Affiliations: Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career
Development, Cincinnati, OH 45241-1581, USA | Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center,
Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Erin Riehle, MSN, RN, Director of
Disability Services and Project SEARCH Co-Director, Cincinnati Children's
Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, ML 5030, Cincinnati, Ohio
45229-3039, USA. Tel.: +1 513 636 8729; Fax: +1 513 636 2570; E-mail:
erin.riehle@cchmc.org
Abstract: Community work experience and coordinated transition services are
recognized as key factors in successful school-to-work transitions for young
people with disabilities. However, although federal law now mandates transition
assistance, such services are not consistently available. Consequently, youth
with disabilities often miss out on opportunities to develop the work habits,
communication skills and attitudes that employers look for when making hiring
decisions. In this article we describe the Project SEARCH High School
Transition Program, an employer-based intervention for high school students
with significant disabilities whose main goal is competitive employment. The
program combines real-life work experience with training in employability and
independent living skills. Individualized placement assistance is provided as
an integral part of the program. The hallmark of this demand-side model is
complete immersion in the workplace. This facilitates a seamless integration of
classroom instruction and on-the-job training and support that cannot be
achieved with occasional workplace visits or simulated work environments. The
program also demonstrates a novel collaborative approach that brings the
education system, employers, and rehabilitation services together in unique
ways to create a productive and comprehensive transition experience for
students.
Keywords: Special education, transitions, youth with disabilities, employment, employability
