Innovative Transition Practices: The Big Picture

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Innovative Transition Practices The Big Picture

• Dr. Mary E. Morningstar
• University of Kansas
• mmorningstar_at_ku.edu
• www.transitioncoalition.org

Touch the Future Preconference Atlanta GA October
22-23, 2008
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www.transitioncoalition.org
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Agenda

• October 22
• 900-1200 Student Focused Planning for
  Transition
• IEP Development
• Transition Assessment
• 130-400 Transition Assessment (Continued)
• Student Development for Transition
• Curriculum Instruction for Transition
• October 23
• 830-1115 The Role of Families and Agencies

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Introductions

• Find one item in your bag/purse/briefcase
• When you introduce yourself,
• Your name, job, students you serve, etc.
• Describe how this item reflects your vision for
  transition planning and services

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What do you Hope to Gain?

• What are your district/program strengths?
• What are your district/program needs?
• What do you hope to change and/or enhance from
  this day and a half?

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Quality Indicators of Transition
From Morningstar (2005) Quality Indicator of
Effective Transition Programs
Transition to Adulthood
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Student-Focused Planning

• IEP Development

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Focusing on Transition Changes How We Provide
Services

• Transition is Results-Oriented
• Transition is Coordinated
• Transition is Student-Centered

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The IDEA 2004 Transition requirements focus on
critical elements of transition

• How we define transition services
• How we make decisions about transition services
  based upon appropriate assessments
• What is required in a students IEP related to
  transition
• How we summarize transition performance when
  students are graduating or exiting school.

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IEP Results Process for Transition Services
(adapted from OLeary, 2005)
Step 1 Measurable Postsecondary Goals
Step 3 Needed Transition Services
Step 4 Annual IEP Goals
Step 2 Present Levels of Academic Performance

• a. Course of Study
• b. Needed Services
• Instruction
• Related Services
• Community Experiences
• Employment and other post-school adult living
  objectives
• Daily Living skills Functional Vocational
  Assessment (when appropriate)

• Education or Training
• Employment
• Independent Living

Step 5 Summary of Performance
Age Appropriate Transition Assessments
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Definition of Transition Services

• a coordinated set of activities for a student
  that
• 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 childs movement
  from school to post-school activities, including
  post-secondary education, vocational education,
  integrated employment (including supported
  employment), continuing and adult education,
  adult services, independent living, or community
  participation.
• (B) based on the individual childs needs, taking
  into account the childs strengths, preferences,
  and interests and
• (C) includes instruction, related services,
  community experiences, the development of
  employment and other post-school adult living
  objectives, and when appropriate, acquisition of
  daily living skills and functional vocational
  evaluation. (Section 602, (34).

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NSTTAC Indicator 13 Checklist From
http//www.nsttac.org/indicator13/indicator13_main
.aspx

• Is there a measurable postsecondary goal or goals
  that covers education or training, employment,
  and, as needed, independent living?
• Is (are) there annual IEP goal(s) that will
  reasonably enable the child to meet the
  postsecondary goal(s)?
• Are there transition services in the IEP that
  focus on improving the academic and functional
  achievement of the child to facilitate their
  movement from school to post-school?
• For transition services that are likely to be
  provided or paid for by other agencies with
  parent (or child once the age of majority is
  reached) consent, is there evidence that
  representatives of the agency(ies) were invited
  to the IEP meeting?
• Is there evidence that the measurable
  postsecondary goal(s) were based on
  age-appropriate transition assessment(s)?
• Do the transition services include courses of
  study that focus on improving the academic and
  functional achievement of the child to facilitate
  their movement from school to post-school?
• Does the IEP meet the requirements of Indicator
  13? (Circle one)
• Yes (all Ys or NAs are circled)
• No (one or more Ns circled)

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IEP Results Process for Transition Services
(adapted from OLeary, 2005)
Step 1 Measurable Postsecondary Goals
Step 3 Needed Transition Services
Step 4 Annual IEP Goals
Step 2 Present Levels of Academic Performance

