Achieving the Dream – Transition to Post – Secondary

Education for Students with Disabilities.

What is your dreamfor your child?

Agenda:

• Transition Planning Overview.• Helping Your Teen Build a Dream.• DVD: Real Life Stories.• Five Steps of Transition Planning..

Student

Student-Centred Planning.

• Keeping the “best interests” of the student as the focus of planning.

• Helping the student build their dream and share it with others.

• Having high expectations for the student, along with needed supports to ensure success.

Advance planning for entry into post-secondary education is essential. Parents will need to:

• Communicate to others the student’s needs.• Become familiar with resources, supports and funding, including:• Accommodations and adaptive technology.• Ensure the student applies in advance.• Be actively involved.

• Selecting courses.• Exploring interests, skills and dreams.• Volunteering, extra curricular activities,

work experience. • Taking part in IPP team meetings.• Learning to describe the disability and to

identify the accommodations that help.

Start Planning During Junior High.

Start with the dream:

…all that life can be…

A full and rich learning experience …

in the company of students and friends

… with people to help along the way

… and the satisfaction of meeting goals and achieving dreams.

Tips for Helping Your Teen Build a Dream.

Your teen may need to learn how to dream.

Start with the dream:

...all that life can be…

Student

Get Ready

Form Planning

Team

Develop & Implement

Plan

Monitor &Update Plan

Hold Exit Meeting

TRANSITION PLANNING.

Help Your Teen Create a Portfolio.

Portfolio - a collection of documents and photographs.

- the portable, self-contained record of your teen’s experiences and accomplishments.

Carly’s Career Exploration.

• Gradual approach.• Real life situations. • Interests and strengths.• Challenges and limitations.

The Duty to Accommodate: ….. To the point of undue hardship …..

The Disability Service Office.

• Note Takers.• Software voice programs to assist students with reading or writing.• Extended time for exams, oral exams or special locations for exams.

Examples of Accommodations:

Vulnerabilities and Safeguards:

Vulnerabilities: Being Ignored. Being Taken Advantage of.

Safeguards: Participation in student activities. Knowing their rights. Learning how to self advocate.

Choosing a Post-Secondary Program.

Your teen may be considering:

• A technical institute.• An apprenticeship or industry training program.• A college or university.

FUNDING POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION:

“Are You A Post-Secondary Student With A Permanent Disability?”

Visit www.alis.alberta.ca.

Step 2: Form Transition Planning Team.

Student’s Role: … Expressing his/her wishes and needs.

Parent’s Role: … Supporting students inexpressing their wishes and needs.

… Assisting the team to stay focused on the students strengths and abilities.

Step 3: Develop and Implement Plan.

A plan is put into action:

• Choose institution/program.• Visit Disability Service Office.• Make application.• Required assessments and required documents. • Funding for tuition and accommodations.• Support network on and off campus.• Living arrangements, etc.

Step 4: Monitor and Update Plan. 

• Team reviews plan every six months.

• During grade11 team meets more often to review and update plan and ensure deadlines are met. • An important role of the teen and parent is to ensure all short and long term goals will be met:

… before the teen starts post-secondary studies …

Step 5: Hold Exit Meeting.

Hold final transition planning meeting well before graduation to allow time to follow upany outstanding items.

Dream Facilitator.

… having a group of supporters and champions to call upon can have tremendous benefits for the young adult and for the family of the young adult …

Parent Workshop Evaluation.  

Please take a few minutes to complete the workshop evaluation sheet.

Thank you for attending.