2019 TASH Conference

Far too many youth with disabilities (especially those with significant disabilities) are not transitioning successfully to careers, college, or community life after high school. Many schools and agencies struggle to design services and supports that elevate the outcomes of transition-age students. We present "community conversation" events as a promising approach for helping school districts identify new partners and possibilities that can strengthen the quality of transition education necessary for building truly diverse and inclusive communities across one state. We will describe core components of the approach and illustrate how it can be applied to inform technical assistance and professional development regarding postsecondary transition across schools. Finally, we will report findings from our mixed-methods study of nine community conversation events across diverse and unique communities. We will describe the perceptions within and across these communities regarding partnerships, training, and other supports needed for youth with disabilities, including those with the most significant support needs, to become contributing members of these communities.