• Education or Training
• Employment
• Independent Living

Age Appropriate Transition Assessments
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Beginning no later than entry into ninth grade
or by age 16, whichever comes first, or younger
if determined appropriate by the IEP Team and
updated annually (GA Rule)

• A student's IEP must include appropriate
  measurable postsecondary goals based upon age
  appropriate transition assessments related to
  training, education, employment, and where
  appropriate, independent living skills. The IEP
  must include those transition services (including
  courses of study) needed to assist the student in
  reaching postsecondary goals. (Section 614)

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Thinking about Your IEP Forms and Planning
Procedures

• Where do you report your transition assessment
  data? Pros/cons of this method.
• Does your IEP provide you with space or prompts
  w/in the present levels of education and
  functional performance specific to transition
  assessment?
• Does your IEP provide you with support for the
  I-13 compliance with transition assessment
  requirements?
• What changes could you make to your form and/or
  procedures to align with best practices?

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IEP Results Process for Transition Services
(adapted from OLeary, 2005)
Step 1 Measurable Postsecondary Goals
Step 3 Needed Transition Services
Step 4 Annual IEP Goals
Step 2 Present Levels of Academic Performance

• Education or Training
• Employment
• Independent Living

Age Appropriate Transition Assessments
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What do measurable postsecondary goals mean?

• Goals written by IEP team so that we can measure
  the extent to which they were achieved schools
  role in planning
• We are NOT talking about IEP goals (measurable
  annual goals)
• Must take place after HS
• Education/training employment are required
  Independent living as needed
• Postsecondary goals must be explicitly stated and
  then planned for with 1. transition assessment,
  2. transition services, 3. IEP goals, 4.
  interagency collaboration to ensure achievement

Ed OLeary (2006)

• Examples (from NSTTAC)
• After high school
• I will enroll in the Associates Degree program at
  Ocean County Community College in August of 2009.
  (separate, education/training)
• I will get my undergraduate degree in history and
  education, to become a high school social studies
  teacher. (combo education/training
  employment)
• Paulo will prepare for work each day by dressing,
  making his bed, making his lunch, and accessing
  transportation. (separate, independent living)
• For younger students.
• I will work with animals
• I will go to school to learn about computers
• I will live in my own apartment with a roommate

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What about Independent Living MPS Goals? How do
you Decide?

• See the Independent Living Postsecondary Goal IEP
  Team Decision Assistance Form
• found at http//transitioncoalition.org/transiti
  on/section.php?pageId73
• See the GA DOE Transition Manual Transition
  Planning Section

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Postsecondary Goals
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Thinking about Your IEP Forms and Planning
Procedures

• Where do you report your measurable postsecondary
  goals in your IEP? Pros/cons of this method
• Does your IEP provide you with space or prompts
  w/in the IEP to ensure compliance with I-13
  requirements of MPS goals?
• What changes could you make to your form and/or
  procedures to align with best practices?

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IEP Results Process for Transition Services
(adapted from OLeary, 2005)
Step 1 Measurable Postsecondary Goals
Step 3 Needed Transition Services
Step 4 Annual IEP Goals
Step 2 Present Levels of Academic Performance

• a. Course of Study
• b. Needed Services
• Instruction
• Related Services
• Community Experiences
• Employment and other post-school adult living
  objectives
• Daily Living skills Functional Vocational
  Assessment (when appropriate)

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Transition services (including courses of study)

• Transition services must be based upon the
  students needs, strengths, preferences and
  interests and focus on the desired postsecondary
  goals for the student.
• The transition services that must be considered
  by the IEP team during the planning process
  include
• instruction,
• community experiences,
• related services,
• the development of employment and other
  post-school adult living objectives,
• and when appropriate, acquisition of daily living
  skills and functional vocational evaluations.

