On This Page
Introduction
Transition services are intended to prepare students to move forward from the world of school to the world of adulthood. Transition planning begins during high school at the latest, but is required by law under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) to start by the time the student is 16 years of age. The planning for transition involves teachers, parents, and students. Postsecondary goals and the need for transition services will be considered, as well as areas of interest to the student, such as postsecondary education or vocational training, employment, independent living, and community participation.
Young people graduating from high school and moving into adulthood often face difficulty when making this transition. Young people with disabilities can have added difficulty with issues such as: finding employment, disclosing disability to employers, seeking accommodations in college and in the workplace, and getting necessary supports.
Situations and Solutions:
The following situations and solutions are real-life examples of accommodations that were made by JAN customers. Because accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis, these examples may not be effective for every workplace but give you an idea about the types of accommodations that are possible.
Kenny, a student with a learning disability, was rotated between two placements in the afternoons of his senior year of high school following morning classes at the vocational technical center.
Kenny was working on specialized employment skills in his area of interest as well as soft skills needed for a job. After his second successfully completed placement, Kenny was offered a full-time position to start as soon as he graduated. The accommodations put into place at the start of his placement were effective for learning the job, but were not needed on a continual basis.
Heather has worked in a local, full-service, family restaurant for many years.
She has washed dishes, rolled silverware into napkins, and other general tasks. She has known for some time that she wanted to be a waitress there, but was concerned about learning the huge menu and taking orders. Heather had impairments in executive functioning that limited her ability to mentally organize and remember information. Her transition team obtained a menu from the restaurant and worked with Heather, section by section to learn the menu. They also looked at ways it would be easier for her to take orders, so that when she had an interview, she would be prepared to tell the employer how she could do the job successfully.
Tim and his parents were concerned about his admittance to a community college and his ability to be successful beyond the supports provided in secondary school.
They called JAN asking about similar accommodations that could be provided in his upcoming courses for welding. A consultant as JAN discussed the accommodations that had helped him be successful and assisted him to determine if the same ones would help in his community college course, where to go for help with disclosure and to request accommodations, and what documentation he would need to provide.
After graduating from technical school, Clarice was certain that she would need accommodations in order to be successful on the job she had just secured. She
She had taken afternoon courses at the tech center because she was able to more consistently attend classes with the afternoon bus schedule. Clarice was unable to drive due to epilepsy. She was curious about her rights as an employee and wanted to request a flexible schedule for ease of using public transportation.
Josh’s job coach and employment specialist Edie had served him well during the job search, hiring, and training period.
Edie also worked during this time to locate supports for Josh that could be put into place when she exited the workplace. Josh’s supervisor was pleased that a mentor, an older coworker who had befriended Josh, was identified who would be able to aid Josh in the same way Edie had, but on a more long-term basis.
A janitor at a furniture factory has a cognitive disability.
His primary essential function is to sweep away the ever-accumulating sawdust, which he does very well. However, once he has performed a complete sweep of the floor, he has difficulty determining when it needs to be done again. This results in the sawdust becoming a barrier to other workers' mobility. The employee is a client of state vocational rehabilitation (VR) and his vocational rehabilitation counselor arranges for a job coach to help address the problem. After monitoring the employee's work and helping him learn to discriminate between a clean floor and one that is ready to be swept again, the job coach is able to fade out his direct involvement, but remains available to support the employee as needed.
A teacher with AD/HD experienced disorganization in her classroom due to clutter from many years of teaching.
The employer provided a job coach to help the teacher learn organization techniques, to help separate and store items, and to dispose of previous student work and projects from yesteryear.
A grocery store chain recently hired a customer care clerk who has Down Syndrome.
The new clerk's job duties require her to be able to quickly group similar items together when bagging customer purchases. Due to her disability, she has difficulty recognizing which products are similar, but can remember such relationships once they are pointed out to her. The employer does not have anyone available to spend the required time to train the clerk. The employer hired a job coach to show the clerk how to match items when bagging products. After about two weeks, the clerk was able to perform the job independently so the job coach was no longer needed.
