Findings from the Study of Transition, Technology and Postsecondary Supports for Youth with Disabilities: Implications for Secondary School Educators

Abstract

Over the past twenty years, changes in the nation's labor market have increased the importance of possessing a postsecondary degree. Students who continue their education after high school maximize their preparedness for careers in today's changing economy as they learn the higher order thinking and technical skills to take advantage of current and future job market trends. For individuals with disabilities, completion of some type of postsecondary education, including vocational-technical training, significantly improves their chances of securing meaningful employment. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that youth with disabilities are fully prepared in secondary school to continue on to and to meet the challenges of postsecondary education. The successful use of technology and other supports plays a critical role in this preparation. The purpose of this article is to (a) describe findings from a five-year research project at the University of Hawaii at Manoa that demonstrate the importance of postsecondary school for individuals with disabilities and highlights the current status of postsecondary access for these individuals, (b) discuss barriers to the successful transition between secondary school and postsecondary school for youth with disabilities, and (c) explore the implications of these findings for secondary school preparation.