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Activity Determine Maries Transition Services

• Education/Training Postsecondary Goal Upon
  graduating from high school, Marie will
  participate in on-the-job training to expand job
  duties. She will participate in community adult
  education courses offered through the local
  independent living center
• Employment Postsecondary Goal Upon graduation
  from high school, Marie will continue working at
  McDonalds and expand her job duties and job hours
• Independent Living Postsecondary Goal Upon
  graduation from high school, Marie will continue
  to live in the group home, practicing household
  and daily living skills such as cooking a meal
  and daily hygiene. Within 3 years after
  graduation, Marie will live in her own apartment
  with friends and the appropriate supports to
  maintain her community living situation

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Courses of Study

• multi-year description of coursework to achieve
  a students desired postschool goals
• meaningful to the students future and motivate
  the student to complete his or her education
• attention on how the childs educational program
  can be planned to help the child make a
  successful transition to his or her goals for
  life after secondary school

(OLeary, 2005).
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Thinking about Your IEP Forms and Planning
Procedures

• Where do you report your Transition services
  Courses of study in your IEP? Pros/cons of this
  method
• Does your IEP provide you with space or prompts
  w/in the IEP to ensure compliance with I-13
  requirements for Transition services Courses of
  study?
• What changes could you make to your form and/or
  procedures to align with best practices?

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IEP Results Process for Transition Services
(adapted from OLeary, 2005)
Step 1 Measurable Postsecondary Goals
Step 3 Needed Transition Services
Step 4 Annual IEP Goals
Step 2 Present Levels of Academic Performance

• a. Course of Study
• b. Needed Services
• Instruction
• Related Services
• Community Experiences
• Employment and other post-school adult living
  objectives
• Daily Living skills Functional Vocational
  Assessment (when appropriate)

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IEP Goals are SMARTFrom http//en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/SMART_(project_management)

• Annual goals "statements that describe what a
  child with a disability can reasonably be
  expected to accomplish (e.g., master some skill
  or knowledge not an activity) within a twelve
  month period in the child's special education
  program. http//www.calstat.org/iep/6_reading.sht
  ml
• Specific (Who? What? Where?)
• Measurable (How will goal be measured?)
• Action-Oriented (Action words to describe what?)
• Realistic Relevant (Will they be able to
  achieve it? Does it meet the MPS Goals?)
• Time-bound (For tracking monitoring)

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I-13 Checklist Question 2 Is (are) there annual
IEP goal(s) that reasonably enable the child to
meet the postsecondary goal(s)?
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How SMART are these Goals in Meeting I-13? Think,
Pair, Share..

• MPG After graduation, Alex will enroll in a
  business math course at the local technical
  school
• Given instruction in the high school Business
  Math course, Alex will participate in class
  assignments throughout the semester.
• MPG After leaving high school, Jodi will obtain
  a part-time position in a community retail
  environment.
• Given a bi-weekly paycheck, Jodi will practice
  banking skills with 95 accuracy by August 1,
  2007
• MPG Upon completion of HS, Lissette will utilize
  public transportation, including the public bus
  and uptown trolley
• Given several coins, Lissette will match the coin
  with its amount six out of eight times by
  November 3, 2007

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Thinking about Your IEP Forms and Planning
Procedures

• Where do you report Annual IEP Goals in your IEP?
  Pros/cons of this method
• Does your IEP provide you with space or prompts
  w/in the IEP to ensure compliance with the
  requirements for I-13 Annual IEP Goals?
• What changes could you make to your form and/or
  procedures to align with best practices?

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Transition Planning Process
Identify Preferences, Interests and Needs
Using Age Appropriate Transition Assessments
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Student-Focused Planning

• Transition Assessment

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Defining Transition Assessment

• Whats YOUR Definition? Share with Partner
  Enhance/Adapt

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Transition AssessmentWhere Do You Start?
Who can assist with assessment?
Adapted from Noonan, P., Morningstar, M., and
Clark, G. (2003). Transition Assessment The Big
Picture. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from the
University of Kansas, Department of Special
Education, Transition Coalition Web site
http//www.transitioncoalition.org
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Activity Assessment Planning

• Read either Heather or James
• Identify who can assist with the assessment
  process

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Sample Questions

• Do we understand this students strengths,
  preferences, needs interests?
• In what ways can we prepare this student for the
  future?
• What do I already know about this student to
  determine his/her postsecondary goals?
• What methods and sources will provide this
  information?
• What role can the student play in participating
  in the assessment process?
• How will the assessment data be collected and
  used in the transition planning process?
• Is the student making progress toward specific
  postsecondary goals?

