Identifying the Referral Process, Practices, Knowledge, Training and Technical Assistance Needed for Quality Transition Assessments.

ACADEMIC achievement; JOB applications; ATTITUDE (Psychology); COMMUNITY health services; EXPERIENTIAL learning; STUDENTS with disabilities; INTELLECT; INTERPROFESSIONAL relations; MEDICAL needs assessment; MEDICAL personnel; MEDICAL referrals; NEEDS assessment; QUESTIONNAIRES; REHABILITATION; RESEARCH; SCALE analysis (Psychology); SCHOLARSHIPS; SCHOOLS; RATING of students; SURVEYS; VOCATIONAL guidance; VOCATIONAL rehabilitation; WORK; WORLD Wide Web; WELL-being; TRANSITIONAL programs (Education); DESCRIPTIVE statistics

The importance of transition assessment continues to be recognized as a vital component in the facilitation of successful outcomes for students with disabilities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to ascertain Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Counselors' insights regarding transition processes and practices, knowledge of transition assessment, and perceptions of needed training and technical assistance. The results of this study indicate VR Counselors are referred students primarily for job placement assistance and for funding of post-secondary training, while there is limited interagency collaboration throughout the transition assessment process. Furthermore, results demonstrate variability among VR Counselors' knowledge and utilization of transition assessment practices, thus supporting the need for additional training and technical assistance regarding transition assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]