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Female adolescents with disabilities are at an increased risk for mental health concerns, which can negatively impact their self-determination, making transition to postschool opportunities difficult. We analyzed two waves of survey data from 366 female adolescents with disabilities, recruited from 26 U.S. public high schools, as part of a randomized controlled trial of a career development intervention. Participants with mental health concerns evidenced a slower increase in self-determination over the follow-up period than those without such concerns. Individuals assigned to the intervention condition experienced significant gains in self-determination compared with the control. Findings suggest that mental health concerns can operate as a barrier to growth in self-determination skills among this population, though targeted interventions can help in boosting these skills.

School psychologists serve a critical role directly and indirectly in postsecondary transition of adolescents with disabilities, given their expertise and skills in special education and interventions. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Domains of Practice (2010) provide guidelines for school psychologists' service delivery, which reference activities relevant to building career and college readiness. Paths 2 the Future (P2F) is an evidence-based curriculum that provides instruction for young women with disabilities to support postsecondary career and college readiness. In this article, we propose an alignment of the P2F curriculum to the NASP Domains of Practice to illustrate how P2F can be embedded into school psychology practice to serve the unique needs of young women with disabilities.

Youth with disabilities are less likely to enroll and complete postsecondary education than their nondisabled peers. Using a qualitative, cross-case design, we investigated the high school to college transition experiences of young adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (AS). Data sources included a family questionnaire, review of special education records, and multiple individual interviews (N = 27) with young adults with AS, family members, teachers, and rehabilitation counselors. Social skills, communication, and executive functioning challenges in high school continued into postsecondary education settings. Across cases, five reoccurring themes seemed to influence the transition from high school to postsecondary education: (a) motivation to attend college, (b) high levels of disability awareness, (c) intentional family supports, (d) coordinated transition planning, and (e) clear postschool goals.

Young women with disabilities tend to experience poorer postschool employment outcomes than young men with disabilities and their peers without disabilities. Paid work experiences while in high school have been identified as significantly increasing the likelihood of later employment, yet few recent studies have examined the early employment experiences of young women with disabilities. This study reports the characteristics of paid employment experiences of 134 young women with disabilities. Findings indicate that fewer young women in our sample had paid work experience than young women nearly 20 years ago, and that early employment patterns are reflective of gendered employment patterns documented in adulthood. Implications for educators and service providers include collaboration across multiple systems and a need for gender-specific interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A secondary analysis was conducted of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 to examine (a) main effects of parents' school and postschool outcome expectations on the actual outcomes achieved, (b) demographic moderators, and (c) adolescent autonomy as a mediator of parent expectations and outcomes. Parent expectations were found to significantly predict study outcomes. Moderator analysis indicated that disability type moderated the relationship between parent expectations and outcomes. Meditational analyses indicated that autonomy did not mediate the relationship between parent expectations and study outcomes. However, parent expectations significantly predicted levels of autonomy, and autonomy predicted a number of postschool outcomes. Together, these findings suggest a need for interventions that support and foster positive parent expectations and parental supports to promote autonomy development. Additional research is needed on the mechanisms by which parent expectations and autonomy affect the outcomes of adolescents with disabilities. (Contains 6 tables.)

This article examined the implementation of an occupational skills training partnership developed between the Oregon Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services and four local community colleges. Case study methods were used to describe the pattern of services provided to rehabilitation consumers and document the resulting changes in the community college and rehabilitation systems. Data were collected through individual and group interviews, document review, and written surveys. All consumers served in the case study sites received (a) orientation to the community college; (b) career exploration and planning; (c) individualized curriculum and customized training plans; (d) access to additional college services; (e) ongoing progress monitoring, support, and advocacy; and (f) exit planning and job placement services. Partnership services resulted in improved access to the community college and increased the ability of consumers with disabilities to successfully navigate the community college system. (Contains 1 table.)

Case studies of six young women with learning disabilities revealed three career development phases: unsettled, exploratory, and focused. Phases varied along two dimensions stability of employment and clarity of career goals. Key elements influencing career development included motivation and determination, family support, career exploration opportunities, training, and supportive work environments. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Focuses on school-based enterprises as a school-to-work option. These programs provide hands-on training for students with mild disabilities in for-profit ventures with the structure and supervision available in a school setting. Program development for operating for-profit enterprises is discussed and steps for getting the business started are provided. (CR)

This article describes how to develop a "job club" for students with disabilities, to assist them with the transition from school to work. The ability of job clubs to teach goal setting, self-determination skills, and interpersonal competence is discussed. Step-by-step instructions are included as well as a sample meeting agenda. (CR)

Human services students are often faced with a variety of ethical challenges within their field placement sites. To effectively address these complex challenges, training program faculty must take into account and balance multiple perspectives and mandates, including the needs of students, agencies, clients, and the profession as a whole. This article describes an integrated model for the promotion and development of ethical behavior. Suggested strategies include: (a) an extensive screening and admissions process, (b) ongoing training and supervision, and (c) specific procedures for addressing ethical violations. Supporting evidence for the model is presented, including program level and individual case study data. Field study placements provide an ideal opportunity for human services students to learn and practice professional skills and behaviors (Haemmerlie & Matthews, 1988; Hanley, 1994; Kenyon, 1999; Kiser, 2000; Plante, 1998). But the complex ethical situations students may face in field study sites also create a unique set of concerns for human services educators. Although there are some excellent textbooks available that provide guidance on how to teach ethical skills (e.g., Corey, Corey, & Callahan, 2003; Kenyon; Kiser; Russell-Chapin & Ivey, 2004; Sweitzer & King, 2004), there has been comparatively little written for instructors and administrators describing programmatic, systemic approaches to ethical training. Furthermore, few programs have reported data on the efficacy of such approaches. This article is designed to address this gap in human services literature by describing a systemic model for promoting ethical behavior, based on the Family and Human Services program at the University of Oregon (Kerewsky, Forrest, & Lindstrom, 2002). The model offers a unique integration of ethical considerations across a range of levels, balancing different priorities and perspectives--thus echoing the systemic approach to ethical education suggested by Schoener (1999). Program and individual case study data are provided to support the efficacy of this model. Finally, a discussion of implications for practice and a call for future research in this arena is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]