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VA Assessment Planning Summary

• Assessment Plan Characteristics
• Customized to specific types of information
  needed
• Appropriate to learning and response
  characteristics
• Use assistive technology accommodations
• Occur in that influence development, planning,
  implementation of transition planning
• Include multiple ongoing activities to sample
  behaviors and skills
• Must be verified by multiple methods persons
• Results stored in user-friendly way
• Occurs over time (multiple years)

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Activity Assessment Planning

• What are the critical questions related to
  assessment?
• What considerations must you make related to the
  assessment plan?

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Peach State Pathways
What to Assess
Review of Transition Assessments
Learning Styles
Temperament
Background Info.
IL checklist
Aptitudes
Information needs for Student-focused Transition
Planning
Independent Living Skills
Interests
Transition Assessment Notes
Supports Accommodations
Social Skills
Vocational Occupational Skills
Adapted From P. Kohler (2004)
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Online Assessments and Resources
HOW to Assess
Commercially Available Assessments

• Informal (cont)
• Observations situational assessments
• Alternative assessments
• Portfolios
• Person-centered Planning
• Assessing Environments
• E-Jam
• Vocational Integration Index
• Supports Survey
• Ecological Inventories

• Standardized
• Norm-referenced
• Criterion-referenced
• Informal
• Analysis of background info.
• Interviews
• Work samples
• Curriculum-based assessments

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Activity Assessment Planning

• What are the critical areas of transition?
• What assessment methods would be appropriate?

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KSDE Transition Planning

• Results of transition assessments in IEP
• Included in present levels of educational
  performance
• Used to identify postsecondary goals (outcomes)
• Used to identify needed transition services
• Summary of Performance
• Monitoring instruction, progress decisions
  about changes
• Coordinate assessment needs with adult agencies
• Summarize and customize results to meet needs of
  outside agencies
• Collaboration is critical! Who can help assess

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Recommendations for Assessment in Transition
Planning

• Include students and families in the assessment
  plan as well as the assessment process itself
• Select assessment procedures to answer the key
  questions in transition planning
• Make transition assessments on-going
• Use multiple types and levels of assessment
• Plan assessment procedures in terms of efficiency
  and effectiveness

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Overriding Theme

• A well planned and executed assessment that
  results in a well-balanced understanding of a
  students performance is one of the most
  important contributions to generating critical
  objectives, effective instruction, and meaningful
  outcomes.
• (Giles Clark, 2001, pg. 80)

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Student Development

• Curriculum and Instruction

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Tier 1
Curriculum focused on Postsecondary Outcomes
Tier 2
Tier 3
Student-focused Planning Assessment
Models and Pathways Integrating Academic Career
and Technology Education
Academic and Career Planning for all students
Intensive tech prep and workforce development
Intensive Individualized Planning for Post-school
Outcomes
Transition-specific Curricula
Person-centered Planning for Transition
Interagency Collab.
Integrated Community Services
Community Schools Community Services
Community-based Instruction
Collaboration
IEP Transition planning
Accommodation, AT, Self-Determination in
academic instruction
Universal Design for Learning
Instruction that Increases Independence
Supporting Parents as Partners in Education
Parent Involvement in Secondary Schools
Family Involvement
Adapted From Morningstar Clark, (2003)
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Critical Elements of TransitionAssess for
Quality
Transition to Adulthood
National 18-21 Database www.transitioncoalition.o
rg Tools Resources
Comprehensive School Reform http//www.centerforc
sri.org/ http//www.naschools.org/ http//www.gate
sfoundation.org/Education/ www.schoolredesign.net
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Critical Elements of TransitionAssess for
Quality
Transition Instructional Strategies http//www.n
cset.org/topics/default.asp
Transition to Adulthood
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The Role of Families and Agencies

