Sharing my experience in the classroom as a life skills special ed transition teacher by providing resources and solutions for fellow educators

Disability Benefits: Options for Adults with Autism

There are a variety of disability benefits for adults with autism spectrum disorder.  From financial help to housing opportunities to health insurance, there are different ways for autistic people to get the funding and support they need.  

 

Whether you are an adult with...

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How to Prepare Students (and Families) for Life After Special Education
You may or may not have started counting down the days until summer break, but if it feels within reach to you then you know your students and young adults are feeling it too.
 
Students and families start to feel that final countdown stress probably before you do. They know the bus...
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Priority #2: Connect Students and Families with Government and Community Benefits
As a high school life skills special education teacher for juniors and seniors or a transition teacher (or transition coordinator), we all have specific time in our school day for teaching class. Unfortunately, there is never time designated for helping students create opportunities to continue...
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What I Do as a Transition Facilitator: Roles and Responsibilities
I used to say that as a transition teacher I worked at Disney World because it is notorious for being the happiest place on Earth. While I still work at Disney World, per say, I am now splitting my time between the classroom and serving as a Transition Facilitator for my school district.
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Transition Student and Family Journey To Securing Benefits, Supports, and Services

Out of respect for individual young adult students and their families that I work with, this story is a fictional story based on common experiences.

 
 
Jakeel’s IEP annual review was about 6 weeks away and I reached out to the parent to set-up an informal transition meeting...
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How to Explain SSI to Parents of Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
‘We can support them financially, we don’t need the money.’
 
‘Wow, that care and programming is really expensive. I’m so used to the school providing those services.’
 
‘I think we will worry about that later. Let’s focus on...
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Government Benefits and Your Transition Student: SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, and Medicaid Waiver
Connecting young adults with disabilities with the right supports, services, and benefits is KEY to success after they accept their diploma and leave transition services. If you are newer to teaching life skills or transition, then you may need an overview of what ‘supports, services, and...
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I Wish I Would Have Known This as a New Transition Teacher
I would say it was my first or second year teaching transition when I heard one of my fellow teachers mention 'SSI.' They were curious what the difference was between SSI and SSDI. As you might assume, I was unaware and thought it didn’t apply to me.
 
What I didn’t know...
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How to Individualize the Transition Planning Process for Families
So, you are now knee deep in supporting your families while they prepare to transition to adult services and supports. Hopefully, this last short list of tips can help you individualize and fine tune the support you are offering to your families and young adults as they prepare for life after...
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Increase Parent Engagement in the Transition Planning Process: Available Services & Supports
Calling all transition special education teachers, transition specialists, and staff who want to increase the support they offer to families and students who will access services post high school! This blog post about increasing parent engagement in the transition planning process is for YOU!
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Transition Plan Assessment - Informal Parent Interview Meeting

I have never been to an IEP meeting with an unlimited amount of time and I’ve been to over 100. IEP meetings are designed to create a legal document, so they are incredibly important for the student, but they often have time limits. Unfortunately, this doesn’t lend itself to organic...

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