They have effective role models for learning and social interactions. They gain a vast array of information to guide future decision making. High school students who choose which courses to take, which areas of study to pursue, and which extracurricular activities to engage in are better able to make informed decisions about their future life choices. The inclusion of students with disabilities in a high school can be an impetus for change in the way the school addresses the issues of career and future planning. For students with disabilities, the notion of school-supported career planning is not new.
IDEA mandates such a process.
However, schools truly committed to appropriately including children with disabilities reject the notion of separate planning strategies for students with disabilities. They recognize that systems must be developed that support all students to plan for their futures. A shift from a model of direct professional or paraprofessional support to a model of encouraging and nurturing natural supports in the school and community is essential. School and community members must provide support to students with disabilities in much the same ways that support is provided to others employers to new workers, churches and service organizations to new community residents, and so forth. In addition, the hours that school personnel work may need to change in order to support students beyond the school day.