Adolescents with Disabilities Transitioning to Adulthood: Implications for a Diverse and Multicultural Population

Regardless of disability status, adolescents benefit from planning and instruction as they prepare to move forward into adulthood. For those with disabilities, however, transition education—that is, the planning, direct instruction, and experiential learning that helps adolescents make decisions and gain requisite attitudes, knowledge, and skills—is essential to attaining adult success. Because adolescents with disabilities face unique challenges to postsecondary education, employment, and other aspects of achieving adult success, transition education models address a range of adult domains.

Despite the advancement of special education postsecondary transition theory and practice, some groups of youth, particularly those who have been historically marginalized, continue to fare worse than their dominant-group peers. This article considers the state of transition education and planning for youth with disabilities, paying particular attention to majority/minority issues and trends.