A Case Study on Successful Post Secondary Transition for Individuals with Disabilities

The purpose of this single case study was to explore the transitional experiences of employed adults with disabilities who graduated from high school in New York. Bronfenbrenner’s social ecological theory supported the exploration of how the community and school environments influence the employability of students with disabilities as they transition to the work environment. The central question of the study was “How do high school graduates with disabilities describe their experiences of transitioning from school to the workplace?” The participants in this qualitative single case study were 10 teacher’s aides who had been high school students with disabilities at the public school where the study took place. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion, and researcher observations. Data analysis procedures included thematic analysis and triangulation of the data from three sources. Participant data indicated that transition plans should include a checklist so team members can track past and current activities, determine next steps for students, and plan for post-graduation goals. Findings also indicated that participants needed more specific on-the-job training. Participants recommended that school leaders visit work establishments to determine core focus skills for specific industries and then establish a bank of knowledge for reference when developing transition plans. Another recommendation was that transition plans should include opportunities to evaluate whether the student wants to and can live alone with support from community agencies as needed. Future research should include evaluating the impact of specific on-the-job training and exploring post-secondary opportunities to support individuals with disabilities who are medically fragile.