• Family Systems Perspective During Transition

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The Family as a Mobile

• In a mobile, all the pieces, no matter what the
  size or shape, can be grouped together and
  balanced by shortening or lengthening the strings
  attached, or rearranging the distance between
  pieces.
• So it is with a family. None of the family
  members is identical to any other they are all
  different and at different levels of growth.
• As in a mobile, you cant arrange one without
  thinking of the other.
• From Viginia.Satir, (1972). Peoplemaking.
  Palo Alto, CA Science and Behavior Books.

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Family Systems Framework
INPUTS

• Family Characteristics
• Description of the family
• Personal characteristics
• Special challenges

• Family Life Cycle
• Stages and Transitions
• Changes in
• Characteristics
• Changes in Functions
• Changes in Life Roles

Cohesion
Adaptability
Extended Family
Marital
Family Interaction
PROCESS
Siblings
Parent-child
Family Functions Affection, Self-esteem,
Economics, Daily care, Socialization, Recreation,
Education, Spiritual
OUTPUTS
Adapted from Turnbull, A.P. Turnbull, H.R.
(2001). Families, professionals, and
exceptionality Collaborating for empowerment
(4th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ Merrill
Prentice-Hall.
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Family Characteristics What is Your Definition
of a Family?

• 3 Dimensions of Family Characteristics
• Descriptors of the family
• Personal Characteristics of members
• Special Challenges
• Changing Characteristics of Families
• Changing Composition
• Changing Employment Patterns
• Greater Ethnic and Cultural Diversity

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Changing Characteristics of Families What does
it mean for us?

• What are our current expectations for families to
  be engaged in transition?
• Can we expect single-parent families working
  full-time to be equal partners in transition?
• Do we need to rethink meetings?
• Does the changing composition of families impact
  our assumptions about postschool outcomes?

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Family Interactions
Adaptability
Cohesion
Cohesion boundaries of family members
Adaptability how well the family copes under
stress.
Extended Family
Marital
Siblings
Parent-child
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Role of Siblings in Transition

• Provide first experiences in peer relationships
• Support inclusion in neighborhood, school,
  community
• Adult siblings often take increasing role in care
  or coordination of services
• Role siblings will take often depends upon family
  expectations relationships
• Advantageous for transition professionals to have
  a sense of sibling relationships support
  involvement as desired by family

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Thought Questions about Siblings.

• What is the potential role of siblings in the
  families you work with?
• In which situations would it be positive? Which
  ones would be negative?
• Do you think it is appropriate to have brothers
  and sisters (younger and older) involved in
  educational planning and implementation? At what
  age?
• What strategies might enhance positive
  interactions and involvement of siblings in
  transition planning?

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Family Functions

• Economic
• Daily care
• Recreation
• Socialization
• Self-esteem
• Affection
• Education
• Spiritual functions

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Family Life Cycle
Developmental
Unexpected
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Emergent Adult Role

• Assumptions in society
• What is reality for families with adolescents
  with disabilities?
• Stressor for families uncertain of status
  capabilities of adolescent with disabilities
• Typical experiences for teenagers often missed
  with adolescent with disabilities
• Cultural issues adulthood ? independence
• Obstacles families face in self-determination
• Strategies for supporting self-determination

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Thought Questions Emergent Adult Roles for a
Student you know.

• How has this student participated in any emergent
  adult roles?
• How do you think the students family feel about
  promoting self-determination or more adult roles?
  
• Are there strategies you can think of to assist
  the students family in overcoming obstacles to
  supporting adult roles?
• Is it possible to promote self-determination
  within family-centered and culturally appropriate
  ways?

