Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals

Daily living skills (DLS) are crucial to the postschool success of all students with disabilities. However, there are discrepancies in the opportunities and supports for the development of DLS for students with intellectual disability and autism. In this pre-registered study, we used data from the U.S. National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to create a latent construct of DLS and examine its relationship with economic hardship. Results indicated students with intellectual disability and autism had the lowest level of DLS compared with students with high-incidence disabilities. Non-White students faced higher levels of economic hardship compared with White students. Results from this study have implications for large-scale survey design and indicate a need for additional research on students of color with intellectual disability or autism.

Students with or at risk for disabilities often transition to secondary and postsecondary settings without the self-regulation and academic skills necessary to be successful. Effective study skills include both self-regulation (e.g., goal setting, self-monitoring) and academic (e.g., note-taking, graphic organizers) skills that support student success. The purpose of this scoping literature review was to identify the available literature on the implementation of small-group study skills programs implemented in secondary and postsecondary educational settings. We identified 24 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Most studies were implemented in postsecondary settings (66.7%). Studies included students with specific learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, multiple disabilities, or autism spectrum disorder. Study skills frequently taught were self-regulation skills (79.2%), self-testing/exam preparation (66.7%), time management (58.3%), other study skills (54.2%), note-taking (45.8%), materials organization (37.5%), and graphic organizers (16.7%). Most small-group study skills programs were taught in groups of eight or less students, implemented for more than 9 weeks, and met once per week. Implications for future research to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of the programs are discussed.

Autistic adolescents experience poor in-school and postschool outcomes, and there is a need for comprehensive interventions that facilitate student outcomes and build collaboration across general and special education. The Propel Project examined the impact of combining two evidence-based practices—the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) and Peer Supports (PS)—to promote aligned, inclusive systems of support in U.S. secondary schools. This paper reports the findings of the preregistered Intent-to-Treat (ITT) analyses comparing the implementation of SDLMI Only, PS Only, and a combined SDLMI + PS model, including a new general educator-delivered SDLMI Plus intervention. Implementation occurred within complex school contexts, and challenges with recruitment and implementation led to reduced sample sizes and limitations in addressing the preregistered research questions. While findings were primarily null, Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) analyses provided directions for possible patterns to explore further in future research. The challenges also highlight the need to further explore implementation determinants. Implications for future research and practice are provided.

Efforts to improve postschool outcomes require an understanding of what works to improve outcomes, and how to support the adoption, reach, implementation, and maintenance of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in schools. The Propel Project integrated two EBPs—the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) and Peer Support (PS)—into a comprehensive delivery model (SDLMI + PS) spanning general and special education. This study used an implementation science lens to examine the feasibility of adoption and implementation. A sample of Midwestern and Southeastern U.S. high schools (N = 32) were randomized to SDLMI Only, PS Only, or SDLMI + PS. Hurdle modeling indicated that school-level adoption was high across all groups, yet coordinated implementation across general and special education in the combined SDLMI + PS group proved challenging, with implementation frequently delayed or partial due to scheduling, training, and staffing constraints. On the other hand, cost-effectiveness threshold analysis based on cost data found that assuming only small additive effects for combining interventions (d = 0.20) suffices for SDLMI + PS to be more cost-effective beyond the single-component arms. This suggests that implementation hurdles identified in this study need to be addressed before we can expect future implementation of coordinated models like SDLMI + PS to produce additive impacts for autistic students. Limitations and implications are discussed.