A food service worker with an anxiety disorder works in the kitchen of a restaurant, helping with food preparation and cleaning.
She is able to perform all of her essential functions, but she tends to talk to her co-workers incessantly about her personal issues to the point that other employees complain to management. A manager talks with the food service worker about her conduct and explains that it is interfering with work and making coworkers uncomfortable. The employee is a client of a mental health agency and offers to talk with her service coordinator about getting a job coach. The job coach teaches the employee how to talk with coworkers about impersonal topics (like the weather) and how to focus conversations on work tasks she and coworkers are performing. The job coach then helps the employee apply the new skills directly on the job and is able to fade out direct involvement after a couple of months.
Trinity, a new employee with fetal alcohol syndrome passed her probationary period with flying colors.
She started to experience the gradual withdrawal of the job coach who had been instrumental in the her success. The supervisor began to see a few issues resurface. The employer recruited a co-worker that had formed a positive relationship with Trinity to function as a natural support to her after the job coach was gone, providing the same type of support.
JAN Publications & Articles regarding Transition/Youth Topics
Articles
- No Articles available for Transition/Youth Topics
Blog Posts
- No Blog Posts available for Transition/Youth Topics
Events Regarding Transition/Youth Topics
- Upcoming Events
- Past Recorded Module
- Past In-person Training
- Past Exhibit Booths
- Past Webcast Series Training
-
ADA & Workplace Accommodations - Episode #44May 5, 2022
-
The ADA and Workplace Accommodation for Employees with Voice DisordersJanuary 31, 2024
-
Low-Key AT: Less-Obvious Options for Entry-Level WorkersMarch 16, 2022
-
Accessibility as a Key to InclusionJuly 25, 2022
-
Transition and Workplace Accessibility: What’s New in 2023?February 2, 2023
-
Together Again: AT for Travel and Inclusive EventsFebruary 3, 2023
-
2023 CSUNMarch 17, 2023
-
ATIA 2024 ConferenceJanuary 25, 2024
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
Presentations
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
Presentations
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
Presentations
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard, Lead Consultant, Assistive Technology Services
- Lisa Mathess, Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
Presentations
Accommodating Educational Professionals: Meeting Workplace Needs with AT
Friday 1-2pm
Grand Ballroom 7B
Session Code: TWA-05
Back on Track with the Interactive Process: When Accommodations Go Off the Rails
Friday 4:30-5:30
Magnolia 2
Session Code: TWA-02
Transition and Workplace Accessibility: What’s New in 2024?
Thursday 4:30-5:30
Magnolia 2
Session Code: TWA-08
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard, Lead Consultant, Assistive Technology Services
- Lisa Mathess, Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
Presentations
Accommodating Educational Professionals: Meeting Workplace Needs with AT
Friday 1-2pm
Grand Ballroom 7B
Session Code: TWA-05
Back on Track with the Interactive Process: When Accommodations Go Off the Rails
Friday 4:30-5:30
Magnolia 2
Session Code: TWA-02
Transition and Workplace Accessibility: What’s New in 2024?
