Integrating Person Centered Transition Planning with the Self-Determination Model to Develop a Curriculum Manual for School Counselors to Address the Gap in Transition Planning Services for Students with Disabilities in a Rural South Texas School District

Students with disabilities learn differently and at various rates. The issue is not the students, however, but is the lack of a belief system to have the same expectations for students with disabilities as their non-disabled peers. Rules and regulations have been established to ensure K-12 public schools comply with and provide quality services to students who meet the criteria for one of the thirteen disabilities outlined in Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). To be eligible to receive supplemental academic and/or behavioral supports to make progress in schools, IDEA also mandates students with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE) possible. Although the State of Texas has many formal methods to track and identify program effectiveness, schools continue to lag when comparing students with disabilities to those without in the areas of academic performance, graduation rates, college and career readiness, and enrollment in higher education. These results continue to hinder the opportunities and outcomes for students with disabilities. This paper proposes integrating a person-centered transition planning process with self-determination skills to make students with disabilities aware of their disabilities and the supports they may need to access to make progress in this world after high school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]