Special Education - Transition

Career Assessment office helps special education students make transition from high school to work or college

Today's young adults must sift through a wide variety of options including:

• Academic and non-academic courses and learning experiences;

• Employment and related training opportunities;

• Choices about where to live in the community; and

• What to do for fun and socialization.

Without assistance, some of those choices may seem mind-boggling. Transition planning can help makes these choices more manageable, by connecting youth to teachers and other caring adults, support services and experiences that build skills and help them reach their goals.

The HFM BOCES Career Assessment office provides a number of resources to help students make those transitions more smoothly. Transition is based on family values, priorities and culture, and is focused on an individual person's interests, preferences and needs. The transition planning process creates opportunities for youth with disabilities that result in positive outcomes for life.

This may involve:

• Raising expectations for youth outcomes;

• Engaging in the general education curriculum; ¥ Assessing for interests, preferences and needs;

• Building self-awareness, self-identity, self-esteem and self-determination skills;

• Utilizing the community for support;

• Socializing and developing long-term relationships;

• Being in activities both at school and in the community; and

• Engaging in leadership and involvement in the transition planning process.
 

If you want to go to college, it's time to ACT

You must look at what you're doing in high school and make sure that your courses are what you need for college. What type of diploma will you be eligible to obtain? Look at how assistive technology can help you do your work more independently (spell checkers, calculators, software for reading and writing assistance etc.). Consider taking math in your senior year to prepare you for entrance and placement exams. Attend your IEP meetings and speak up.
 

ABLE Club members lend helping hand to FMCC students

Members of the ABLE Club (Abilities Beyond Limitation Thru Education) at Fulton-Montgomery Community College make presentations to high school students about accommodations that are available at the college.

The ABLE Club is committed to advocating for programs without artificial and attitudinal barriers. The club is open to all students regardless of whether they have a disability. Instead, members are expected to share an interest in disability-related issues and feel a commitment towards raising awareness of these issues with others on the campus and in the community.
 

Accommodations available for college admissions exams

If college is in your future, odds are you will have to take a standardized college admissions test, such as the SAT or ACT exam.

If you are a student with a disability, you are also eligible to apply for approval to receive accommodations for these college admissions tests. But you must apply for accommodations in advance and receive approval before you may receive the accommodations. Accommodations may be approved if you have a disability diagnosed by a professional and documented by your school district.

You may apply to either The College Board (SAT/PSAT) or ACT to obtain the appropriate accommodations needed during testing. It is required by both agencies that accommodations requests be approved and arranged for in advance of your testing date, so don't delay!

For more information, please see your school counselor or check out the Web sites for The College Board and ACT.

Scholarships and internships for students with disabilities

www.emerging-leaders.com
Internship and leadership development opportunities for students with disabilities.

www.entrypoint.org
Majors in science, math, computers, economics, business, IT for placement in nationwide paid internships and co-op programs.

www.twc.edu
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic seminars, Scholarship Program for College Students with Disabilities

www.parentsinc.org/finaid
Resource page of scholarship links.
 

VESID can help with college training

College training may be provided by VESID when required to achieve an agreed-upon goal in the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). Your VESID counselor will work with you to help select a goal that matches your interests and skills and will help you succeed in the workforce.
[more]
 

Assistive technology: What is it?

Advances in software have allowed us to be "smarter" users of technology. Software developers have focused on making our work easier. Many times these products originate from a need to help people with disabilities overcome barriers in work and in life. Fortunately these products are user friendly and appeal to many people who want to take advantage of labor saving devices to work "smarter not harder."
[more]
 

[top of page]