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Family Issues

• Professional perceptions of families
• Past negative experiences
• Limited and conflicting experiences
• Lack of opportunities
• Lack of knowledge, authority, power
• Stress during transition
• and Dilemmas
• Independence vs. Avoiding risk
• Less involvement vs. More involvement
• Stability vs. Disruptions
• Doing for vs. Teaching
• Maximize potential vs. Accept as is

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Why Should Families Be Involved?

• For Students in General
• Higher achievement
• Positive attitudes and behavior
• Higher graduation rates
• Greater enrollment in postsecondary ed
• Students with Disabilities
• Quality transition plans
• Higher rates of postschool outcomes
• Student preferences

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Increasing Parent-Professional Collaboration

• How does my school actively seek and/or provide
  opportunities for family involvement?
• Are my families involved in the transition
  planning? If not, how can we make this a positive
  experience for them?
• What strategies do we use to actively solicit
  feedback, ideas, comments, and concerns from
  families and students?
• How do we communicate with families?
• What information and skills do parents need to be
  full partners in transition?

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Strategies to Support Families in Transition

1. Encourage Early Expectations
2. Help Parents to Recognize the Importance of their
   Contributions
3. Support Parents to Honor Choices of their Child
4. Increase Role of Social Support Network
5. Address Parent Concerns Regarding Future

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Why Focus on Culturally Diverse Families?

• Participation is lower due to unfamiliarity with
  US practices, different perspectives level of
  involvement need, cultural unresponsiveness of
  the system (Al-Hassan Gardner, 2002)
• Professionals operating under assumptions
  inherent in special education and practice. (Rao,
  2001)
• Insensitivity toward the familys culture
  during transition, this is particularly true
  parents report transition services are
  unresponsive and even hurtful (deFur, et al.,
  2001).
• Culturally diverse families are less involved in
  school-based activities passive participation
  may in fact lead to poor postschool outcomes
  (Greene et al., 2003)

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Cultural Base for Special Education
SPED
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Continua of Cultural Beliefs

• Are there cultural characteristics that are
  similar across the three families?
• Do you have a cultural cluster more similar to
  one of the families? What implications does this
  have for the quality of your interactions with
  each family?
• Do you think having a comfortable and trusting
  relationship with your focus family would have an
  impact on working with Donny in accomplishing
  transition outcomes?
• Can you think of probes for more information
  you would need to gather from the family to have
  a more complete cultural understanding of their
  priorities?

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Steps to Cultural Reciprocity
Kalyanpur Harry 1999

• Step 1 Identify the cultural values embedded in
  the professional interpretation of a student's
  disability and special services
• Step 2 Find out whether the family recognizes
  and values these assumptions, and if not, how
  their view differs from yours
• Step 3 Acknowledge and give explicit respect to
  any cultural differences and fully explain the
  cultural basis of the professional assumption
• Step 4 Through discussion and collaboration, set
  about determining the most effective way of
  adapting professional interpretation and services
  to the family's value system

Know Your Own World View
Learn about the Families Their Communities
Acknowledge Respect Cultural Differences
Reach Mutual Goals
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Strategies to Enhance Transition Cultural
Competence

• Outcomes self-esteem, interdependence,
  inclusion
• Familism consider other family members
• Culturally responsive transition information
• Improve cultural competence of transition team
• Cultural role models
• Increase capacity of community networks

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Tips for Enhancing Cultural Competence

• Get to know the family and their cultural
  community
• Use cultural mediators or liaisons to community
• Learn to use words and forms of greetings in the
  familys language.
• Recognize that families may be surprised by the
  extent of parent-professional interactions
  expected in the United States
• Initiate personal interactions not just written
  information. Have all materials translated
• Ask parents how they would like to communicate
• Call to discuss or talk about childs progress
• Keep parents informed about upcoming IEP
  meetings, transition meetings, and ways in which
  they could provide input
• Create a welcoming environment
• Provide varied opportunities for family
  involvement and respect the level of involvement
  families feel comfortable

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Building Relationships with Families

• Identify transition cycle of the family
• Learn to LISTEN
• INVITE Involvement
• Pay attention to family concerns postschool
  outcomes
• Exchange information
• Increase family support

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The Role of Families and Agencies

• Effective Strategies for Interagency
  Collaboration What Works from Districts that
  are Doing It!

