Transitions involve the work one does, where and with whom one lives, what one does during one's leisure time, and the type of learning, training, and experiences one may need or want. Learning how to plan for transitions before leaving school is a useful skill for all students, now and in the future. Teaching students how to weigh choices and make decisions is a crucial practice that will ultimately assist them to live more interdependent and fulfilling lives. To achieve a transition into adulthood that will fulfill students' dreams and visions requires committed action from many participants. The student charts the direction and it is up to others involved to ensure that the student has the skills or supports necessary to make decisions, learn from mistakes, and celebrate successes.
Transition means different things to different people.
From a very early age, students must be encouraged to dream, to explore various ideas, to take chances. Their decisions must be supported and nurtured by families, friends, teachers, and other professionals. Successful transition is a cooperative process that involves student choice, parent involvement, informal supports, and use of community resources, as well as more formal procedures and interagency collaboration. Recent trends on both the state and national levels encourage this kind of integrated, cooperative approach. Linking these initiatives together can reallocate resources, create a forum for sharing a broad range of expertise, and help bridge the gap between regular and special education.