A college, university, or technical school education is increasingly recognized as a very real option for many young people on the autism spectrum (Adreon & Durocher, 2007; Briel & Getzel, 2009). This includes many who are described as having “intellectual impairments” (Hart, Grigal, & Weir, 2010). Although we do not know the exact number of people with ASD who attend college or graduate, we do know that most do not participate in post-secondary education (Briel & Getziel, 2009), often making it difficult for them to achieve their career and life goals.
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The Individualized Education Program or IEP is a written statement describing a child with a disability’s learning goals and the supports that the school will provide to help the child achieve those goals. IEPs were first mandated under Education of All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 – now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal legislation that entitles children with disabilities to a free public education. The law has been amended three times since 1975, when it was first enacted as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.
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Transition planning is a results-oriented process designed to facilitate the successful movement of high school-aged youth with disabilities from school to adult life. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (2004) requires that transition services be included in a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) when she or he is 16 years old or younger. (Some states require the process to begin at 14).
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