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Why Focus on Interagency Collaboration?

• Adolescents with disabilities in transition have
  complex support needs
• Inability of different systems to work together
• 88 of all states have failed to establish
  interagency linkages under IDEA
• No agency has all that is needed to plan
  provide comprehensive transition services

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What does Interagency Collaboration Mean?
(deFur, et al., 1997 Dunst Bruder, 2002)
Independent agencies function as one entity with
problem-solving, sharing and merging of resources
Agencies interact on regular basis for shared
decision-making, accountability trust. Jointly
scheduled activities planning time exist
Assisting youth to gain access to services IEP
team coordinates supports and resources
IEP teams identify range of services available in
community and can make referrals to other agencies
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Barriers to Interagency Collaboration

• an unnatural act between two non-consenting
  adults (Agran, et al., 2002)
• Poor and inaccurate perceptions of outside
  agencies by school staff, students and parents
• Nonexistent or ineffective procedures for
  collaborating among agencies
• The way schools operate
• The way agencies operate
• Shifting roles of teachers and school staff

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LEA Capacities Strategies

• Scheduling and staffing
• Early planning
• Flexibility in location of services
• Follow-up after transition
• Administrative support
• Funding
• State support

• Collaboration with adult agencies
• Meeting with students and families
• Training students and families
• Joint training of staff
• Meeting with agency staff and transition councils
• Transition portfolios
• Disseminating information widely

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LEA Strategies

• Collaboration with adult agencies
• Meeting with students and families
• Training students and families
• Joint training of staff
• Meeting with agency staff and transition councils
• Transition portfolios
• Disseminating information widely

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How Interagency Teams Develop

• Several years to achieve
• Team that is highly proactive committed to
  community vision.
• Trust is extended team has developed
  flexibility and is able to adapt to changes.
• Involvement in the team is constant
  self-initiated
• Teams reinforced by the smaller successes
  committed to major systems-level changes that
  requires high levels of collaboration for
  policies, funding, procedures, and staffing.

• 1 year - team accepts diversity in personal
  styles have learned to trust one another
• Systematic problem-solving is well established
  most feel comfortable with their roles
• Communication is task-oriented
• Members have developed relationships as a support
  outside of the team meetings.

• Excitement newness
• Teams focus on specific tasks that are do-able to
  gain confidence trust
• Time on training, networking, information
  sharing
• Interpersonal skills, problem-solving approaches,
  conflict resolution, dialogue skills all critical

• 4-6 months - sense of letdown stress about
  shifting roles
• Need to review vision/mission compare
  performance to goals.
• Discuss what has been learned decide on how to
  operate better as a team.

Step 1 Getting Started
Step 2 Going in Circles
Step 3 Getting on Course
Step 4 Full Speed Ahead
88
Community Resource Mapping to Enhance
Collaboration

• Step 1 Pre-Mapping
• Vision
• Goal-Setting
• Partnership-building
• Step 2 Mapping
• Identify a process
• Collect Data
• Develop Products

• Step 3 Implement Map Results
• Strategic Planning
• Communicating
• Supporting Community Action
• Step 4 Evaluation/ Mid-Course Corrections
• Keeping Current
• Continue to Measure
• Maintain Momentum

From Crane, K. Skinner, B. (2003). Community
Resource Mapping A Strategy for Promoting
Successful Transition for Youth with
Disabilities. NECSET Information Brief
89
LEA and SEA Attitudes

• Clear value of relationship building
• Relationship Building Capacity Positive
  Attitudes
• Relationship-Building Strategies
• Advocacy
• Ongoing meetings
• Transition councils

90
What is Most Critical for Interagency
Collaboration?

• Role of the Transition Coordinator
• Leadership
• Systems Change

91
Mapping the Future
The future is not something we enter. The future
is something we create. And creating that future
requires us to make choices. Those choices are
based on the dream. - Leonard Sweet