Overview of Moving Transition Forward Studies
The Moving Transition Forward Project will complete three phases of analysis consisting of seven different studies to define, explore, and compare critical aspects of two transition approaches; a college-based transition experience provided via partnership between local education agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) and a conventional transition experience offered by a LEA in a high school or community setting. Each study is briefly described below.
Study 1: Research-based and Promising Predictors in Conventional Transition Services
Study 1 examines the extent to which research-based and promising in-school predictors of post-school success as identified by Test et al. (2009), Mazzotti et al. (2016), and Mazzotti et al. (2021) are implemented in conventional transition services for youth with intellectual disability and autism compared with youth with other disabilities.
Research questions:
- Are youth with ID/A receiving conventional transition services experiencing research-based transition services?
- Are youth with ID/A receiving conventional transition services more or less likely to experience research-based transition services and activities than youth with autism (no ID) and other youth with IEPs?
Dataset: NLTS 2012
Study 2: Employment Preparation in Conventional Transition Services
Study 2 examines how youth with ID and autism are being prepared for employment, the extent to which they have paid jobs while enrolled in high school, and whether preparation for employment differs based on disability status. Additionally, this study explores predictive relationships between preparation for employment and paid employment while in school and the moderating impact of youth, family, and school factors as well as disability status.
Research questions:
- Do youth receiving conventional transition services have paid employment in school? And does paid employment status differ by disability status?
- What employment preparation activities do youth receiving conventional transition services experience? And how do employment preparation activities differ based on disability status?
- Do employment preparation activities in conventional transition services predict paid employment in school?
- Do disability status, and other youth, family, and school factors moderate the relationship between preparation for employment and having paid employment in school when looking at conventional transition services?
Dataset: NLTS 2012
Watch an on-demand webcast of findings from Study 2
Study 3: Preparation for College in Conventional Transition Services
Study 3 examines how youth are being prepared for college, including college preparation activities not yet identified as research-based predictors in prior studies. We also examine whether preparation for college differs based on disability status. Finally, we explore any evidence of predictive relationship between preparation for college and paid employment while in school and the moderating impact of youth, family, and school factors as well as disability status.
Research questions:
- What college preparation activities do youth receiving conventional transition services experience? And how do college preparation activities differ based on disability status?
- Do college preparation activities offered in conventional transition services predict having a paid job in school?
- Do disability status and other youth, family, and school factors moderate the relationship between preparation for college and having a paid job in school for students receiving conventional transition services?
Dataset: NLTS 2012
Study 4: Research-based and Promising Predictors in College-based Transition Services
Study 4 examines the transition experiences of youth with ID and autism in college-based transition programs, the extent to which research-based and promising in-school predictors of post-school success as identified by Test et al. (2009), Mazzotti et al. (2016), and Mazzotti et al. (2021) are implemented, and if differences exist based upon disability or other school factors.
Research questions:
- What are the transition experiences of youth with ID/A in college-based transition programs and to what extent are research-based transition services and activities reflected in these experiences?
- Are there differences in the transition experiences of youth with ID/A in college-based transition programs based on youth and school (program) factors?
Dataset: Subset of students in TPSID 2010-2015
Study 5: Employment Preparation in College Based Transition Services
Study 5 examines how youth with ID and autism receiving college-based transition services are being prepared for employment, the extent to which they have paid jobs while enrolled and at exit, and whether preparation for employment differs based on disability status. Additionally, this study explores predictive relationships between preparation for employment and paid employment while enrolled or at exit and the moderating impact of youth, family, and school factors as well as disability status.
Research questions:
- Do youth with ID/A who attend college-based transition programs have paid employment while in the program?
- Do youth with ID/A who attend college-based transition programs have paid employment when they exit the program?
- What employment preparation activities do youth with ID/A experience in college-based transition programs?
- Do employment preparation activities for experienced by youth with ID/A in college-based transition programs predict having paid employment at exit?
- Does having paid employment during the program mediate the relationship between the transition experiences and employment at exit?
- Do youth and school (program) factors moderate the relationship between preparation for employment and having paid employment in school?
Dataset: Subset of students in TPSID 2010-2015
Study 6: Preparation for College in College-based Transition Services
Study 6 explores college preparation activities of youth with ID and autism in college-based transition programs and the association with paid employment while enrolled. It also examines whether preparation for college differs based on disability status, if any predictive relationships exist between preparation for college and paid employment, and the moderating impact of youth, family, school factors and disability status.
Research questions:
- What college preparation activities do youth with ID/A experience in college-based transition programs?
- Do college preparation activities experienced by youth with ID/A in college-based transition programs predict having paid employment while in school or at exit?
- Do youth and school (program) factors moderate the relationship between preparation for employment and having paid employment in school?
Dataset: Subset of students in TPSID 2010-2015
Study 7: Transition Experience Comparisons
Study 7 compares the transition experiences of youth with ID and autism in college-based transition programs to those receiving conventional transition services to identify if particular experiences associated with achieving successful postschool outcomes are more or less present in each approach.
Research question:
- How do the experiences of 18- to 22-year-old youth with ID and autism receiving college-based transition experiences compare to the conventional transition experiences of youth with ID and autism in the general population?
Dataset: NLTS 2012 and Subset of data in TPSID 2010-2015