Getting a job is an important milestone for most of us. For individuals with autism spectrum disorders, however, it is a milestone that is often not easily reached. Supported employment is an approach that can facilitate access to employment in typical work environments.
Inclusion commonly refers to a movement focusing on enabling people with learning disabilities to do ordinary things.
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).
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).