Supporting Students with Disabilities in Their Transition from School to Employment

Background:

School social workers are often involved in supporting students with disabilities. One key practice area is supporting students with disabilities as they transition into post-secondary school activities such as work and/or higher education.  The increased federal attention on youth with disabilities due to the 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act has increased the pressure on state vocational rehabilitation agencies and on schools to partner to better prepare students as they leave school. Unfortunately, students and their families often report frustration with the lack of collaboration between schools and state agencies to cultivate individualized paths for students with disabilities to maximize their full potential as adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to better understand barriers that students with disabilities face and to recognize strategies to support students while still in school to better promote their transition.

Methods:

The research team partnered with the state vocational rehabilitation services agency to conduct a mixed methods study. Study participants included state agency staff, educators, professionals from community organizations, youth with disabilities, and parents. Stakeholder interviews (n=13) provided in-depth understanding informing the creation of focus group guides and surveys. Focus groups (n=97) occurred in six cities, representing diverse rural, suburban and urban perspectives. Online surveys (n=1096) were administered too all participant groups using convenience sampling. Quantitative data from the surveys were analyzed to produce descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Both sets of data were then evaluated together through an iterative process to develop the main findings of the study.

Results:

The findings suggest that both successes and challenges can be found within schools, families and the state vocational rehabilitation agency. However, many of the challenges reported across participant groups involved the difference of perspective between schools and the state agency, and the inconsistency in their partnership to best meet the needs of the student. In particular, the barriers included lack of communication and understanding between systems, discrepancy between the student’s abilities and vocational goals, lack of skills training, lack of mental health support and appropriate family engagement. Several specialized services were identified to help students with disabilities maximize occupational outcomes. These services include vocational, social, and self-advocacy skills and the provision of these trainings while still in school was identified as a top priority from most participants. Also, most participants reported that transition planning and skills development should occur earlier, instead of more typically in the last year or two of school.

Implications:

The responsibility for supporting students with disabilities to succeed as they transition from school does not fall solely on any one entity. Many of the barriers and service needs faced by students with disabilities during transition to employment can be addressed through improved collaboration and communication between schools, families and the state vocational rehabilitation agency. School social workers could play a crucial role by advocating for early services, building bridges between those involved in the transition planning, supporting social skills development and empowering students to promote their interests and needs in their transition plan.