Enhancing the implementation of the transition requirements of IDEA: A report on the policy forum on transition

As part of an effort to understand the impact of context and policy characteristics on implementation and outcomes, a Policy Forum on Transition was held in Washington, D.C. in September, 1997. Participants were selected to represent knowledgeable and effective policymakers, administrators, direct service providers, parents, and advocates at local, state, and regional levels. They also represented regular education, special education, rehabilitation, and the School-to-Work Initiative. The participants addressed the above goals and made recommendations in the following areas: (a) considering transition as a Pre-K through 16 issue; (b) promoting schools' responsibility for all students; (c) cultivating leadership; (d) working effectively with students and families; (e) addressing issues of collaboration and the holistic nature of transition; (f) appreciating local contexts; and (g) continuing research and dissemination. Although the focus of the forum was on secondary transition, the issues identified have much broader implications for special education, general education, and the community as a whole.