning and experiences (Introduction to special, 2012, p. 5).
A primary concern established through this literature review is the lack of efficacy of
education curricula focused on students with learning disabilities and their transition from
secondary school to the workplace. Additionally, some questions remain that require further
research:
1) Is transition more of a promise than a reality?
2) How can we as educators provide systematic instruction in special education so that
successful transition can be a reality?
3) How do we create and maintain community supports for students with learning
disabilities beyond the walls of the classroom?
4) Is the inclusive model the best way to provide transitional programming?
5) Is now the time to study comprehensive transition models so that we are able to move
from qualitative descriptions to empirical validation of these models?

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As part of our district's efforts to provide transition support to students with learning
disabilities a research-based transition guide website has been developed. This website will help
to provide some of the knowledge necessary and important elements required, to support
students with learning disabilities as they transition from secondary school to the workplace.
http://ldtransitionresource.weebly.com