Thursday 4:30-5:30
Magnolia 2
Session Code: TWA-08
-
Q&A with the Cog/Psych Team: Challenging Mental Health ScenariosMay 11, 2021
-
Accessibility & Accommodations: How Employers & HR Professionals Can Prepare for Emerging Tech in the WorkplaceMay 20, 2021
-
Accommodating Public Safety Workers with DisabilitiesJune 8, 2021
-
ADA UpdateJuly 13, 2021
-
AT Update: What’s new in 2021August 10, 2021
-
Ask JAN! Expert Q&AOctober 14, 2021
-
Return to Work After COVID-19 – Focus on Mental Health and Cognitive LimitationsNovember 18, 2021
-
Accommodation Solutions for Autoimmune DisordersDecember 9, 2021
-
Next-Level Accommodation and ADA ChallengesJanuary 13, 2022
-
ADA and Accommodation Lessons Learned: Stay at Work/Return to Work EditionFebruary 10, 2022
-
Ergonomics for TeleworkersMarch 1, 2022
-
Accommodation Solutions for Executive Functioning DeficitsMarch 17, 2022
-
Accommodation Solutions for Gastrointestinal DisordersApril 14, 2022
-
Accommodation and ADA Considerations: Reproductive Disorders and PregnancyMay 12, 2022
-
Personal Use or Reasonable Accommodation: What’s What?June 9, 2022
-
ADA UpdateJuly 14, 2022
-
AT Update 2022August 11, 2022
-
Accommodation Solutions for Sleep DisordersSeptember 22, 2022
-
Building a Disability-Inclusive OrganizationOctober 13, 2022
-
Providing Reasonable Accommodations to Veterans with DisabilitiesNovember 10, 2022
-
Ask JAN! Q&AJanuary 12, 2023
-
Supports and Services: Accommodations with a HeartbeatFebruary 9, 2023
-
What You Should Know About the Impact of Long COVID in the WorkplaceMarch 9, 2023
-
Accommodation Solutions for Neurodivergent WorkersApril 13, 2023
-
Accommodation Solutions for Fine Motor LimitationsMay 11, 2023
-
What to Do When Performance and Conduct Factor Into the Accommodation EquationJune 8, 2023
-
ADA Update 2023July 13, 2023
-
Assistive Technology (AT) Update: What’s New in 2023August 10, 2023
-
Accommodation Solutions: Substance Use DisorderSeptember 14, 2023
-
The Way I See It: Accommodation Process Perspectives from Different Points of ViewOctober 12, 2023
-
Accommodation Solutions: Respiratory Conditions, Allergies, & Fragrance SensitivityNovember 9, 2023
-
Accommodation Solutions for Employees with Intellectual DisabilitiesDecember 12, 2023
-
ADA and Beyond Compliance Considerations: Medical DocumentationJanuary 11, 2024
-
Ask JAN! Q&A: Sensory Team EditionMarch 14, 2024
-
Accommodating Employees with Diverse Cognitive and Neurological NeedsApril 11, 2024
Presenters:
- James Potts , Senior Consultant - Cognitive/Neurological Team
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Anne E. Hirsh , Director of Collaborations, Evaluation, and Reporting
- Bill Curtis-Davidson, Co-director of PEAT
- Martez Mott, Ph.D., Senior Researcher, Ability Group, Microsoft Research
- Tina Park, Ph.D., Methods for Inclusion Research Fellow at the Partnership on AI
Presentations
Transcripts
This session, produced in collaboration with JAN and the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT), will introduce the potential impact of emerging tech on accommodations. Participants will learn how employers and HR professionals can help plan for an accessible workplace of the future, including the procurement of accessible technologies and potential accommodation needs of people with disabilities. PEAT, funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, will interview technology leaders to find out how AI and XR will change the way we work and what these technologies could mean for the employment of people with disabilities.
This event takes place on Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD).
Speaker Bios:
Bill Curtis-Davidson is a Co-Director and Sr. Consultant on Emerging Tech Accessibility at PEAT. In this role, he works to advance the accessibility of emerging workplace technologies, including XR and AI, to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. He partners with the disability community, tech companies, and the public to advance adoption of inclusive design and promising practices for tech accessibility. He serves on the External Advisory Board of the GA Tech Human-Computer Interaction Degree Program.
Martez Mott is a Senior Researcher in the Ability Group at Microsoft Research. His research is focused on designing, implementing, and evaluating intelligent interaction techniques that improve the accessibility of computing devices for people with diverse motor and sensory abilities. His current research focuses on identifying and overcoming accessibility barriers embedded in the design of virtual and augmented reality systems. Martez is passionate about improving diversity in the CS and HCI communities. He co-chaired the 2020 CHI Mentoring Workshop (CHIMe), is serving on the steering committee for CHIMe 2021, and co-founded the Black Researchers @ Microsoft Research group. Martez received his Ph.D. in Information Science from the Information School at the University of Washington. Prior to attending UW, he received his B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from Bowling Green State University.
