The current research and legislation, which impacts on transition programming for students, reveals a clear trend schools must become more relevant to life after school in order to be more effective. In preparation for developing a RFC to improve transition programming for deaf and hard of hearing students, the Clerc Center needed more information about current programming and what this trend to make schools more relevant might mean for deaf students and the programs that serve them. As a starting place, the Clerc Center sought more information about the needs of students currently in middle and senior high school. In addition to reviewing the research and legislation, the Clerc Center gathered information about current needs from a number of parents and professionals directly concerned with transitional programming. Many students lack planning and problem-solving skills.
Many students have very unrealistic goals.
Deaf students have fewer opportunities to learn from incidental and informal situations than their hearing peers because of differences in communication mode. Reading and writing skills are often below grade level. Work experiences are often marred by not understanding appropriate behavior in the work place. There are many deaf and hard of hearing students sitting in middle and high schools right now who are not sufficiently benefiting from work experiences and exposure to other transition programming. Administrators and educational staff are concerned that these students gain maximum benefit from their transition programming.