Tina M. Park is currently a Methods for Inclusion Research Fellow at the Partnership on AI, developing evidence-based methodologies for incorporating a more diverse range of stakeholders in the design and development of artificial intelligence. Prior to joining PAI, Tina has led efforts to cultivate supportive intellectual spaces for scholars of color at Brown University and nationwide. She has presented at top international conferences in her field such as the American Sociological Association, the Social Science History Association, the Population Association of America, and the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.
Presenters:
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Matthew McCord , Senior Consultant – Motor Team
- Tatum Storey, Consultant - Motor Team
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
- Jeanne Goldberg is a Senior Attorney Advisor in the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Handouts
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Matthew McCord , Senior Consultant – Motor Team
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- James Potts , Senior Consultant - Cognitive/Neurological Team
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
- Linda Carter Batiste , Director of Services and Publications
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
Presentations
Transcripts
Handouts
Presenters:
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Matthew McCord , Senior Consultant – Motor Team
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Alexis Popa , Consultant - Cognitive/Neurological Team
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Matthew McCord , Senior Consultant – Motor Team
- Julie Davis , Consultant - Motor Team
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Matthew McCord , Senior Consultant – Motor Team
Presentations
Transcripts
Handouts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
- Jeanne Goldberg - Senior Attorney Advisor, Office of Legal Counsel, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Handouts
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Matthew McCord , Senior Consultant – Motor Team
- Christy McCune , Consultant - Sensory Team
Presentations
Handouts
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Alexis Popa , Consultant - Cognitive/Neurological Team
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
- Ellice Switzer, EARN Workplace Disability Inclusion Associate
Presentations
Transcripts
Ellice Switzer, EARN Workplace Disability Inclusion Associate
Ellice is an Extension Associate with the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. She provides content development, training and technical assistance for EARN. As an Extension Associate, she provides national technical assistance and training on topics related to disability and employment, and U.S. disability policy. Her areas of focus include employer practices to support workforce disability inclusion, demand-side strategies to improve employer engagement among disability service providers and evidence-based practices to support post-school success for youth with disabilities.
Presenters:
- James Potts , Senior Consultant - Cognitive/Neurological Team
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
- Teresa Goddard , Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- James Potts , Senior Consultant - Cognitive/Neurological Team
- Lisa Mathess , Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas , Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
- Terri Rhodes, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC)
- Bryon Bass, Senior Vice President Workforce Absence and Disability Practice Leader, Sedgwick
- Susanne Bruyere, Co-Director and Co-Principal Director, Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN)
Handouts
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Melanie Whetzel , Principal Consultant, Team Lead
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Julie Davis, Consultant - Motor Team
- Matthew McCord, Senior Consultant - Motor Team
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Lisa Mathess, Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Melanie Whetzel, Principal Consultant, Team Lead
- Tracie DeFreitas, Program Leader, Director of Training, Services, and Outreach
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Tracie DeFreitas, Program Leader, Director of Training, Services, and Outreach
- Jeanne Goldberg, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Matthew McCord, Senior Consultant – Motor Team
- Teresa Goddard, Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Jose Gonzalez Lopez, Consultant — Sensory/Motor Teams
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- James Potts, Senior Consultant - Cognitive/Neurological Team
- Melanie Whetzel, Principal Consultant, Team Lead
- Linda Batiste, Director of Publications and Services
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Lisa Mathess, Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Lore Lee, Consultant
- Matthew McCord, Senior Consultant – Motor Team
- Tracie DeFreitas, Program Leader, Director of Training, Services, and Outreach
Presentations
Transcripts
Handouts
Presenters:
- Teresa Goddard, Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
- Jose Gonzalez Lopez, Consultant - Sensory/Motor Teams
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Melanie Whetzel, Principal Consultant, Team Lead Cognitive/Neurological Team
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Lisa Mathess, Principal Consultant, ADA Specialist
- Tracie DeFreitas, Program Leader, Director of Training and Outreach
Presentations
Transcripts
Handouts
Presenters:
- Jose Gonzalez Lopez, Consultant – Sensory/Motor Teams
- Teresa Goddard, Lead Consultant – Assistive Technology Services
Presentations
Transcripts
Presenters:
- Melanie Whetzel, Principal Consultant, Team Lead